Amid the damage to the West Alabama chapter of the Boys and Girls Club sustained on April 27, the Alpha chapter of Phi Kappa Psi has organized a relief and support fundraiser to help rebuild the organization.

Chapter President Conner Barnes and Vice President Ryan Snyder worked to put together a plan that would spread to the fraternity’s national level.

“The original plan was to pitch the idea to our other chapters around the nation and see what they could do to help out,” Barnes said. “When our nationals got word of what we were doing in Tuscaloosa to help out, they wanted to take the idea and spread it to all of our chapters in attendance at a conference this summer, as well as the alumni in attendance.”

The Boys and Girls Clubs of America are Phi Psi’s nationwide philanthropic partner. Barnes said after they explained their plan to help out the Boys and Girls Club of West Alabama, those at the national headquarters helped make the fundraiser national instead of solely local.

“The damage done to the Boys and Girls Club of West Alabama by the tornado has given Phi Psi an opportunity to focus the efforts of our chapters and Alumni Associations on one Boys and Girls Club,” stated Tryon Hubbard, Alabama alum and national president of Phi Kappa Psi.

Stephen Miller, UA alum and senior unit director at the West Alabama Boys and Girls Club said, “I think it’s important for students to always give back. And, the fact that you have a group of greek guys that want to come out and adopt us as their local philanthropy, I think it means a lot to our kids, to the community, as well as the campus of UA. It speaks volumes about college students that are not only here to get an education, but to give back in the process.”

With the help of UA grad Bo Latham, Snyder and Barnes put together a video telling about their help with the local Boys and Girls Club that is now featured on the national website, phikappapsi.com. Barnes said the video was also featured at the fraternity’s national conference, and an article about their work will be printed in the next issue of the national magazine.

“Our whole goal is to aid those who have been a part of this tragedy,” said Shawn Collinsworth, executive director of Phi Kappa Psi. “Our hearts go out to them…it really affects all of us. We want to make sure that we, as Phi Psi men, are here to help where we’re needed and where we can.”

Hubbard said, “The result of the campaign will be a better facility for the Boys and Girls Club and more focus by our chapter on working with the club in the future. The children served by the club will be the ultimate beneficiaries, not only of the facility, but of the hands-on service by our chapter down the road.”

To support or donate to Phi Psi’s efforts to rebuilding the Boys and Girls Club, visit phikappapsi.com/Today/BoysandGirlsClub.