NIU Greek Week, which runs from Feb. 18 through Feb. 24, will have the theme of “Hip For Hollywood” and feature events including daily dinner exchanges between fraternity and sorority houses, hospital gurney races and a greek social “Night at the Oscars” award ceremony.

Greek Week this spring will feature an all-greek philanthropy and might include an appearance by a mentalist, a person claiming to have psychic powers.

“The purpose of Greek Week is to relieve the intense competition between houses which goes on during most of the year. It gives us a chance to put all that aside and get to know each other better,” said Barry Moscowitz, co-chairman of the Greek Week planning committee.

Other events during the week include a faculty reception and an “Outstanding Greek” award ceremony. Each house will nominate a person for the award and the winners will be selected during faculty interviews on the basis of grade point average, campus and community involvement, Moscowitz said.

Greek Week also will center on philanthropic activities designed to help local and worldwide causes. Each house has plans to “adopt” a child from the Big Brothers and Big Sisters program and involve the child with some of the week’s activities.

In addition to helping a local organization, each house will participate in the “Save the Children” campaign, said Greek Week Co-chairman Linda Carroll.

Each fraternity and sorority will sponsor a child in the country of their choice for $257 per year, in addition to corresponding with the child and receiving progress reports. The program is intended to continue for at least a year after Greek Week, Carroll said.