by Kiernan Schroeder, '10

The Sigma Alpha Iota Charity Ball comes early every autumn, just as the leaves begin to turn and freshmen begin dating. Many a young man chooses the Charity Ball as a first date. For $25, he can benefit charity and enjoy a night of live swing music, chocolate-covered strawberries, and truffles with a lovely girl. The weeks before the ball, freshman girls whisper excitedly about their dates in the few minutes before class. And, though freshmen perhaps love it most, upperclassmen still won’t miss it. It’s too delightful.

As a freshman, Gretchen Spencer, ’10, never would have believed that she would coordinate the popular dance four years later. Shy and studious, she enjoyed neither planning nor parties. But that changed after she joined Sigma Alpha Iota women’s music fraternity her sophomore year. “I think joining SAI is one of the best things I did at Hillsdale,” she smiled. “It broadened my circle of friends and integrated me with the campus better so that I could reach out more.” Her SAI big sister Hannah Stone, ’09, coordinated the Charity Ball in 2008, and a surprised Spencer inherited it for the next year.

The Charity Ball, now in its eighth year, is the music fraternity’s largest annual philanthropic event. Each year, SAI gives the ball’s proceeds to benefit an area school’s music department. Hillsdale Academy was the beneficiary of this year’s festivities. SAI received over 30 applications from local schools this year; members later voted on the most deserving candidate. “It’s hard,” Spencer commented. “You want to help them all.” The money supports music education for grades 1 through 12, buying instruments and sheet music for small or even nonexistent music programs. Promoting such music education is one of the central tenets of SAI.

SAI has organized a Charity Ball since 2002, when it raised $1,800 to benefit Hillsdale High School. Since then, its growth has exploded. In 2007, the ball made $4,000, and 2008 set a record with proceeds of $5,500. Keeping costs low allows for such proceeds. Members also pound the pavement to raise funds for the ball, asking friends, family, faculty, and patrons of SAI for contributions. The local florists donate flowers, and neighborhood businesses contribute gift certificates for raffling. This year’s raffle contestants won everything from a Mexican dinner to a new haircut. Such donations foster the bonds between campus and community that SAI seeks to nurture.

And what would a ball be without music? SAI hires the Ken Fourn Orchestra from Adrian to come play for the ball each year. Dancing is popular at Hillsdale—one of the most popular clubs is Swing Club—and students flock to the ball for the swing jazz from a real orchestra instead of from a CD. Not all the music is for dancing, however. SAI performed “The Way You Look Tonight” as a women’s chorale, and they invited their brother organizations—Mu Alpha and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia men’s music fraternities—to sing as well. Hillsdale Academy also sent its chamber choir to perform under the direction of Gail Mowry. Spencer remarked, “I’m excited that attendees got to hear the very kids they’ll be benefitting. It really helps people to know that it’s for a good cause.”


The whole evening inspires musicality, and most leave whistling a tune and twirling in the last vestiges of a dance. SAI members, though tired, are happy to share their love of music. As Victoria Harper, ’10, said, “Whenever I’m with these girls, I think, ‘I just love music, and I want everyone else to love it, too.’”