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TKE gets charitable for children in need, hunger

The brothers of Tau Kappa Epsilon are planning their first community-wide charity event.
Cole Spurgeon, a junior finance major at Tech, has spent the past several days planning a concert that will serve as the collection point for donations for Toys for Tots and Move for Hunger, a coalition of moving companies that collects non-perishable food families leave behind when they relocate, and gives it to families in need.
“Originally, it was just going to be campus wide, but that wasn’t enough for me, so I moved it to be community wide,” Spurgeon said. “I plan on there being 1,000 faces come through the door that night to donate. That may be ambitious, but we’ll try.”
The fraternity members, and others from Greek Life, will be collecting donations from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. today in Memorial Gym. While they are collecting the donations, Legacy, a Cookeville-based cover band, and a student band, Poor Richards Almanac, will perform. Food and drinks will be provided.
Donations are not required to get into the concert, but they are recommended.
All Greek organizations at Tech spend time volunteering and organizing for charity every year, but this is the first time TKE has worked for Toys for Tots or Move for Hunger.
“I’ve always been a fan of Toys for Tots,” Spurgeon said. “I’ve always been a part of it because I come from a really small town, so you could see the direct effects of the drive.”
The fraternity got involved at the request of Cookeville’s Duncan & Sons Moving and Storage, one of the moving companies that works with Move for Hunger. A member of the Duncan family is a TKE alumnus, and he suggested they partner with the young men at Tech. Spurgeon said it may become an annual partnership.
“I’m hoping, if it goes well, that we’ll continue doing it,” he said. “It’s the week after Thanksgiving, so everyone will be in the holiday mood.”