The Michigan Daily - Friday, September 17, 1993 - 3


0

Pi Kpps' 'UH
for handicapped a. a
kids starts strong

By SCOT WOODS
DAILY STAFF REPORTER
Amid all of the construction equip-
ment on the Diag, there is a scaffold
that serves another purpose.
Standing alone in front of the
Graduate Library, the 10-foot tall
structure is equipped with an old couch
and a pail on a string. Two members
of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity shout to
passersby from their perch, appeal-
ing for donations.
"Give a push!" they shout. "Give
change to PUSH!,
The scaffold appearsa little flimsy,
but that does not deter LSA junior
Mike Petrilli orLSA sophomoreMike
Kung from standing and shouting for
attention, or clapping furiously when
someone drops some coins in the
pail.
Otherbrothers roam the Diag with
plastic cups. "Help handicapped chil-
dren," the cry
These efforts benefit PUSH
America, the national philanthropic
organization of Pi Kappa Phi. Stand-
ing for People Understanding the
Severely Handicapped, its self-stated
mission is, "to provide service, pro-
mote volunteerism, and foster educa-
tion and awareness on behalf of per-
sons with disabilities nationwide."

"We do this to raise money for the
national project," said Petrilli, the event's
coordinator. "That project sponsors a
lot of projects like building handicap-
accessible playgrounds, the Just-Us
Center in Ann Arbor, and our traveling
educational puppet show."
This is the third year Pi Kappa Phi
has held the event. It raised $1,500 in
two days last year.
Member Andrew Bockelman, a
Businessjunior, said PiKappaPhichap-
ters around the country compete to raise
money for the charity. "The University
of Michigan chapter is always near the
top of the (money) list," he said.
The Scaffold Sit is just one of a
number of fund-raising efforts Pi Kappa
Phi does each year. Members of the
Michigan chapter also organize PUSH
Michigan, a bicycle trip from Ann Ar-
bor toEastLansing, and sponsor ameal-
skip program that nets several thousand
dollars annually.
Kung said these efforts fill an impor-
tant need. "People don't really realize
how fortunate they are until they meet
someone who can't tie their own shoes
or can't use the bathroom by them-
selves," he said.
Engineering seniorPolkWagner, the
Interfraternity Council (IFC) president
and a Pi Kapp brother, said the Greek

DOUGLAS KANTER/Daily
Business School junior Andrew Bockelman and LSA Kevin Yaldoo solicit donations from passing students yesterday.

system at the University is very suc-
cessful with charitable efforts. "All
Greeks on campus raised $110,000 last
year, and invested over 5,000 service
hours."
Wagner said the bulk of the money
was raised during the annual Greek
Week activities - a series of events
where Greek houses compete to raise
money for several charities. Last year
Greek Week generated $60,000.
"For a lot of the houses, it's some-
thing that they feel strongly about," he
said.

But Pi Kappa Phi members say while
other fraternities donate to charity, they
take pride in their unique approach.
"We're the only fraternity right now
with our own philanthropic organiza-
tion," Bockelman said.
Wagner said Greeks have long been
involved in efforts like the Scaffold Sit,
but have not gotten much recognition
for their service.
"We're getting more visible about it,
to show that we're not just a social
club," he said. He said most fraternities
are founded on a philosophy of "schol-

arship, leadership and service."
LSA seniorSandy Sussman,IFC
publicty chair indicated fraternities
have been active in charity all along.
"Maybe people didn't know it. It
didn't fit their image of fraternities,"
he said. "But people are realizing
now that they've been doing it all
along."
Back at the scaffold, Petrilli is
optimistic about this year's total.
"Most people give some change, or
maybe a dollar,"he said, "but we had
one donation of $20."


