Tri Sigma sorority preps for first annual benefit concert

Every year the women of the River Falls chapter of the Sigma Sigma Sigma (Tri Sigma) sorority work to donate money to the Robbie Page Memorial and this year, they’re putting on a new event to raise money.

The first annual Rockin’ for Robbie benefit concert will take place on Thursday night at the Entertainment Complex in the University Center.

According to a press release written by junior Brooke Bergseng, the Public Relations Chair for Tri Sigma, the memorial supports play therapy for children in hospitals.

“Play therapy allows children to get out of their sterile hospital rooms, have some fun and helps them to cope with their situation,” Bergseng said.

While the main event will be the music, the evening will also have a deeper meaning and an educational aspect.

Bergseng also said there will be a family in attendance who will share the story of their son Ellis Bergstrom, who was born with a heart defect. Play therapy helped the young boy become strong enough for a heart transplant in 2006, before he passed away around Christmas.

This will be the first time the River Falls chapter has done something of this magnitude to raise money for the memorial. “Other chapters have done it,” sophomore Heather Pearson said. “It’s a cool thing to bring in and have a good time for such a good cause.”

Pearson is the Rockin’ for Robbie Chair for Tri Sigma and said it was hard to get started on the event at first, because they didn’t know where to begin. While the members of Tri Sigma are expecting a good turnout from other organizations involved in the Greek community, they are also planning on bringing in a number of students who are in it just for the music. They also said the bands will bring in a number of their own fans.

Sophomore Kirsten Farrar plans on attending the show.

“I am a fan and have been a fan of Small Towns Burn A Little Slower for a while and when I saw that they were coming to River Falls, I got excited,” Farrar said. “I sent the info out to some friends in the cities that really like them also; I think there are a couple making the trip out here just for the show to see them.”

Pearson said the event will also include an opportunity for people to become organ donors. The night of the event, there will be a booth where Wisconsin residents can sign up to become organ donors and place the stickers on their driver’s licenses; Minnesota residents can sign up to do the same and Tri Sigma will mail in the forms for them.

Also at the event, a number of door prizes will be given out. Pearson said altogether, the cash value of all the prizes is over $1,000. The top door prize is Timberwolves tickets.

Tri Sigma is excited to host the concert in the University Center.

“It’s the best timing in the world,” Pearson said. “We’re so lucky that we have this great facility. It’s just going to be awesome.” Tickets for Rockin’ for Robbie will be sold at the University Center until the day of the event.

The tickets cost $5 and will be available at the event. Bands scheduled to perform include Small Towns Burn a Little Slower, The Spirit of ‘76, The Better Life and Gloria.