Pi Sigma Epsilon, a Beta Kappa fraternity at Cal Poly Pomona, raised $600 of the $1,000 goal in its annual StrEat Walk Sept. 19, located in the University Park to donate to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS).
According to the Pi Sigma Epsilon Facebook page, the fraternity “strive(s) to provide (its) members with resources that will enhance business-related skills as well as prepare them to become leaders in their future careers. This is accomplished by giving (the) chapter access to professional development activities, career opportunities and community service.”
The fraternity chose the month of September to promote advocacy and knowledge about LLS, as it is blood cancer awareness month.
According to the LLS Society website, the organization is “dedicated to curing leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, and other blood cancers” and is “the world’s largest voluntary (nonprofit) health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research and providing education and patient services.”
The LLS invested almost $1.3 billion into research around the world that can help find cures or treatments to save lives. The society doesn’t just provide treatments; it also provides free blood cancer information, education and support services such as co-pay financial assistance.
The Pi Sigma Epsilon fraternity started its annual StrEat Walk in spring 2017 after one of the fraternity members had a family member pass away following a battle with lymphoma.
“Our goals haven’t changed … we still hope to raise $1,000 and bring the community together through music, food and our guest speaker, Racheli Peltier,” said Mandana Jahangirian, a third-year international business major and vice president of public relations for the Pi Sigma Epsilon-Beta Kappa Chapter.
(Zuvanny Macias | The Poly Post)
Racheli Peltier is a guest speaker from the LLS who spoke about her story during the StrEat Walk event.
Peltier has been involved with the society for a few years and originally got involved when her friend’s father was diagnosed with cancer. When Peltier was 21, she was diagnosed with lymphoma and then became involved in the organization.
Peltier is one of many patients who was helped by the co-pay financial assistance program offered by LLS, having been awarded $5,000 for co-pay to help with her medical bills.
“I promise you we’ll see a cancer cure in my lifetime,” Peltier said during her speech at the event.
The event also consisted of the Pi Sigma Epsilon members selling food items such as bacon-wrapped hot dogs, skewered watermelon, churros and root beer floats. Each item was priced between $1-$3.
There was also a table where students could spin a small wheel to get prizes and learn more about the LLS.
During the fundraising event there were also live music performances.
The first act to perform was an acoustic set performed by Chris Hernandez, a second-year music transfer student and Zack Corrales, a second-year music industry studies transfer student.
The second act on the stage was Dead by Sunday, a group composed of CPP students, and the third and final group to perform was No Tomorrow, the only band that wasn’t made up of CPP students but instead included two brothers from Cal State Fullerton.
The fourth annual StrEat Walk event by Pi Sigma Epsilon will be held next September.
