With a pearl white and olive green cake, the sisters of Kappa Delta hosted a birthday party for their sorority, celebrating 100 years of the Epsilon chapter’s presence on campus. The 90 members, alumnae and University Officials arrived at 7 p.m., with more than birthday wishes on their minds. They came to see the big birthday gift, but it wasn’t a present for the women. The Epsilon chapter of Kappa Delta unveiled their plans to help fund a centennial gift for the University — a $100,000 gateway sign welcoming the community into fraternity and sorority rows.”It’s tradition for Kappa Delta to give a gift to the University when we reach a big anniversary,” said Chapter President Melissa Gandolfi. “We approached the University and asked what they needed that would be useful, and they told us about the campus gateway project.” Kappa Delta, in coordination with the Forever LSU campaign, hopes to raise $100,000 in donations to put toward a gateway sign at the intersection of Dalrymple and West Lakeshore Drives, across from the Sigma Chi house. The gateway sign is part of the Wayfinding Project, an orderly structuring of information to help people find their way on the University’s campus, said Assistant Director of Facility Development Jason Soileau.”It recognizes Kappa Delta’s involvement on the LSU campus,” said Elise Blewster, a member of Kappa Delta’s 1973 pledge class. “We’ve been an enthusiastic group of women who have contributed to the University for many years.” The Epsilon chapter of Kappa Delta was established on the University’s campus on Feb. 4, 1909. The members in the organization’s infant years bought the first sorority house affiliated with the University in 1911, a tiny house in downtown Baton Rouge near the State Capitol grounds. “For any organization to be on campus for 100 years speaks volumes about their commitment to the University,” said K.C. White, dean of students. Kappa Delta is the oldest sorority on campus, and its members feel the tradition of paving the way for others.”We hope to set a standard because [the Wayfinding Project] will need a lot of money to reach these goals,” said Gandolfi. “We’re the first sorority to reach 100 years, so we’re setting the bar. We feel the University will use this gift as an example of ways [organizations] can give back.” The chapter will host more parties in celebration of their centennial anniversary in March, where they will kick off fund-raising for the centennial gift and try to raise money from the alumnae. Kappa Delta hopes to raise the money for the project in 12 to 15 months.—-Contact Mary Walker Baus at [email protected]