KD does the twist for charity in annual tournament

By Tina Peng

The Daily Northwestern

Kappa Delta sorority held its annual Twister Tournament in Norris University Center’s Louis Room on Sunday, blasting ’80s music as students scrambled to slap their hands and feet on red, yellow, green and blue dots.

The event was part of a Kappa Delta philanthropic initiative called the Shamrock Project, according to Anna Volerman, vice president of new member education and the event’s co-chairwoman.

“Every chapter can do whatever it wants, so we’re doing a twister tournament,” said Volerman, a Weinberg junior.

The Twister Tournament is in its sixth year at Northwestern, although Shamrock Project events have been held nationwide since 1984. Proceeds benefit Prevent Child Abuse America and a local philanthropy of the chapter’s choice — in this case, Prevent Child Abuse Illinois.

Volerman said 15 to 20 groups usually participate in the Twister Tournament. She attributed this year’s turnout of 11 teams to the event’s timing.

“There were a lot of other things going on this weekend,” she said. “There’s so much going on with the nice weather. We didn’t get any random teams signing up, which we usually do.”

Volerman said eight of the competing teams represented Panhellenic Association sororities.

Lori Large, director of development for Prevent Child Abuse Illinois, opened the event by describing the prevalence of child abuse and thanking the sorority.

“In Illinois alone, over 95,000 calls to a child abuse hotline are placed in a year,” Large said. “We really appreciate (your help), so let’s put our hands together for Kappa Delta.”

Event planners divided the tournament into two parts. First the teams of four competed, relay-style, on a huge Twister board made from 12 individual game boards. Then they took turns competing in two tougher tasks: blindfolded Twister on one smaller board and a three-legged version of the game on another.

Members of the team representing Kappa Alpha Theta sorority offered each other encouragement throughout the competition by cheering, giving advice about hand placement and even helping their occupied teammates blow their noses.

“Don’t let anyone take pictures of this,” a blindfolded Weinberg freshman Amanda Howell said to her teammates, planting her hands on the Twister board and leaning forward with the help of a friend.

On the other board, six teams tied their legs together to compete in the three-legged competition. After four moves, a group of friends calling themselves “Team Casey” collapsed.

Communication junior Casey Osterkamp blamed the tumble on her partner.

“My boyfriend is totally uncoordinated,” Osterkamp said.

Her boyfriend, Communication sophomore Dan Broadwell, had another opinion.

“You pulled your hand up first,” he said.

Despite the early fall, Team Casey finished in third place. Theta earned second place and Lambda Chi fraternity, which came in second last year, won first place and a set of gift certificates to Lou Malnati’s. Rankings were determined by the number of people who fell during each round.

Ryan Vogt, a Medill freshman and a member of the Lambda Chi team, said his teammate Edwin Li, a Weinberg sophomore, was more invested than he let on.

“He started stretching an hour before,” Vogt said.

Kappa Delta will conclude its Shamrock Project events by bringing comedian Steve Hofstetter to Owen L. Coon Auditorium on Friday. Tickets are on sale at the Norris Box Office.