By Abby Wargo
Editor-in-Chief
Hundreds of students and their families flocked to the waterfront on Saturday for Phi Delta Theta’s annual crab feast.
The crab feast, now in its 29th year, was held in Wilmer Park from 3:30-6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 21. Senior Nick Blake, president of Phi Delta Theta, said that there were over 400 people in attendance.
The crab feast cost $35 per person, and most of the proceeds go to the Johns Hopkins Robert Packard Center for ALS Research. The Packard Center, according to the crab feast’s Facebook page, “facilitates intense scientific collaboration across institutional and administrative boundaries in order to find a cure” for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). A small portion of the funds raised will be given to the Maryland Gamma chapter of Phi Delta Theta.
Phi Delta’s philanthropy is dedicated to supporting ALS research. ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a debilitating neuro-muscular disease. Gehrig himself was a member of the fraternity.
Blake said this year, the fraternity raised around $10,000 from the event, although they are still finalizing the numbers.
Every year they also sell T-shirts for $20. This year, the shirts were designed by senior and Phi Delta member Will Hewitt.
To prepare for the hungry guests, the Phi Deltas procured 35 bushels of crabs from Chester River Seafood. Additionally, the menu included burgers and hot dogs as well as beer.
But the highlight of the feast was not the food.
“The best part of the day was seeing so many families and people from different organizations enjoy the event,” Blake said.
For new students and their families, the crab feast proved to be a good experience.
Freshman Marah Vain-Callahan and her mom Sherry were in attendance for the first time. As Maryland natives, they said they enjoy eating crabs and were “excited” for the event.
In addition to new students, Washington College alumni as well as graduated Phi Delta brothers returned for the event.
Garrett Wissel, class of 2019, said of the feast, “I put a lot of work in when I went here, and it’s for a good cause. I know they’ve put a lot in this year, and I had to come back and support them.”