HEAR NO EVIL

Better trade, industry
performances may show
signs of economic growth

Task force
to support
women
of color
By LARA TAYLOR
FOR THE DAILY
While the University provides many
programs for its students and faculty,
the campus community would not be
complete without the staffmembers,
clerical workers, medics and adminis-
trators who keep the University up and
running.
The Women of Color Task Force
exists to compensate for what members
see as a lack of programming and sup-
port for these vital University person-
nel.
As its name suggests, The Women
of Color Task Force is designed prima;
rily to serve women of color - include
ing, but not limited to, African Ameri-
cans, Latinos, Hispanics and Indian
Americans.
The group aims to provide suppoit
and promote professional development
for the female staff at the University.
1I felt like I was going no
where, and the task force
gave me direction. It's like
a family - we laugh, we
fight, but we're always
there for each other.'
- Stephanie Este$
Task force co-chatr
The 50-member group meets bi-
weekly to discuss and organize its an-
nual conference, which will addes
professional development througli
workshops and seminars. The event ts
planned for Feb. 25.
New task force co-chairs Stephanie
Estes and Kathy Conway-Perrin are
expanding the activities to encompas
not only the workplace, but also ever-
day pressures.
"We're adding a new summer co-
ference which will deal with issues such
as self-esteem and stress," Conway-
Perrin said.
"It's not really spiritual in the iell-
gious sense, but it's a spiritual experi-
ence because it's so inspirational."
In addition, this year the Women of
Color Task Force will work with (he
University's mentoring program to hlp
female students of color deal with spe-
cific problems and concerns.
Estes said the small size of the task
force allows a feeling of sisterhood to
pervade group activities.
"After attending my first confer-
ence in 1991,I felt touched and mved
by the togetherness I felt there," Estes
said.
"I felt like I was going nowhere, nd
the task force gave me direction. I's
like a family - we laugh, we fight, but
we're always there for each other."
The group receives funding for the
conference from the Affirmative Action
Committee, the Office of Academic

Multicultural Initiatives, and the Hu-
man Resources Development depart-
ments at the medical and central cam-
puses.

DOUGLAS KANTER/Daily
Four-month-old Kutya and his owner Michael Sendrowicz sit in front of the Union yesterday. Kutya, Hungarian for dog, is
recovering from having his ears trimmed so that they will point up.
* Reggae Fest to begmn pre-Rush activities

WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S.
trade performance is improving after
sharp deterioration early in the summer,
and industrial production is rising mod-
erately - two signs the economy may
be starting to emerge from its funk.
The deficit shrank 14 percent in July
to a seasonally adjusted $10.3 billion,
down from a five-year high of $12.1
billion a month earlier, the Commerce
Department said.
Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve said
production at factories, mines and utili-
ties rose 0.2 percent in August, a small
increase but the third straight in asector
of the economy that has been struggling
most of the year.
Neither the trade nor the production
numbers were considered a sign of ro-
bust economic activity, but some ana-
lysts were mildly encouraged.
"I'm getting the sense that the
economy, which has been in a funk for
the past three or four months, now is
building up to stronger growth," said
economist Mark Zandi of Regional Fi-
nancial Associates in West Chester, Pa.
A third report, from the Labor De-
partment, showed a 2,000 increase to
324,000 in the number of Americans
filing first-time claims for jobless ben-
efits last week.
It was the first increase in three
weeks but was not considered a signifi-
cant rise. A less volatile four-week
moving average of claims was un-
changed at 325,500, the lowest in four
years.
For the first seven months of the
year, the trade deficit is running at an

