If there is one thing that is constantly associated with Baltimore (besides all the birds and Boh’s) it’s crabs. Baltimore is famous for their crabs, and now Phi Delt is bringing them to campus for the second annual Crab Feast! Not only are they delicious, but they’re for a good cause as well. Just look at all those yummy crabs.
If you participated in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge (thanks for nominating me Grandma) then you’re familiar with Phi Delt’s philanthropy. Or you just dumped a bucket of ice water on your head. Phi Delt’s Crab Feast is a new tradition to raise money for the local chapter of the ALS Association. Every year Phi Delt has a philanthropy event for ALS in honor of Brother Lou Gherig, who also suffered from the disease. In addition to raising money for treatment and research for ALS, the Brothers of Phi Delta Theta are all committed to raising awareness of the actual disease itself. This year Maddy Halpern will be a guest speaker at the event. Maddy is a Junior at Hopkins in Pi Beta Phi who is actually studying Neuroscience because one of her family members suffers from ALS.
A sophomore brother in Phi Delt, Bobby Stafford, describes ALS perfectly: “It’s a terrible disease, with a life expectancy of only about two to five years after diagnosis. During this time, your body starts failing to respond as the disease attacks your motor neurons. Simple tasks like walking, dressing, or washing become impossible. Eventually speaking, chewing, swallowing, and even breathing become increasingly difficult to the point where patients need help breathing until they die. Once the diagnosis comes down, you know you will slowly become a prisoner inside of your own body, and that is absolutely terrifying. Take Lou Gehrig, who the disease is often named after. Arguably one of the best first basemen in baseball, a seven time All Star and two time AL MVP, had a seventeen year long career ended, just like that; then in a few years, it was all over. ALS doesn’t discriminate; it threatens every person in the US and the world. I want no one to have to go through that, and that is why raising awareness about this disease is important to me.”
This event not only has delicious food—crabs, grilled chicken, cole slaw, mac and cheese, and potato salad—but is also for a good cause which the brothers are obviously passionate about. The event is modeled after a traditional Baltimore crab feast with music and games. There will be lawn games, one of which is a crab shuffle where competitors scuttle like a crab on all fours to complete a course. The event will be held on Frehsman quad on October 25th (this Saturday), from 5-7 pm during Parent’s Weekend. You can buy tickets with the link at the end of the page. Tickets are limited so make sure to buy yours soon to help a good cause, have a fun time, and finally eat some Baltimore crabs right here on campus!
http://jhutickets.universitytickets.com/user_pages/event.asp?id=325&cid=61
This could be you on Saturday.