Monmouth’s chapter of the Sigma Pi Fraternity raised over $2,000 for Mental Health Association of Monmouth County (MHA) at their annual Lift-a-Thon philanthropy event held on Sept. 21 of last year.
“The Lift-a-Thon is an annual philanthropic fundraiser hosted and run by Sigma Pi Fraternity. The Lift-a-Thon is a competition amongst Monmouth University students. The contest consists of weight classes, one repetition maxing, and displays of athletic ability. All proceeds from the event are donated to the MHA. Our goal is to assist in eliminating the stigma surrounding mental health awareness,” said Luke Petaccia, Philanthorpy and Community Service Chair of of Sigma Pi.
MHA is an organization centered around breaking through mental health stigmas and providing numerous free mental care services.
Around 60 students took to Monmouth’s Varsity Weight Room to watch the competition, cheer on participants, and show their support for MHA. In the end, two competitors were crowned champions. “The 2024 Lift-a-Thon ended in a draw with 1,155 pounds from both Alessandro Campanella and Thomas Fekula,” shared Petaccia.
The event was an all-around success as Sigma Pi surpassed their original fundraising goal. Petaccia continues, “Our initial fundraising goal was to raise $2,000. We are thrilled to report that we exceeded this goal by raising $2,500.”
Petaccia concluded by explaining that Sigma Pi has future plans to continue supporting and raising funds for MHA, “Looking ahead, we are excited to announce our upcoming Sigma Pi Sweetheart competition on Wednesday, Feb. 12. Similar to the Lift-a-Thon, all proceeds from Sigma Pi Sweetheart goes to the MHA. We also display a video from the MHA to raise awareness. Personally, I am planning a launch for a new annual event. Keep your eyes out for that in the future. Thank you for your support in sharing our successes and promoting our events.”
