Monmouth University’s Delta Omega chapter of Delta Phi Epsilon held their annual Lip Sync Fundraising event to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation on Sunday, Sept. 26.
The event started at 4:45 a.m. and took place in person on Hesse Field. This Lip Sync Fundraising event was planned by Sophia Edwards, a junior communication student whose position in Delta Phi Epsilon is Vice President of Programming.
Lauren Desarlo, a sister of Delta Phi Epsilon said, “Delta Phi Epsilon has three philanthropies: the Delta Phi Epsilon Educational Foundation, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders.”
The event’s theme was the 2000’s, which they incorporated into the decorations that lined Hesse Field, as well as the outfits that the hosts and judges wore. The sisters of Delta Phi Epsilon went all out, as they showcased large sparkly Delta Phi Epsilon letters in front of the judges, along with pink and silver balloons all over the event.
Judges wore pink fluffy bucket hats, pink outfits and accessories that fit the 2000’s theme perfectly. The judges of the event were Emma Sharkey (Phi Sigma Sigma), Danny Harris (Tau Delta Phi), Angelo Crincoli (Sigma Pi), Bianca Martino (Delta Phi Epsilon), Lauren Gambale (Alpha Omicron Pi), and Kassandra Ketcho (Track and Field).
At the beginning of the event, Chris Love, a 31-year-old businessman who suffers from Cystic Fibrosis, talked about the struggles he faced with this disease. Love’s younger brother Patrick also suffered from the lung disorder and lost his battle to it in 2014. He explained how this affected many aspects of his and his brothers’ lives and changed the way he viewed life as a whole.
According to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the average life expectancy for those with the condition born between 2015 and 2019 is 48 years old. Love shared how the quality of life to him meant way more than the quantity due to the struggles he had faced in the past with Cystic Fibrosis and still to this day.
Peri Lebensfeld, a sister of Delta Phi Epsilon, said, “I love how relatable ANAD is to so many people and I think CFF is such an important foundation that not so many people know about, so I love that we get to spread awareness.”
The event kicked off with a Rihanna themed performance from the sisters of Alpha Omicron Pi, followed by a Jennifer Lopez themed number from Alpha Xi Delta. The sisters of Phi Sigma Sigma danced to a Beyonce themed mix, and Alpha Sigma Tau opted for a routine set to music from the iconic Disney film, The Cheetah Girls.
The University’s fraternities participated in the event as well. The brothers of Tau Delta Phi performed to a Justin Timberlake set, while Sigma Pi opted for an Eminem mix. Delta Phi Epsilon did not take part in the competition, but still participated in the fun with a Brittany Spears themed production.
Many of these dances captivated the audience through a number of stunts such as backflips, back handsprings, and front walkovers.
Each sorority and fraternity dressed according to their theme. Alpha Omicron Pi wore pink and red outfits while Alpha Xi Delta wore all white tops. Phi Sigma Sigma coordinated in all black and Alpha Sigma Tau wore various kinds of cheetah print. Tau Delta Pi came out with white button ups and white tops while Sigma Pi coordinated in all black, besides their “Eminem” who wore white to fit their theme. Delta Phi Epsilon represented the event in coordinating black tank tops paired with white tennis skirts.
With everyone watching these 2000’s themed lip sync dances, the judges made sure to share their input and thoughts between each dance. The hosts also read tweets from Twitter with the hashtag #dphielipsync2021 that the audience could send out to share their thoughts. Some of these tweets joked about the judges, shared their thoughts on specific dances, or even jokingly flirted with members of certain organizations that had performed.
The judges of the event named three winners who all won specific prizes according to the place they received. In third place was Phi Sigma Sigma, in second place was Sigma Pi, and the overall champions of the night were Tau Delta Phi with their Justin Timberlake themed lip-sync dance.
This return of the in-person lip sync fundraiser since the pandemic allowed students to support an important cause such as Cystic Fibrosis while having a fun 2000’s themed evening. For more information on Delta Phi Epsilon, visit their Instagram page @dphiemu, and to learn more about Cystic Fibrosis, visit cff.org.
