The Phi Kappa Sigma Fraternity, just like other University Greek chapters, participates in community service. However, this past winter break, the members learned the importance of their service after one of their pledges was diagnosed with cancer.

The pledge, who was diagnosed with lymphoma, had to de-pledge and leave the University. The fraternity has been raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of America for years.

Lymphoma is a cancer caused by “the change or mutation of DNA in one lymphocyte (that) produces a malignant transformation,” according to leukemia-lymphoma.org.

About 63,740 people were diagnosed with lymphoma and 34,810 new cases of leukemia were diagnosed in Americans in 2005, according to the Web site.

“It puts a personal face to what we’re working for,” said Ryan Bach, sophomore in LAS and Phi Kappa Sigma member.

The fraternity will raise money for the leukemia and lymphoma organization through donations and the entry fees for their upcoming dodge ball tournament.

On Saturday afternoon, Phi Kappa Sigma Fraternity hosted Cleanin’ House, a service project to clean campus.

The fraternity invited campus sororities to volunteer with the campus-wide cleanup, and had 120 sorority members signed up to attend.

The volunteers, which consisted of about 160 fraternity and sorority members, were divided into five groups. The groups picked up garbage from sidewalks along Green Street, between Green and Springfield Streets, the Quad and the Gregory Street dormitory area.

“It’s good to get the point out that Greeks help out the community and do service,” said Audrey Bauer, sophomore in Fine and Applied Arts and a Sigma Kappa volunteer.

Each group used trash bags, latex gloves and homemade wooden sticks to pick up garbage.

Phi Kappa Sigma held this event to become more service-oriented and improve the quality of the fraternity, said John Goodwin, sophomore in LAS and the philanthropy and service chair for the fraternity. Through other service projects, the fraternity donates money to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of America.

Goodwin said he wants to build connections with other Greek houses on campus.

“(Service) is a good way to increase social relations with them,” Goodwin said.

Sigma Kappa Sorority member and senior in ACES, Elizabeth Robb, said volunteers responded to an e-mail if they were interested in helping out.

“We usually participate in every philanthropy event that we can,” Robb said.

The volunteers wore custom made yellow Cleanin’ House t-shirts and sipped on hot chocolate provided by the fraternity’s philanthropy budget.

Even though warm beverages were provided, a few members could not ignore the unpredictable snow flurries.

“I wish it was a little warmer out, but we can’t control that,” said Edward Espiritu, junior in Business and Phi Kappa Sigma’s treasurer.

After picking up garbage across campus, a barbeque was set up by the fraternity for the members and sorority volunteers to eat and socialize with one another.

“It’s different houses helping different houses,” said Emma Yan, freshman in Business and a member of Chi Omega Sorority.