Sorority holds benefit concert for Cystic Fibrosis

Kelsey Mix – Copy Editor –

On Thursday Oct. 25, Delta Phi Epsilon sorority held their fourth annual benefit concert for Cystic Fibrosis; it was held on the third floor of the Adanti Student Center in the ballroom and tickets cost a suggested donation of $8. The concert featured four acts including: The Angry Bears, Fourth and Goal, Scott Westenberger and Jimi Mann.

The Angry Bears, the opening act, had a sound that was similar to the one of Blink-182 and started the night off very loud and upbeat. The crowd was pumped up and more than ready for the following act, Fourth and Goal.

This band got the crowd even more involved by throwing out bracelets with their band name, covering a well-known Yellowcard tune, and starting a little pit in front of the stage.

Scott Westenberger, or Scott West, a community coordinator on campus known for his positive melodies, brought the sound level down quite a bit but had everyone cheering for his guitar solos and light-hearted lyrics.

Soon after, he was accompanied by Delta Phi Epsilon’s latest Deepher Dude, Jimi Mann. Their two voices blended so smoothly and immediately pleased the crowd. Last up was Jimi Mann’s performance where he sang a fantastic set including a special song for his friend that was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis.

In case you’re not sure what Cystic Fibrosis is, according to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation website, it’s, “an inherited chronic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system of about 30,000 children and adults in the United States.”

It causes multiple issues within the body including clogging of the lungs, lung infections, obstructing the pancreas and stopping natural enzymes from helping the body break down and absorb food, as stated on the website.

Melissa Russo, junior and Vice President Programming for Delta Phi Epsilon, explained what the foundation means to her, “This benefit means a lot to me because it allows us to raise money for an amazing cause.” It also gives local bands and acts a chance to get their music out there to the Southern community, said Russo.

As stated by the Cystic Fibrosis website, more than 70 percent of patients are diagnosed by age two and the predicted median age of survival for a person with CF is in their late 30s. Also, about 1,000 new cases of Cystic Fibrosis are diagnosed each year.

Senior and Coordinator of Philanthropy for Delta Phi Epsilon Olivia Bufalini talks about the success of this benefit and what it means to her, “We raised $581 tonight for this cause. It really means a lot to us because one of our sisters at another school recently died from CF and we want to do anything we can to help find a cure.”

Even though there isn’t yet a cure for Cystic Fibrosis, there are treatments such as techniques to clear their airways, nutrition and drug therapies, and lung transplantation if the case is severe enough, as recommended by the CFF website.

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is one of Delta Phi Epsilon’s three philanthropies. They hold their annual Deepher Dude competitionfor CF in the spring semesters as well, which is a male mock beauty pageant where men on campus show off their talents and evening wear.