New fundraising efforts by UT Interfraternity Council (IFC) and University Panhellenic Council (UPC) for the 86th annual RoundUp weekend attracted more than 15,000 people and raised nearly $100,000 for charities.

This year, IFC increased its prices on non-UT students wristbands. IFC charged $20 per wristband for non-UT students, compared to $10 last year. RoundUp is free for UT students, but this year UPC held a fast-pass option that charged students $10 dollars to cut in wristband lines. IFC and UPC donated money raised with wristband sales and personal donations to charities of
their choice.

Wesley Sparr, finance sophomore and IFC philanthropy chair, said this year the organization chose the B+ Foundation as its main charity. The foundation helps children fighting cancer.  

“I think the Greek community is a great community of adults,” Sparr said. “People focus a lot on the negative [aspect] of Greek life. We strive in school, philanthropy and social situations and although it doesn’t get the same attention, we choose to do the philanthropy because it feels good.” 

Will Deer, finance junior and IFC president, said many fraternities and sororities have sponsored children in the foundation, and decided to use RoundUp as the opportunity to make a larger impact for the charity. IFC last year adopted a young boy named Karter who is battling acute lymphoid leukemia.

“Being around Karter and his family and spending time with him like at UT baseball games and Dave & Buster’s gave us inspiration to make RoundUp bigger than a party weekend,” Deer said.

While IFC hosted the big parties, several sororities held cookouts throughout the weekend to raise money. Kassidy Knight, electrical engineering senior and president of UPC, said they use the large crowds in West Campus looking for a mid-afternoon meal to spread awareness of their philanthropies.

“It’s a great opportunity to take time out of your day to spread awareness on philanthropy and learn where their $5 on quesadillas are going,” Knight said.

Knight said she was pleased to see how much money was raised with its fast pass.

“This year is the first year we have done it,” Knight said. “We weren’t sure how it was going to do. But we were very happy to have raised nearly $2,000 with it.”

Knight said UPC’s funds on the fast pass fundraiser will go to Circle of Sisterhood, a charity that helps girls around the world get resources for an education.