Dorm Wars: A Tradition of Charity and Rivalry
Lee University campus dorms face off for the annual Dorm Wars competition, an exciting night of rivalry for a special cause, on Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. This year, the Boys and Girls Club will benefit from this campus wide event that will be held in the Walker Arena.
Dorm Wars is an annual competition Lee University hosts for their students living on campus. It consists of obstacle courses, physical challenges and competition of all kinds in a unique way in an electric environment.
In years past, dorms had individual service projects coinciding with the event; this year all dorms are rising money together for the local Boys and Girls Club. This event is an opportunity for students to be involved in campus life as well as to raise money for different charities and organizations.
“Our Clubs strive to offer safe and encouraging places to go during out of school time to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as Caring, Productive, Responsible citizens,” according to the Boys and Girls Club of the Ocoee Region website.
Dorm Wars hopes to contribute to this shared goal of helping youth achieve everything they can in life.
“I think because we're so blessed, it's important to figure out ways that we can give back,” said sophomore business administration major and RA of Hicks, Jordan Babb. “[God] didn't call us to just have this relationship with Him, but also to go out and serve people.”
The teams for each dorm are chosen after tryouts are held. These tryouts consist of obstacles to test strength, focus and speed. The best of the best are then made team members in hopes of winning for their respective dorms.
“On the day of Dorm Wars, it's just a huge thing,” said Babb. “It really gets freshmen involved, people are really excited to be on the team.”
The teams compete throughout the night and earn points to win the event. Each team fundraises separately to raise money for the Boys and Girls Club and can earn points for the competition for the amount of money they bring in.
“I’m most excited about the competition between me and my friends,” said senior public relations major and team member for Medlin Hall, Matthew McPhee.
The event lasts throughout the night as students support their residential halls by dressing up to the assigned theme, which is a secret between each dorm until the night of the event.
“You lose your voice by the end of it!” said McPhee.
There are other roles needed throughout the night and one of the most important is the Hype Squad. A Hype Squad consists of anyone who wants to participate that lives on campus and comes ready to dress up according to their dorm’s theme and cheer their team on.
The hype squads “lead everybody in cheers and dances and get everybody hyped up and excited,” said sophomore psychology major and member of the Storms Hall Hype Squad, Stephanie Black.
This exciting event is welcome to all as students as Lee University prepare to compete while raising money for the local Boys and Girls Club.
For more information about Dorm Wars and their association with Boys and Girls Club, talk to your respective residential staff or visit the residential life Instagram. Dorm Wars will kick off at 7 p.m., Monday, Oct. 3 in the Walker Arena.
