For the second year in a row, Alpha Omicron Pi was the overall winner of CASA Encore. The event returned to The Sandy and John Black Pavilion with the iconic, high-energy dance competition showcasing 11 University of Mississippi sororities.
The Sept. 24 event raised $450,512 for Court-Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of North Mississippi, which supports abused and neglected children across the region.
Over 10,000 physical donations of blood, school supplies and grocery items were collected in the past four weeks. The Pavilion was completely full after CASA Encore sold out tickets two hours before the show began. Ticket sales alone raised over $89,000 dollars.
Other winners included Kappa Kappa Gamma in the Best Dance category, and Delta Delta Delta took home the award for Best Banner. With themes ranging from Chi Omega’s “Alvin and the Chipmunks” to Delta Gamma’s Halloween-themed dance, the variety of performances throughout the night kept the crowd engaged for the entire two-hour show.
Judges for the event were the Oxford mayor Robyn Tannehill, the Assistant Director of Student Activities Aggie Doddridge, co-owner of Caffecitos Espresso Chad Collier, CASA volunteer Michelle Rounsaville and Ole Miss Women’s Basketball head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin.
Per their website, CASA of North Mississippi’s mission is to “advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children through the service of trained, court-appointed community volunteers.”
“Fundraising has skyrocketed — from $90,000 in 2018 to over $460,000 last year,” Erin Smith, founder and executive director of CASA of North Mississippi, said. “These resources have been transformative for CASA of North Mississippi. … These funds have allowed us to serve more children in foster care and strengthen our advocacy work.”
Sheridan Garbe, a senior public policy leadership and history major from Colleyville, Texas, and the vice president of philanthropy for the UM College Panhellenic Council, was enthusiastic about the drive to raise funds that the sororities demonstrated.
“I got to see chapters who may have not been in the highest fundraising capacity last year, move to second, third and fourth place this year, and that really shows the passion behind these sororities,” Garbe said.
Alpha Omicron Pi member and sophomore general business major Jackie Vodovoz, an attendee of the event, believes that CASA Encore is one of the staple events at the university that brings people and students from all over together.
“CASA is my Super Bowl. I love CASA,” Vodovoz said.
Kappa Kappa Gamma member and CASA Encore attendee Frances Hand, a sophomore Southern studies major, agreed with Vodovoz’s sentiment.
“I just love how everyone shows up for each other,” Hand said. “It really is Pan-love. Everyone is clapping for each other and were all excited to see everyone go.”
Nancy Wilcox, grandmother of one of the participants, traveled to the university specifically for this event.
“We drove five hours to get here today to see my granddaughter,” Wilcox said. “We are spending the night and going home tomorrow.”
Each sorority put on months of strenuous preparation and practice to ensure their performances were seamless and memorable.
Brelyn Binkley, Delta Gamma coach and junior allied health studies major, spoke about the preparation that went into the sorority’s CASA Encore performance.
“This year, practice began a lot earlier than last year … It took us more than 11 hours to put all 180 girls into their different groups. Then, we made a schedule for what day each group will practice. … Towards the end, after everyone knows their choreography, we do big group practices and we put it all together. They’ll learn the beginning, all the side dances you see and then the ending,” Binkley said.
Binkley stressed that preparations were demanding for many coaches and participants but that hard work paid off.
“It is a lot more work than you think it would be, but it is so rewarding in the end — no matter what the outcome is,” Binkley said.
Tatum Eilerts, a freshman allied health studies major, Kappa Kappa Gamma member and participant in the dance competition, agrees with Binkley.
“We had two-hour practices three times a week, so it definitely took time, but it was worth it in the end,” Eilerts said.
The event fostered bonding opportunities and started friendships between many sorority sisters.
“Getting to know new people was a lot of fun, and the cause behind the whole event is really cool,” Addison Kirby, freshman general business major and dancer for Kappa Kappa Gamma, said.
With no plans of stopping, CASA Encore will return next year planning to raise more money and continue the tradition. Delta Delta Delta member and dancer Ava Dellenger, a freshman journalism major, hopes this event will further contribute to those that benefit from the work of CASA.
“I hope that this keeps going and next year they raise even more money for the kids,” Dellenger said.
