Car wash raises money for Pride

Members of the Omicron chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi at West Virginia University held their annual car wash Saturday to raise money for the Prie of West Virginia, the Mountaineer Marching Band.

Kappa Kappa Psi is the national marching band fraternity, and currently has 35 active members at WVU.

Senior psychology major and President Justin Roth said the fraternity usually raise around $300 with the car wash, and all of the money raised goes to the band.

Kappa Kappa Psi holds five main fundraisers a year. It has raffles, food sales at the CAC, its annual car wash and clothing sales.

Roth also said the band has an apparel line to help raise money. Band Warehouse apparel can be found at Davis & Lee and All In Stitches in Morgantown, and at Winner's Choice in Fairmont.

Sam Viggiano, vice president of fundraising, said he is organizing three to four other fundraisers which include a spaghetti dinner, tickets to the director's booth and various activities at band camp.

"We bring in roughly $8,000 plus and are known for being one of the best fraternities in fundraising," Viggiano said.

The events provide funding for four annual scholarships and any other activities the groups needs to fund throughout the year.

Assistant Director of Bands Chris Nichter said although the fraternity is not a major fundraising body for the band, the students do an "excellent" job with the activities they do participate in.

"Their biggest fundraiser is the warehouse," Nichter said. "The money they raise goes to them, and subsequently to the band since they are a part of it."

Roth said WVU's chapter is highly regarded by its peers.
"We have been the top chapter in the nation for the past 18 years," he said.

This consists of being an "extremely" strong brotherhood throughout the fraternity. Members are expected to surpass expectations and pass a rigorous application process. Attending all events, passing two tests, and proving to someone within the fraternity that they are qualified.

According to the organization's website, Kappa Kappa Psi Fraternity was founded on the campus of Oklahoma State University in 1919 to serve the band programs. The fraternity has more than 200 chapters with 5,000 active members across the country. WVU's chapter of KKP was founded in 1926 as a separate entity from the marching band, and was disbanded and reestablished numerous times since then.