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February 25, 2002
Stine Gets Robbed at "Mr. Valpo"
Some called his performance masterful. Others, poetic. But no can debate the hilarity that was Matt Stine ('04) on stage.
Stine competed as the Sigma Chi nominee to the Mr. Valpo competition, the annual fundraiser put on by the fine women from the Gamma Phi Beta sorority. The contest pits several gentlemen from the student community against one another through sash, talent, and question competitions.
The main goal of the event, however, was to raise money for Camp Millhouse, a camp in South Bend, IN, that serves mentally and physically disabled children.
Stine, along with his brothers raised over $350 for the charity, claiming the title of "Mr. Money", as the candidate who raised the most for the organization. Stine's $350 led the almost $1,500 that the event raised.
Stine showed strongly in the sash and eveningwear competition, impressing the crowd and judges with his dashing good looks and million-dollar smile. However, his performance in the talent portion was by far the highlight of the entire competition.
While most contestants sang songs or played music on their guitars, Stine opted to dazzle with his own musical talent-the electronic mat keyboard. Stine played such classics as "Mary Had A Little Lamb" and "Oh Susanna" with his feet while singing along, much to the enjoyment of the crowd. He even dedicated a song to all of the sailors in the world, playing an old favorite, "Row, Row, Row Your Boat".
While the audience was clearly most pleased by Stine's performance, the judges for some reason did not agree. Stine failed to qualify for the finals.
"We're pretty upset about that," commented Consul Ryan Wolf. "We may look into some sort of formal complaint. Obviously the judges made a mistake."
"I had a great time," commented Stine. "I appreciate the opportunities the brothers gave me as well as all of their support. All of their cheering during my performance was very moving."
No word yet on whether Stine intends to take his skills national. He is making himself available for wedding receptions and graduation parties, however.
"If you're looking for unique entertainment for that special occasion, I might be exactly what you're looking for," he commented.
Sigma Chi has been the biggest organizational giver in the past four years of the Mr. Valpo competition. In three of those years, a Sig has taken home the "Mr. Money" title. Last year, Mike Fabian Jopa ('01) won both the fundraising portion and the overall competition, raising over $1,500 on his own for the charity. The year before that, Chris Gillispie ('03) led the way.
Posted by Webmaster at February 25, 2002 05:49 PM