In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, members of Zeta Tau Alpha sorority will be using music to raise money and awareness at this year’s Maple Leaf Festival.
“Hip-Hop for Hope” will be from 5-5:45 p.m. Oct. 16 at the corner of Eighth and Chapel.
Sophomore Milan Piva said members of Zeta Tau Alpha will be taking donations at the concert and will have a booth set up at the Maple Leaf Festival Oct. 15 and 16.
The sorority will also use its parking lot for cars to park for $10 throughout the Maple Leaf Festival.
“Since it is Maple Leaf, and there’s so many people in Baldwin (City), we’re hoping to get a lot of money drawn,” Piva said.
Sophomore Brytani Arnberger said the idea for the concert began when she and Alesha Miller, Baker Orange staff member, were talking about Polyeuphony, an annual concert hosted by Zeta Chi fraternity each spring.
What started out as a tiny idea eventually became “Hip-Hop for Hope.”
Arnberger will open the concert with a few of her own original songs on the acoustic guitar, and is really happy she was asked to be the opening act.
“Even though I’m a Zeta … they didn’t have to ask me,” Arnberger said. “I guess, I just feel honored.”
Following Arnberger will be the main act, rappers Alex Autem, known as Dubulaye, and Jermaine Stillman.
“(Autem’s) like a mix of hip-hop, R&B and rap,” Piva said. “He’s pretty good.”
Autem, who is a senior at Northwest Missouri State University, has known Miller for quite some time as his neighbor, and when she asked him if he would perform for the sorority’s concert, he agreed.
“I thought it would be a good opportunity,” Autem said. “It sounded like a good idea to me.”
Autem said the two are planning to perform seven songs, all of which are his original lyrics.
He also plans to bring CDs of his music to give out at the concert.
Autem is really excited to be performing for the fundraiser.
“We’re hoping it’s going to be a good time,” Autem said.
This is not the only fundraiser Zeta Tau Alpha will be doing in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Piva said the women are raising money all month with Yoplait pink lids, penny jars and pink flamingos.
“It’s an extremely busy month, but it’s still pretty fun,” she said.
Piva said all the money Zeta Tau Alpha raises for its Breast Cancer Awareness philanthropy will be sent to its international office in Indiana, where it will be distributed to different organizations, such as the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation or Yoplait Save Lids to Save Lives.
“Last year we made a thousand dollars,” Piva said. “And this year, I personally hope to double that, but we’ll see. I just want it to be successful.”
Zeta Tau Alpha also hosted a yogurt-eating contest as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.<a href="http://www.bakeru.edu/orangeline/redesign/yogurt.mp3">Zeta Tau Alpha also hosted a yogurt-eating contest as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.</a> Zeta Tau Alpha also hosted a yogurt-eating contest as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Audio by Katie Jett
