DOWAGIAC — Proceeds raised from Beta Sigma Phi’s annual fundraiser are going to two causes local to Cass County.

Annually, the five chapters of Beta Sigma Phi, a national service organization that includes sorority chapters Alpha Kappa, Kappa Beta, Theta Mu, Xi Delta Mu and Zeta Chi in Dowagiac, gather together for a fundraiser. This year, the sororities’ fundraiser involved selling meals made by The Skillet in South Bend. The sororities raised $1,700 and donated two checks. One was given to Domestic and Sexual Abuse Services and one to Cass County Animal Control.

“That is pretty much one of our highest numbers,” said Beth Cripe, the organizer of the event.

Beta Sigma Phi donated $200 to Cass County Council on Aging’s Front Street location, as the event was hosted at the location.

Earlier in the year, all five of the sororities in Beta Sigma Phi voted on which two local charities they wanted to donate the money raised from their fundraiser. As votes were tallied up, the sororities chose to donate to DASAS and Cass County Animal Control. Each organization received a check for $750.

Standing in the Cass County Animal Control shelter with a dog in hand, Ron Butts, the director at Cass County Animal Control, said donations are extremely important to the shelter, more so for the animals.

With monetary donations, Cass County Animal Control can provide medical services for animals living in the shelter. Donations also help the organization assist with care and cruelty cases.

“When we have a large number of animals, we have to foster out to residents to take care of them for us,” Butts said.

Animal control also provides financial assistance for spaying and neutering services for Cass County residents.

“This ultimately helps us control the pet population and keep the number of pets down in the facility,” Butts said.

The other organization to receive a donation, DASAS, a nonprofit serving men, women and children harmed by domestic, sexual or intimate partner violence, expressed equivalent words of appreciation. 

“[Donations] are really significant, because about 20 percent of our budget we have to raise through organizations like this that give us donations and fundraising events,” said Rose Ludwick, the executive director at DASAS.

Having discretionary funds allows DASAS to cover costs that grant funding does not support.

Through accepting the donation, Ludwick said she is appreciative of the community’s support in remembering the goals of DASAS.

“I appreciate that people are remembering the need of survivors and that they want to support survivors both monetarily, emotionally, mentally and physically,” Ludwick said.

The donation will be particularly useful for DASAS’ safe shelter, which is the one area the organization receives the least amount of funding for, Ludwick said. Donations like the one from Beta Sigma Phi help DASAS continue to provide services to women and children, she added.