Alpha Chi Rho fraternity holds annual deep freeze

During the week of Jan. 30, the Alpha Chi Rho fraternity, also known as Crows, hosted their annual Deep Freeze fundraiser event. This is an annual event that takes place every year at the beginning of the spring semester around Jan. or Feb. This year, the organization for which the fraternity was raising money was Foster Care to Success. 

According to Foster Care to Success, this is an organization that helps provide financial assistance to foster children going to college: “We help by providing tuition grants as well as book money, living stipends and emergency funding for the unexpected expenses that could derail the most dedicated student on a tight budget.”

Each year, the fraternity selects an organization for which they will be raising donations. In previous years they had chosen organizations like the American Cancer Society and Geneseo’s Relay for Life. 

During the week the event is being held, the brothers of the fraternity stand outside of the Integrative Science Center (ISC) to get donations throughout the day and pitch a tent to stay in overnight. This event has been occurring at Geneseo since 2001, choosing different organizations each year to raise money for. Because this event takes place in mid-winter, the brothers must often brave many different elements.  

According to the National Weather Service in 2022, the mean temperature for the month of February, recorded in the town of Mount Morris, was 27.0 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperatures averaging the previous years are around 25.7 degrees Fahrenheit during the month of February. Temperatures regularly reach these the twenties, and even lower, while the fundraiser is being held.

Junior psychology major Sean Franson is the current Deep Freeze coordinator for Alpha Chi Rho. Regarding the event, he stated: “Throughout the specified week, brothers have shifts of either one or two hours per day where they stand outside the campus by the sign and ask people to donate to the charity that is chosen. It is called deep freeze because it usually takes place in January or early February and temperatures can drop very low during the week,” Franson said. “The point of the fundraiser is to show that we are so dedicated to the chosen charity that we are willing to stand outside in the blistering cold for hours.” 

The monetary goal for the fundraiser, according to Franson, was $1,000; the fraternity collected $1,279, exceeding their expected goal by nearly $300.

“This kind of fundraiser is also something that is unusual,” said Franson. “Which also attracts the public eye towards the charity.”

Franson stated that those who want to contribute to the organization can contact one of the brothers from Alpha Chi Rho, who will give the money to charity, or the Inter Greek Council (IGC) of Geneseo, who will then direct you to the source for donation.  

Due to this being an annual event, the fundraiser will happen again at the beginning of the spring semester of 2024, with exact dates to be determined at a later time.