In 1946, the Alpha Phi sorority began supporting women’s heart health.
In 1956, the Alpha Phi Foundation was founded to help care for its philanthropy, and in 2004, the Red Dress Program was created.
Alpha Phi Foundation executive director Ann Carstensen said the program plans events like run-walks and talent shows to help raise money for the philanthropy.
“Galas were also an idea for this program, and our chapters have really, frankly, have just embraced it,” Carstensen said.
The University’s Delta Tau chapter will host its first gala on Feb. 21 at the Baton Rouge River Center.
Psychology junior and chapter president Tori Marcel said the chapter began planning for the event last spring. She said the gala is planned by the Red Dress chairman along with committees. Alpha Phi International members and alumni advised chapter members throughout the planning process.
Communication studies and sociology junior Abigail Theriot was this year’s Red Dress chairman.
Theriot said she and the 10 committees were the “core team” along with the advisers. However, it was more than a select group effort.
“I’d really honestly say that the main structure of this came from our entire chapter,” Theriot said.
Theriot said being the Red Dress chairman was the biggest learning period of her life. Even with the team of advisers and past planning formats from other chapters, she said it was a challenge because this is the Delta Tau chapter’s first gala.
This allowed for the gala’s planning to be a dual effort between the chapter members and the advisers.
Theriot said the advisers challenged them by allowing chapter members to come up with their own ideas and then saying “This may not work,” or “This will work and how do we do it.”
Theriot said one new idea the chapter had was having the new member presentation at the gala, something that isn’t normally planned for the gala. The advisers liked the idea, and the presentation will be another element of the chapter’s first gala.
Another element will be a silent auction filled with items like a football helmet signed by former LSU quarterback Tommy Hodson, vintage Delta Tau alumna items and Kendra Scott jewelry.
Marcel said the event’s main purpose is to promote awareness of women’s heart health.
Carstensen said heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, and there’s still a lot people do not know about it. Most heart disease research is done on men. However, the signs of a heart attack for women are much different from men.
“We need to invest more in research and programs to help women get educated,” Carstensen said.
The money raised from Red Dress Program events goes to the Alpha Phi Foundation. Carstensen said the dollars are used to fund the mission focus on leadership, education and women’s heart health.
Chapters can decide to participate in community contributions where a chapter supports a local nonprofit and donates up to 50 percent of the proceeds.
“What’s great about that is chapters can really identify an organization in their community that is doing something really good around women’s heart health whether it’s education programs, research and they can start building a relationship with them,” Carstensen said.
She said the result of the money made through the Red Dress Program is a big way the Alpha Phi Foundation can teach chapter members the power of philanthropy and returns on investment.
“[Alpha Phi chapters] are achieving the same level of success that a lot of nonprofits are achieving in their special events and fundraising efforts,” Carstensen said.
Marcel and Theriot both agreed the chapter is ecstatic about the first annual gala.
“I personally am really honored to say that within the first year back at LSU we held this gala and that we’re doing a philanthropy event this large,” Theriot said.
You can reach Meg Ryan on Twitter @The _MegRyan.

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Courtesy of Delta Tau chapter of Alpha Phi

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