Event makes big splash
March 29, 2004
NIU students and Greek community members participated in a swim meet and lip-syncing contest as they competed in the conclusion of Delta Gamma’s 23rd annual Anchor Splash events Sunday.
The weeklong competition was a fundraiser for the chapter’s philanthropy group, Service for Sight. Sunday’s events were preceded by an ice cream social and a “Most Beautiful Eyes” contest.
The first part of competition was held in the Gabel Hall pool and consisted of seven swimming events. In addition to the swim meet relays, teams also competed in a 100-yard relay where swimmers wore sweatshirts during their leg of the race and then were required to hand the same sweatshirts to their partners to wear during the second leg.
There was a surprise event where participants were judged by who could produce the biggest splash. There also was a synchronized swimming event, which included teams doing comical, choreographed performances.
The lip-sync competition was held later at the Holmes Student Center’s Duke Ellington Ballroom. The teams first appeared in short skits to present their representatives for Mr. and Mrs. Anchor Splash. The skits included impressions of Harry Carey and MTV “Newlyweds” Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson. The teams also put on lip-sync routines with themes ranging from “Austin Powers” to “Grease.”
Sixteen groups, consisting of fraternities, sororities and the NIU Silverettes, competed in the events in teams. Winners of the weeklong competition were announced at the end of the evening, with the Silverettes and Alpha Kappa Lambda taking first place. Mike McArdle of Sigma Pi and Ashley Dupes of Sigma Kappa won the title of Mr. and Mrs. Anchor Splash.
Melissa Laffey, director of Anchor Splash, said she was happy to see such a good turnout this year.
“It was nice to see all of the houses who participated come out with a lot of support,” she said. “I really hope the teams got a chance to know each other better over the week, and I hope everyone had a good time.”