ZBT rolls its way to charity donations

Zeta Beta Tau will get the ball rolling on Monday for their annual "Get On The Ball" philanthropy event.

ZBT brothers will be pushing a ball with a 6-foot diameter throughout campus in an attempt to get students to sign it. For each signature received money will be donated to ZBT's philanthropy partner, the Children's Miracle Network.

Students can expect to see the ball on campus throughout the week between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. and are encouraged by ZBT to stop and sign.

The ball will be rolling around popular areas on campus such as the Student Union, the gym area and the Education Complex.

Each signature will earn the Children's Miracle Network a certain amount of money depending on what the sponsors of the event have previously agreed to.     

According to Daniel Balva, the Internal Philanthropy Chair for ZBT, all the money goes toward the Orlando sect of the Children's Miracle Network which benefits the Arnold Palmer Children's Hospital.

"The sponsors we have spent weeks seeking out have either agreed to donate a certain amount per signature or have just offered a flat rate," Balva said. "Every signature we get helps us raise money and it is completely free to sign the ball."

Along with receiving money for each signature, ZBT gets all the Greeks involved by holding a competition of which Greek organization can get the most signatures.

Whichever organization gets the most signatures wins a prize. Any fraternity or sorority that wants to participate must sign up early and pay a fee, all of which gets donated to the Children's Miracle Network also.

Another way students can get involved is by purchasing a Children's Miracle Network balloon for $1 outside the Student Union this week. Students can write their name on it and it will be hung on a banner ZBT will have set up.

There will also be a raffle where students can potentially win prizes by purchasing a ticket outside the Student Union throughout the week between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Prizes will be given out at the end of the week and include restaurant gift cards, LA Fitness passes and more.

As part of the event's grand finale, students can buy tickets to the DJ Unk concert hosted by ZBT.

The concert will be at 10 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 13 at Scoop. The first 250 tickets sold will be $10 and will include a free drink pass. After that, tickets will be $12 and includes a free drink.

This year, ZBT contacted the Children's Miracle Network's national office so they could sell the organization's Glow for Kids bracelets as well.

The bracelets are similar to Livestrong bracelets and all proceeds will go to the national sect of the Children's Miracle Network.

"We try and do anything we can for Children's Miracle Network," Balva said. "We have developed a close relationship with them here in Orlando and the other chapters of ZBT work with them, too."

Having raised $1,500 last year — the highest of all four years — Balva believes they can top that by raising between $2,500 and $3,000 due to some new additions to the event.

"Since this is the fifth anniversary of ZBT having the event, we have plans to make this year bigger and better," he said.

With the use of social networking and the concert at Scoop, Balva plans to do just that.

People can follow the ball's track via their Twitter account, @zetabetatauucf. This way, students will be able to catch up with the ball and know where it's going should they want to sign.

Another change to the event is that people can now donate through the fraternity's website at www.zbtucf.com. With this new way to donate, Balva feels that a year-long goal of accumulating $5,000 is feasible.

"It's been more difficult to get sponsors because of economic hardships but I definitely think we can raise the money," he said. "This year to expand the event we've contacted numerous public relations agencies and celebrities have agreed to Tweet about our event, so with celebrities working on this as well, we can make it happen."

ZBT was able to get WKMG Local 6 to cover the event  in order to raise awareness not just at UCF, but in the Central Florida community, as well.

Dan Antonino, a ZBT brother, has been helping with the event for three years now and is hoping to get at least 6,000 signatures this year.

"Last year we got to do a tour of the Arnold Palmer Children's Hospital and seeing everything they do there to change children's lives, especially because they're the only Level One Trauma Center for children in the area, was incredibly moving," he said.

"All students have to do is sign the ball."