A local fraternity chapter is making innovative efforts to both raise healthy living awareness and fund scholarships for high school students.
Zumba with the Ques will be hosted Saturday from 3-5 p.m. at the Galaxy of Sports for the second year. The Lambda Pi Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., will team up with Takeema Parson’s local Zumba fitness class for the event.
“It’s killing two birds with one stone,” said chapter president Calvin Sutton. “Our fraternity (has) a national mandate that says we have to have a health initiative. I thought this would be a good and creative partnership to do that.”
The entry fee of $10 will go towards funding four scholarships for local students — one at each high school.
The student must be a male looking to enroll in a four-year college or university.
“We kind of scan the graduating class,” Sutton said. “(We) try to get the best well-rounded people. It doesn’t necessarily have to be based off of grades — just a good, well-rounded student that does a lot in the community.”
Sutton said there is no connection between providing scholarships and recruiting members into the fraternity.
“We just want to help out anyway we can,” he said. “It would be great if those guys would go off to college and later on decide that they want to be a member of our fraternity, (but) that is not our thinking when we give out these scholarships.”
The fraternity provides scholarship applications and collects reference letters from counselors. Saturday’s Zumba-thon is the main fundraiser for these scholarships.
Zumba with the Ques began when Parson’s husband, Tad, participated in Zumba with her.
“Later, some of his fraternity brothers started coming to class and enjoyed it,” Parson said. “We figured an event to encourage men to come out could not only benefit health but the community since the proceeds go to local high school student scholarships.”
Sutton said Zumba is a unique method for the men in the community to get involved in fitness.
“It’s just a good creative way to get everyone out,” he said. “It’s not the regular, typical or boring exercise that every one thinks about. Zumba is an excellent way to work out. It’s very high energy (and) good music.”
He said health vendors will be on site and the session is open to anyone.
“We’re trying to help make the public more conscious of the lifestyle that they’re living,” Sutton said of the event’s overall message. “Be aware of your health.”
Jessika Morgan can be reached at 252-559-1078 or at jessika.morgan@Kinston.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessikaMorgan.
BREAKOUT BOX:
Zumba with the Ques
n Saturday
n 3 p.m. – 5 p.m.
n Galaxy of Sports, 4100 West Vernon Ave.
n Cost: $10