Written By: The Emerald 
I love it when we get letters at the Executive Office from community leaders about the great things that Sigma Pi chapters are doing around the country. This past week, we received a wonderful letter from the New Jersey Organ and Tissue Sharing Network in New Providence, New Jersey. They had been working with the Monmouth (Delta-Beta) chapter of Sigma Pi, and they were so impressed with this special group of young men who have made it a priority to save lives. They were honored that Sigma Pi had chosen organ donation and transplantation as our philanthropic initiative.
With the help of groups like Sigma Pi Fraternity, they will be able to positively impact the lives of approximately 5,000 people in New Jersey and nearly 120,000 people across the country that await a life saving organ transplant.
Most recently at Monmouth, the Sigma Pi chapter facilitated a send-off event for one of their fellow students, Joseph DiSanto, whose life was saved by a heart transplant. Joseph was riding on the Donate Life float in the Parade of Roses in California on New Year’s Day. Their chapter director, Joseph Palazzola, helped to facilitate events on campus and guided the chapter in these endeavors.
Here is a photo of the brothers of Delta-Beta with Rose Parade Honoree, Monmouth University Student, and Heart recipient Joseph DiSanto. Well done brothers! We’re all proud of your work.
In order to do effective community service events like this, be sure to start the planning months in advance, create press releases for the local papers, prepare a budget, find sources of money and resources around campus, invite key members of the campus community (administration, Greek Life office, sports teams, student government, service clubs, and other Greeks), and then document everything with a write up and photos. This type of recognition in the school newspaper, the local newspaper, and even letters from the organizations you are helping can go a long way in communicating Sigma Pi’s values to the community in which you belong.