Stetson’s chapter of Alpha Kappa Psi, the professional co-ed business fraternity, organized an event that served lunch to more than 800 people at the March 17 Open House and raised money to help local disadvantaged youth in the community.

At the end of last semester, AKPsi members began planning and coordinating this event, called Taste of Mainstreet, for the Admissions Office in hopes of raising money for their philanthropies and their organization. They agreed to sell tickets for $10 each to the Admissions Office and, of that, 10 percent will be split evenly between the Spring Hill Boys & Girls Club and the Spring Hill Resource Center.

AKPsi’s own Sally Ancheva and Samuel Glodo, along with myself, planned and coordinated for three months to bring in restaurants from all over DeLand to market themselves to these prospective students and their families. In the process, it gave potential new students a chance to taste what DeLand has to offer if they were to come to Stetson.

Some of the vendors included DeLand staples, such as the Artisan Grill, Brian’s BBQ, Twisted Chopstick and Bellini’s Deli, just to name a few. These vendors also donated all of the food that was served to the guests. Every member of AKPsi is grateful for the hard work and dedication that the vendors put into this day, making it a complete success. It was a day of great fun and philanthropy on the Stetson Green – with Wendy B. Libby, Ph.D., and her husband Richard in attendance.

Through this experience, AKPsi was able to make connections with restaurant owners across DeLand that will make future years even more successful. Alpha Kappa Psi hopes to eventually not only invite guests from the Admissions Open Houses but also invite the Stetson student body to celebrate and enjoy this event for great causes.

-Morgan Parker