‘FHilanthrocakes’ cooks for cure

Music blaring, pancakes sizzling on the grill, crowds socializing late on a Tuesday night – it hardly looks like a simple pancake dinner.

FHilanthrocakes brings together Greeks and non-Greeks to raise the awareness of leukemia and lymphoma cancer types and feed the hungry in Pike County in a joint effort by the FarmHouse Fraternity and Troy University Dining Services.

FHilanthrocakes was begun by the Kansas State chapter of FarmHouse and was adapted by Cody Farrill, a senior political science major from Panama City Beach, Fla. and the current president of FarmHouse and the SGA, as the current philanthropy effort by FarmHouse in 2012.

FarmHouse provides the manpower, Troy University Dining Services provides the location and food while the community comes together to raise money and awareness.

The first event in 2012 drew a crowd of 275 and raised a total of $2,100. Last year Troy University’s Farmhouse chapter raised a grand total of $8,000 to help find a cure.

Over 300 attended this year’s event, raising a total of $2,300. This event is part of a two-part effort to raise awareness.

During the afternoon, FarmHouse set up a station for “Be the Match” in the Recreational Quad. This event allowed for students and teachers to register as blood and marrow donors in case of a possible match to a cancer victim.

“The goal of FHilanthrocakes is to raise awareness of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society over eating and socializing,” said Cody Farrill.“We aren’t doing this event in the Fraternity house because we want the focus to be away from simply being a Greek event but we wanted to focus instead on the entire campus coming together for a cause.”

This annual event also benefits the community of Troy and Pike County. Half of the evening’s earnings are donated to the Salvation Army Food Bank in Pike County as a part of Troy University Dining Service’s annual “STOP Hunger” initiative.

“Troy University Dining Service strives to develop great relationships with our student organizations,” said Sheetal Nangia, the marketing director at Troy University Dining Services, “Working together at events like FHilanthrocakes is an example of how much we can achieve if we only pull our resources together.”

During the evening, FarmHouse fraternity presented the “Friend of FarmHouse” award to Troy University Dining Services in recognition of their service.

This philanthropy strikes close to home for many.

“My grandmother died of leukemia,” said Josh Herbert, a sophomore biomedical major from Montgomery, “To raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society brings me great joy.” Herbert worked the grill, serving pancakes during all four hours of the evening.

FarmHouse’s next fund-raising event is their Halloween Party, which will be held on Oct. 30. For more information, contact Parker Adam, FarmHouse’s philanthropy chair, at farmhouse@troy.edu.