Katelyn Meeks, MSHE, CMC, CHES®
Sigma Kappa
I joined Sigma Kappa sorority in the Spring of 2014. I was immediately drawn to the sorority because of their strong sisterhood and dedication to philanthropy. The sorority has 5 national philanthropies: Sister-to-Sister disaster relief, Inherit the Earth, Gerontology Research, Maine Seacoast Mission, and Alzheimers Disease research. I was especially drawn to the involvement with Alzheimer's disease, as my grandmother had Alzheimer's disease at the time of my joining and has since passed away from the disease. Aside from our philanthropies, it also provided a support system and encouraged me to get involved with other philanthropic efforts, such as Dance Marathon.
Walk to End Alzheimer's
Each year, I participate in the Walk to End Alzheimer's. I begin by fundraising throughout the year. I've raised over $300 for the cause over the past few years and my parents have come up to participate in the walk with me as well. At the walk, each person gets a flower and each flower color represents something different.  Blue represents someone with Alzheimer's or dementia. Purple is for someone who has lost a loved one to the disease.  Yellow represents someone who is currently supporting or caring for someone with Alzheimer’s.  Orange is for everyone who supports the cause and vision of a world without Alzheimer’s. It is really
Dance Marathon
Dance Marathon is the largest student ran philanthropy. Each year, dancers gather to stand 26.2 hours to raise money for the Children's Miracle Network, which benefits Shands hospital locally. Each year, I fundraise for the cause and have raised over $200. I also served as a 'dancer buddy', an individual who brings dancers items they need during the 26.2 hours they are standing.
Events Benefiting Alzheimer's Research
I try to participate in all events that I can that benefit Alzheimer's Research. We have fundraisers throughout the year at restaurants such as Blaze, Bento and Yogurtology to raise money. We also volunteer at two annual events, the Orange and Blue fashion show and Moonlight and Martinis. Both of these events are put on by the Al'z Place and benefit the Al'z Place and Alzheimer's association. This photo is from the most recent Moonlight and Martinis on February 4th, at which I volunteered with Mojo Hogtown barbabque, one of the many local restaurants that donated their time and food to support the cause. I also helped with breaking down the event at the end of the evening. I love attending these events and working to raise money for research.
TKE Talladega
TKE Talladaga is an annual go-kart racing competition benefitting St. Jude's Hospital. The event is in it's 5th year and I have participated in the 2016 and 2017 races. Sigma Kappa has four teams each year and we compete in a bracket to raise money and awareness for St. Jude's. Sigma Kappa has given me the opportunity to participate in philanthropies that are important to other organizations and to be supportive of our community as a whole.
Sigma Shootout
Sigma Shootout is our annual philanthropy benefiting the Sigma Kappa foundation, which contributes to Alzheimer's research. Organizations create a team and compete in a 3 verses 3 soccer tournament. The teams pay a fee to enter and are able to buy pizza and snacks at the event, with all the proceeds going to our foundation. This event allows the community to be active and involved in our philanthropy and is always a great turnout!
