Tuesday, 5/27/97 Fraternity gives kids boost COMMUNITY: Contest,
fund-raiser keep kids from poverty, gangs
By Hala Ali Daily Bruin Contributor He died seven years ago, but
since then, he has lifted the spirits of hundreds of
underprivileged children. Phi Kappa Psi member Wolfe Kirson was a
well-known and successful student. A freshman pledge in 1987,
Kirson was highly devoted to his fraternity, was active as a junior
statesman and personally received an award from then-President
Reagan. He was also a director at the Boys and Girls Club of Santa
Monica, where he started a basketball fund-raiser for children in
the community. But Kirson only lived to put on the fund-raiser
once: In 1988, he died in a hiking accident. But his fraternity
brothers would not let his hard work and dedication to the children
of Santa Monica die with him. Since then, Phi Kappa Psi has
annually put on the Wolfe Kirson Memorial Basketball Skills and
Slam Dunk Contest. Each year, the fraternity holds the contest,
awarding prizes and a scholarship, giving out free food and, most
importantly, providing children with the opportunity to have fun in
a safe and positive environment. "I just like seeing kids happy for
a few hours," said Nick Ramona, a Phi Kappa Psi member and the
director of the event. "The most important thing is that the kids
will leave with something." At the event, fraternity members and
children mingled together. Rather than just directing the games and
contests, the members participated and played with the children.
"They’re having more fun than the kids," said Joyce Townsend, a
mother of one of the children at the event. From lifting them up to
slam dunk to keeping score, the fraternity brothers ensured that
the children enjoyed themselves. "I like it because there’s not
that many people around here that much," said 10-year-old Henry
Flores. Both the kids and Boys and Girls Club staff appreciated
members taking time out of their busy college lives to give
something back to the community. "They have school and jobs to
attend to, and they took the day off to play with the kids," said
Ronald Weaver, 13. "It’s a good thing to do for the community." "It
shows that they’re into the kids and support a good cause," said
Brandon LaBrie, athletic director of the club. Townsend pointed out
that the event is not only fun for the children involved but it
also keeps them off the streets and out of trouble. "It keeps them
from being in gangs," Townsend said. The Boys and Girls Club also
builds self-esteem and shows kids that there are young people who
care about them, said some members of Phi Kappa Psi. "The guys are
really nice, they talk to you and play with you," Weaver said.
About 40 kids participated in the day’s activities, ranging in age
from 6 to 16. "We didn’t expect so many kids," Ramona said.
Children who had competed in previous years brought their friends
back for Friday’s event. Although the fraternity put on the
memorial, local businesses donated to the fund as well. According
to Ramona, nearly every business in Westwood and a few from the
greater Los Angles area donated money, food and prizes. The
fraternity received help from various UCLA sororities as well. All
of the money donated to the fund will be awarded as the Wolfe
Kirson Scholarship to a particular child in the club. The event as
a whole provided not only a good time for the children and the
fraternity members, but a sense of unity. "It’s important that
people see that college students and fraternities can get together
to help the community as much as we can," said Tony Glocker, an
engineering student and Phi Kappa Psi member. "With such a big
group of guys, there’s so much you can do." JAMIE SCANLON-JACOBS A
member of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity gives a slam-dunk assist Friday
during "Wolfe Kirson Memorial Basketball Skills and Slam Dunk
Contest."