- The University of Florida's Sigma Alpha Epsilon chapter will host its 25th annual Cajun Cookout on Friday to raise funds for the Collegiate Veterans Success Center.
- The event offers Cajun crawfish boil, live music, raffles, a dunk tank, and a Cajun Queen competition with proceeds supporting veterans' academic resources.
Those looking for a taste of some Cajun cuisine in Gainesville have the opportunity to satisfy their cravings on Friday night, while also supporting a good cause.
The Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) fraternity chapter at the University of Florida will host its 25th annual Cajun Cookout from 5 to 8 p.m. at the SAE Fraternity House, 2256 Museum Road, Gainesville.
“It’s our annual philanthropy event as a fraternity,” Harrison Rainey, chairman of the Cajun Cookout, said in an interview with Mainstreet. “Essentially, we have our chef make a big Cajun-style crawfish boil.”
In addition to the boil, Rainey, who is also a sophomore at UF, said the alcohol-free, family-friendly event will feature live music from Tallahassee-based band House of Rock, raffle prizes, a dunk tank and a Cajun Queen competition, featuring a mullet toss.
The cookout supports the Collegiate Veterans Success Center at UF.
“They just provide kind of a space and resources for veterans who want to come back and pursue academics after [the] service,” Rainey said of the center. “Just [for veterans] to succeed and have a space where they feel safe and comfortable and can access counseling resources, academic resources, like free printing, tutoring, and then they also offer some financial help as well.”
As of Thursday morning, Rainey said they had raised $39,103 of a $40,000 fundraising goal. These funds, along with the proceeds from the cookout, will help support the Collegiate Veterans Success Center.
“[On the] day of [the event], we sell raffle tickets, we sell T-shirts, and then tickets for admission are $10. So, all those proceeds will also go to [the] Collegiate Veterans Success Center,” Rainey said.
For more information about the cookout, including how to purchase tickets or make a donation, visit https://sae.crowdchange.co/54752.
Nick Anschultz is a Report for America corps member and writes about education for Mainstreet Daily News. This position is supported by local donations through the Community Catalyst for Local Journalism Fund at the Community Foundation of North Central Florida.