The Webster chapter of Delta Phi Epsilon hosted a bouquet-making fundraiser Feb. 19 to raise money for National Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD).
The event kicked off a week of activities to bring awareness to ANAD, one of the three philanthropies supported by the sorority.
The week’s other events included a guest speaker, Webster student Emma Wittenauer, who performed her Missouri Association of Forensics Activities state championship program oral interpretation (POI) piece about the effects of anorexia. A POI is a theatrical program composed of poetry, prose and informational resources to portray a message about a current issue. The piece described what it’s like to live with an eating disorder, diving deeper beneath the surface of how society perceives anorexia.
Later this week, students were also encouraged to paint and leave kindness rocks around campus. The members of Delta Phi Epsilon topped off the week with the “trash your insecurities,” event, where students are encouraged to write their insecurities down and throw them away into a decorated trash can.
Freshman Evana Vrhovac, the vice president of programming for Delta Phi Epsilon, coordinated the event. To stay connected to other chapters around the country, the sorority has a GroupMe, a “pipeline,” to communicate. The inspiration for the bouquet-building event was provided by another vice president at a sister sorority.
“The goal of ANAD is to help spread body positivity and body neutrality,” Vrhovac said. “Embodying those values is the first step.”
Chapter president Marianthe Meyer joined the sorority the fall of her freshman year. She found a community of welcoming people who quickly became some of her closest friends.
“We want to be a nice, welcoming space for everyone, no matter who they are,” Meyer said.
The events the sorority puts on aren’t solely designed to be a quick stop for students, Meyer wants those who attend to interact with one another.
“Come make connections, bonds that help you feel included, like you have a place here, even if you’re not directly in the sorority, or maybe even if you want to join, we’d love to have you,” Meyer said.
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