The Biggest Winners of DM

The Delta Gamma and Zeta Beta Tau fundraising chairs had to bring their money in duffel bags.

It wasn't until the DM fundraising chairs counted it that they found out they'd not only raised more money than any other group, but that they'd raised $65,000 more.

"It took lots of hard work — thousands of hours of canning, thousands of letters, all across the board," ZBT fundraising chairman Phillip Reich said.

Philanthropy chair Peter Koelsch said the realization the two groups raised more than $83,000 still hasn't sunk in yet.

"It still hasn't hit me," the Weinberg sophomore said. "The sheer amount of money we were able to bring in is astounding. I'm excited, tired and happy for us - this is fulfilling."

It was a mutual feeling for Delta Gamma, said Katherine Veeder, a Medill junior and a member of Delta Gamma.

"It's a lot of hard work, standing out in the snow and rain, asking for money," she said. "But it's bigger than you or I or the dancing- it's about the beneficiary and finding a cure."

The two groups will take home a tall trophy. The couple who raised the most money are taking home a little bit more — an eight-day trip to London and Paris.

This isn't anything new for Weinberg sophomore Joe Bellanca and SESP sophomore Lilly Hubschman, who were the winning couple last year too and just returned from the trip they won at DM 2006.

Their secret? Letters, and "making it clear why you should support it," Hubschman said.

The two plan to dance all four years, she said.

Text: Libby Nelson and Paul Takahashi/The Daily Northwestern


Members of Zeta Beta Tau hoist their trophy high above the crowd after learning they raised over $83,000 for DM.

Photo: Dan Fletcher/The Daily Northwestern