Delta Gamma held its annual Milk and Cookies philanthropy event at its sorority house on the Ole Miss campus Tuesday, March 29. Delta Gamma raised money for Gallant Hearts Guide Dog Center in Madison, Mississippi, and Service for Sight.
Delta Gamma’s national foundation is Service for Sight and the Ole Miss Alpha Psi chapter wanted to help another cause closer to home by donating half of the money raised to Gallant Hearts. Keavy Noblin, Delta Gamma’s vice president of foundation said she hopes to be able to donate around $20,000 that will go to both Service for Sight and Gallant Hearts.
“Milk and Cookies raises money that goes to our national foundation, Service for Sight, but also goes to our local philanthropy, Gallant Hearts Guide Dog Center,” Noblin said. “Gallant Hearts trains guide dogs and gives them to visually impaired people free of charge. Last year alone, we raised enough money to fund a guide dog, Delta, named after us.”
Gallant Hearts puppies are placed into caring families where they raise the puppy until it can transition into the formal training program. Gallant Hearts provides veterinary care, food and obedience training while the puppy is with its family.
“This is such an inspiring, tangible manifestation of our mission and it makes real differences in the lives of others,” Delta Gamma president, Caroline Burke, said. “I am so proud that community service is of the utmost importance to our chapter and of the many hours that we volunteer to help others.”
Tickets to Milk and Cookies were five dollars and attendees received two cookies with the choice of chocolate chip, peanut butter, sugar, snicker doodle or oatmeal raisin cookies. Milk was also provided. Cookies could either be picked up at the Delta Gamma house during the event or hand-delivered by a member that night.
The event was held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Delta Gamma house, which was decorated with all things pink and blue – Delta Gamma colors. There was a photo booth in the chapter room where attendees could take photos with the milk and cookie themed props. Music was playing throughout the house, and attendees enjoyed their cookies in the dining room and outside on the lawn.
“We love welcoming others to the Delta Gamma house so that they can experience the things we are invested in,” Burke said. “We were so blessed with a beautiful day to have this event; everyone was outside enjoying their cookies and just loving life.”
Preparation for this event began weeks in advance and numerous members put in effort to make the event go smoothly. Members help spread the word about Milk and Cookies across the campus via social media. And, thanks to a very large chapter, getting out the information was easy. Preparing the cookies is another vital part to the event, and this year over 5,500 cookies were baked.
“A lot of planning, organizing, and creativity goes into planning Milk and Cookies, but I couldn’t have done it without help and support from some amazing people,” Noblin said.
This is the second time of the school year that Delta Gamma has held Milk and Cookies, replacing it with their usual spring kickball event. The reason for this event being held twice is because the Delta Gamma house will be undergoing construction beginning in the summer. Members wanted to hold one more philanthropy event in the sorority house before the construction.
“This Milk and Cookies event will be the last one to take place in the house as it is, and I wanted it to be a special occasion,” Noblin said. “We are looking forward to the renovation, but wouldn’t be able to have such an event without the house.”
Sydney Nutt is a senior print journalism major at The Meek School of Journalism and New Media. She can be reached sgnutt@go.olemiss.edu
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