Walking in Hamilton, it is not hard to miss the quaint blue house located at 72 Broad St. The Gamma Phi Beta residence — more affectionately referred to as “Little Blue” — serves as the focal point of the sorority and its 195 members on campus. Installed in 1981 at Colgate University, the Delta Tau chapter of Gamma Phi Beta makes its mark on Colgate University’s local community with its philanthropic efforts supporting the Girls on the Run Foundation. As the National Panhellenic Conference National Sponsor of Girls on the Run International, Gamma Phi Beta has hosted various fundraising events, such as the Moonball Tournament, where Colgate students have the opportunity to join teams and compete against their fellow students in kickball games.
Senior Tillie Killeen, president of Gamma Phi Beta at Colgate, believes that the foundation of her Greek Life organization is built on the members’ enthusiasm to help others and uplift young girls. She explained how Gamma Phi Beta’s long history of hosting and participating in philanthropic events has shaped the values of the organization and its members.
“Since being founded in 1874, we’ve been building strong girls, and part of how we do that is through philanthropy. We support Girls on the Run, which is a program all across the country that provides little girls with opportunities to run in their communities and find themselves with the help of the organization’s mentorship,” Killeen said. “Every year, we do the Moonball Tournament to raise funding for Girls on the Run, but our sorority also really likes to support our members and encourage them to participate in other philanthropic opportunities around campus.”
Junior Mia Schimpff, a member of Gamma Phi Beta, looks forward to the annual Moonball Tournament, which is set to take place on Friday, Oct. 3 this year.
“Moonball is a great opportunity to raise money for an amazing organization like Girls on the Run while also having the chance to compete against other Colgate students,” Schimpff said. “Our organization is all about empowering young girls, and I believe that Girls on the Run aligns with [Gamma Phi’s] mission to build strong girls.”
The Moonball Tournament is not the only philanthropic event that Gamma Phi hosts throughout the school year. Other popular philanthropy events hosted by Gamma Phi include a tie-dye event with Phi Kappa Tau and a pumpkin carving competition with Phi Delta Theta.
Killeen explained how Gamma Phi’s philanthropic efforts extend beyond the walls of Little Blue because it is the organization’s goal to make an impact on the lives of others in the immediate community.
“Our members are [not] just helping the national efforts of Girls on the Run, but [also] the people of the greater Hamilton area,” Killeen said.
Junior and director of philanthropy Rachel Kwon detailed the importance of philanthropy and its role at Gamma Phi Beta.
“I think philanthropy is a really great part of [Gamma Phi Beta] and just Greek life in general, because it allows you to do something for a cause that’s greater than yourself,” Kwon said. “I think it’s a really great motivating factor to be in a sorority and to have a cause to work towards.”
Gamma Phi Beta is committed to upholding its mission of building strong girls through various philanthropic activities.
