On Friday, Nov.17, Kappa Sigma Fraternity organized the Military Heroes Gala in Bradbury Thompson Alumni Center. The event was held in the presence of veterans, Washburn alumni, Washburn students and their families.

Colton Cattor, sophomore psychology major, is a member of Kappa Sigma. His family has a strong connection with veteran programs, especially his mom who was a guest speaker of the night.

Cattor explains that his mom’s combination of personal history and gratitude has led her to become emotionally invested in the program’s success, driving her to dedicate her efforts to its revitalization.

“Part of the reason why my mom has her whole restarted veterans program is because her dad, my grandpa, was a veteran. And he’s impacted the organization a lot. And so when he died, the organization really helped him. And so my mom is emotionally invested into this company and this program that she has,” Cattor said.

Miqueas Mazo, a sophomore history major, is a main organizer of the Military Heroes Gala this year. This event demonstrates Kappa Sigma’s commitment to not only raising awareness and funds for veterans but also building meaningful connections with the organizations that directly serve them.

Following the successful event, the chapter decided to donate all the funds raised during the month of November to the American Legion Post 400, directly supporting the veterans within their local community.

“Throughout the month of November, the Kappa Sigma Fraternity across America and Canada raises money for military heroes and veterans. This is what we call in the fraternity a greater cause,” Mazo said.

All Kappa Sigma chapters get to choose what they do with the money they raise. Washburn’s chapter chose to donate the money to the American Legion Post 400 after holding an event with them earlier in the month.

Mazo proudly describes the Kappa Sigma Fraternity’s annual tradition of celebrating their commitment to supporting military heroes and veterans. This year they marked the fifth iteration of this special event, filled with enthusiasm and dedicated fundraising efforts.

“We celebrate it once a year,” Mazo said. “This year was the fifth time that we celebrated. It was quite nice. We are fundraising for our philanthropy, our military heroes and veterans. And so we just raise money for those people.”

This dedication to veterans’ welfare exemplifies the Kappa Sigma Fraternity’s core values and their commitment to making a positive difference in the lives of those who have served the country and community. They not only create a strong impact in the university for more meaningful works like this but also help the community appreciate the veterans.

Edited by Jeremy Ford and Jayme Thompson