annual rate of $114.8 billion, compared
with $84.5 billion for all of last year. If
this year's trade performance finishes at
the same pace, the deficit would be the
worst since 1988.
It would mark a sharp turnaround
from the recession years of 1990 and
1991, when trade was about the only
bright spot in the economy.
Now, recessions in Western Europe
and Japan are hurting U.S. export sales
and the modest U.S. recovery has in-
creased Americans' appetite for foreign
goods.
"So long as growth differentials per-
sist, we will be faced with similar trade
results," Commerce Secretary Ronald
Brown said in a statement from Pitts-
burgh.
He said the administration was re-
viewing "with great interest" a $57 bil-
lion economic stimulus package pro-
posed yesterday by the Japanese gov-
ernment and hoped "other stimulus ac-
tions in both Japan and Europe will be
forthcoming."
In July, the decline in the trade defi-
cit stemmed from a 4.6 percent drop in
imports to $47.4 billion, which more
than offset a 1.5 percent decline in ex-
ports to $37.1 billion.
The import drop reflected lower
crude oil prices and fewer purchases of
automobiles, televisions and VCRs, ste-
reo equipment, clothing, computers and
civilian aircraft.
The decrease in exports reflected
lower sales of autos, civilian aircraft,
corn, coal, telecommunications equip-
ment and diamonds.

+...iv . .

By MELISSA PEERLESS
DAILY NEWS EDITOR
It may not be Sunsplash, but the
Interfraternity Council hopes to get the
new rush season off on a good beat by
sponsoring a Reggae Fest this weekend.
The IFC's Reggae Fest will take
place on Palmer Field from 2 to 8 p.m.
Saturday.
IFC Publicity Chair Sandy Sussman,
an LSA senior, said the organization is
hoping to stir up excitement on campus
with the concert.
"Rush will be undergoing a lot of

changes this year, and we want to use
this event to let people know what is
going on," he said.
The Reggae Fest will also conclude
the IFC's volleyball tournament, which
was organized by Programming Vice
President Tm Schuster.
Each fraternity entered a team in the
tournamentwhenitbegan several weeks
ago. Saturday morning, the final four
teams will battle it out for the champi-
onship. Prizes will be awarded to the
champion fraternity and the second-
place team.

Pre-Rush activities will continue
next week.
Monday night, prospective rushees
will be able to attend the convocation/
mass meeting at the Michigan Union at
7:30 p.m.
Fraternity Forum will take place on
the Diag Tuesday and Wednesday. Ev-
ery fraternity thatis an IFC memberwill
set up a booth where prospective rush-
ees can learn about the fraternity from
house members.
Rush itself begins the week of Sept.
27.The rush period will last three weeks.


Friday
Q Chinese Christian Fellowship,
weekly meeting, Dana Natural
Resources Building, room 1040,
7:30 p.m.
Q Indian American Student Asso-
ciation, mass meeting, Michigan
Union, Pendelton Room, 7 p.m.
Q Japan Student Organizaton,
mass meeting, Michigan Union,
Pond Rooms ABC, 7:30 p.m.
Q Lesbian-Gay Male-Bisexual
Programs Office, fall reception,
Michigan Union, LGMPO
lounge, room 3116,4-6 p.m.
U Rosh Hashanah Services, Con-

servative services, 9:00 a.m.
Power Center, Reform at 10:00
a.m.; all other services, at Hillel,
Students are asked to bring stu-
dent I.D.
U Saint Mary Student Parish, cam-
pus Catholic prayer group, 331
Thompson, 7 p.m.
U Shorin-Ryu Karate-Do Club,
men and women, beginners wel-
come, CCRB, 6-7 p.m.
Q Student Affiliates of the Ameri-
can Chemical Socitey, informa-
tional meeting, Chemistry Build-
ing, room 1706, 5 p.m.

Sunday
Q Gay Liberation Grassroots
Meeting for Michigan Cam-
paign, Michigan League, Room
D, 7 p.m.
Q Gilbert and Sullivan Society,
mass meeting for fall production
of Patience, all types of skills and
people are needed, Michigan
League, Henderson Room, 7p.m.
Q Phi Sigma Pi, general meeting for
members, East Quad, Green
Lounge, 6 p.m.
Q Safewalk Nighttime Safety
Walking Service, UGLi, lobby,
936-1000, 8 p.m.-11:30 p.m.

The
Daily:
It's not
just for
breakfast
anymore!

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