The smells of barbeque will kick off Easter weekend as one fraternity holds an event to raise money for their philanthropy.

The Sigma Eta chapter of Phi Gamma Delta is hosting their inaugural Softball Cook Off in hopes of raising money for the United Service Organizations.

According to Joshua Calloway, Phi Gamma Delta philanthropy chairman, the competition will be an event for people to show off their cooking abilities as well show support for the USO.

“[The judges] will go around and try all the different hamburgers that the booths will be making, they can make them however they want,” Calloway said. “They will put tickets in to each into each [bucket] that they like. There is first, second and third place.”

Phi Gamma Delta decided on this event to show the community that there is more to Greek life than what is shown on campus and to pair with another university group.

“We wanted to do something that paired with the softball organization so we can get more involved with them and try to get them involved with things as well,” Calloway said. “We wanted to just bring everything together and show that Greek life isn’t just in Greek life…We go out and go to other organizations as well.”

Calloway said individuals that would like to be apart of the contest can go to the Phi Gamma Delta table in the LSC Mall to sign up for the event. Individuals that would like to attend the event must pay $10.

The event is scheduled for Saturday at 11 a.m. and is being held parking lot P-14 on the north side of campus near the softball complex.

Apart from this event, Phi Gamma Delta is the recently became a chartered fraternity in the Inter-Fraternity Council. Last month, an event was held honoring the fraternity’s chartering.

According to Chapter Treasurer Michael Gonzales, chartering now means that Phi Gamma Delta is a fully recognizable chapter.

“We are now a fully recognized chapter both at [Sam Houston State University] and with our international headquarters,” Gonzalez said. “Whenever a Greek organization is started on any campus they start off as a colony. Being a colony is a probationary stage to prove that our colony can survive and excel as a fully functioning chapter.

The fraternity has been active on campus since March 21, 2013. Chapter corresponding secretary Rubin Sandlin said Phi Gamma Delta has been working towards earning their charter for several semesters.

“Over these past two years the gentlemen of Phi Gamma Delta have participated in over 1,500 hours of community service, had brothers involved in over 30 on-campus organizations, received Highest GPA in IFC twice and had the largest pledge class [in] two out of the last three semesters,” Sandlin said. “Exceling at every opportunity given, whether it be in the classroom or our organizations, the gentlemen of Phi Gamma Delta are striving to impact Sam Houston State University as best we can.”

Original members of the fraternity have been working for this charter since the beginning and have a sense of pride in their newest accomplishment.

“Though these founding fathers were made up of four pledge classes between spring 2013 and fall 2014, this was a goal and opportunity each of us took part in and worked for despite how long our membership has taken place,” Gonzalez said. “Being a founding father means so much to each of us because, as a brotherhood, each individual will forever be linked to the establishment of our chapter here at SHSU.”

Sandlin said even after being chartered, Phi Gamma Delta will continue to show their international office and the community they strive to be the best.

“We want to continue strive to uphold our five core values: friendship, knowledge, service, morality and excellence, using our values to continue to better ourselves, our brotherhood, our good reputation in the SHSU and off-campus communities and to excel and well-represent our newly official chapter,” Sandlin said. “We hope to continue pushing ourselves to become an elite chapter at SHSU, recruiting the best gentlemen on campus, maintaining our top-tier scholarship program and advancing our credentials to the next level in order to justify all the work we have done since being here at SHSU.”