Pageantry in the Name of Philanthropy

Karen Gaudette
Senior Reporter
Monday, March 9, 1998

Philanthropy. It's for the love of people according to Erin Godfrey of Delta Gamma, Miss Greek 1998. And this love of people was personified within the audience of Meany Hall last night at the 1998 Delta Tau Delta Miss Greek Pageant.
Entire houses of sorority sisters brought their support, waving gigantic butcher paper signs and screaming lungfulls of encouragement in the direction of their house's contestant. At times, emcee John Curley of Evening Magazine, called the unified noise “deafening.”
But what was it like to be in the shoes of one of the 14 contestants who modeled, performed various talents and discussed their ideas of philanthropy before an audience of hundreds?
Carla Guedelhoefer, Miss Greek 1997, shared some of the backstage unknowns with the crowd. She told of sleepless nights, weeks of fundraising, and sororities, families and friends working together to support their contestant since early November.
“I've learned you can get through anything with support,” Guedelhoefer told the crowd.
And support was the theme of the evening. The proceeds from ticket sales for the event, and dollars raised by each of the contestants combined into a check for $68,000 to help support education programs at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. When the pageant was first created, 12 years ago, the activity as a whole generated only $500.
Larry Feder of the research center, came to personally thank those present for their help in the fight against cancer.
Work on the pageant began in early November of last year. Fourteen UW sororities participated in the 1998 pageant, nominating women from their houses and then choosing from those who accepted the nominations.
Contestants then begin raising money, working towards a $5,000 fundraising cap in order to earn the full point amount for that stage of the event. The cap is new to the pageant this year, and was implemented in order to increase fairness in the competition.
“I think it's for a really great cause,” said Abbie Broughton, a sophomore political science major who attended the pageant in support of contestant Sue Baek. “They've been working so hard.”
The women were then judged on a fashion walk and talent portion. The talents ranged from piano concertos to tae kwan do demonstrations to lyrical jazz dance routines.
Godfrey performed a song from the musical Guys and Dolls, ensconced in a pink boa and wearing a blond wig as she sang “Adelaide's Lament.”
A one-and-a-half minute speech about what philanthropy personally meant to them rounded out the preliminary competition. From the pool of contestants, the judges then selected five to continue on to the final round, and impromptu questions.
One of the questions asked: What are the greatest problems facing college students these days.?
The judges chose Kelly O'Halloran 3rd runner-up, Katie Steir 2nd runner-up and Angie Leaf as first runner-up. Then to the frentic anticipation of the crowd, Erin Godfrey of Delta Gamma was crowned Miss Greek 1998. Leah Zoppi took second prize.
“My cheeks hurt from smiling, but otherwise I feel really good,” Godfrey grinned after the pageant, surrounded by glowing friends, family and house sisters.