Front row seats to Saturday’s Phi Delta Theta Turtle Derby auctioned off for up to $500, as hundreds of spectators crowded around the chalk-drawn track on Elm Street.
A fundraiser for the LiveLikeLou Foundation to support ALS patients and their families, the event raised thousands of dollars while bringing University of Idaho Greek students and their parents together for an entertaining afternoon.
“LiveLikeLou supports ALS research,” Turtle Derby Co-Chair Gaven Flowers said. “This is the first year working with them.”
Along with his Phi Delt brothers, Flowers worked all week to raise money for the foundation. ALS research is a particularly significant issue for Phi Delt members because Lou Gehrig himself belonged to the fraternity in 1925, according to Flowers.
Nine sororities competed in the Phi Delt philanthropic event this year. Each sisterhood received a turtle to name, decorate and care for before the derby on Saturday.
As part of their entry into the event, each participating house provided a gift basket to be auctioned off for charity. They were also required to prepare a skit to introduce their turtles, which varied from hip-hop routines, to lip synchs to a Lion King-esque victory lap.
“It went great,” Flowers said. “The crowd was bigger than last year, and it seemed more fun.”
The day was made even better for the Phi Delt brothers by the ultimate victory by their competing turtle, “Killer,” who has won every Turtle Derby for its 61-year history.
“There’s definitely a secret to it,” Flowers said.
Killer challenged and defeated the winner from the sorority bracket, Gamma Phi Beta’s “True Thompson.” According to Gamma Phi Beta member Michaela LaFountaine, True Thompson has always been a winner.
“He’s a speedy little guy,” LaFountaine said.
Beth Hoots can be reached at [email protected] Learn more about True Thompson and the other 2018 Turtle Derby competitors above.