ALISON CUEVAS

The Ability Experience Carnival featured games, music and food in the Squires Commonwealth Ballroom on November 14th from noon to 4pm.

 

The event was designed to raise awareness and funds for the disability community. The goal was to break down the barrier between the general community and that of those with disabilities.

 

Pi Kappa Phi held the second annual Ability Experience Carnival, which was designed to raise disability awareness around the Virginia Tech campus.

 

“Everyone that joins Pi Kap, has there own story but we all have a passion for the disability community in one way or another,” Pi Kappa Phi Philanthropy Chair, Michael Maino, said. “I’ve grown up with an older brother who has Asperger’s syndrome, which is a high functioning form of autism so my family has always been really big on giving back to this community.”

 

Their goal was to create a safe and fun environment for the Blacksburg community to interact with Southwest Virginia’s disability community. Ideally, the event would bring people out of their comfort zones to break down barriers and stigmas associated to special needs people.

 

The disability community includes many different kinds of disabilities including difficulty hearing, speaking and cognitive processes. The carnival celebrated the abilities of every person and was a time of bonding between Pi Kappa’s philanthropy and the people who are directly being affected by their efforts.

 

“Just hanging out with someone for an extended period of time gives you a chance to see them go from shy to having fun is one of the best feelings ever,” Kristin Ohaneson, Alpha Phi Omega pledge said.

 

Before the event the fraternity campaigned to get corporate sponsorships for the event. As a result, Dominos provided free pizza for the event and other companies just gave monetary donations. There was also a silent auction where participants could win an Apple TV or a football signed by Frank Beamer. All the money that was raised is being used for the national organization called The Intellectual Disabilities Agency.

 

“We focused on doing fundraisers outside of the event because last year after expenses, we only had a couple hundred dollars,” Maino said. “This year we are set to reach the thousands in donations.”