Big-C to sponsor Penn Relays events

Bernice Dowdy, BiCultural InterGreek Council advisor and program coordinator for the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs, announced yesterday that the Big-C will be holding its annual Penn Relays step show in Irvine Auditorium at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 29. The step show is just one of several contributions the Big-C traditionally makes to the annual Penn Relay Carnival. This year's Carnival, the 101st running of the event, will be held April 28, 29 and 30. Big-C President Trista Bridges, a Wharton junior, added that all proceeds from the step show will go to various Big-C organizations. These organizations will in turn donate the money to area college-bound youths. The funds will help pay their college tuitions. She also said that the Big-C hopes to have a barbeque Saturday afternoon in Superblock for all high and low rise residents, during which rap, hip-hop and R-and-B music will be played. As many students may remember, last year's Penn Relays were scheduled during the weekend before final exams, and a number of Superblock residents complained that the loud music disturbed their studying. Dowdy blamed the disturbance on a local radio station that set up speakers and broadcast live from the corner of 39th and Chestnut streets, attracting many West Philadelphia residents to campus. These people, not those participating in the Penn Relays, were responsible for many of last year's problems, Dowdy said. Much crime and violence also accompanied last year's Penn Relays -- there were several reports of gunshots, and three students were pulled out of a car and beaten by a group of men. Dowdy pointed out, however, that like Penn Relays, Spring Fling causes tremendous noise and occasionally violence. Although Big-C organizes daytime festivities on Superblock and a step show at night, "Big-C has no official affiliation with Penn Relays," she explained.

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