Greek Week 2007 dawned yesterday with a day of service, in which students from a variety of UW fraternities and sororities gathered at noon to clean the area surrounded by 17th Avenue Northeast, 22nd Ave Northeast, Northeast 45th Street and Northeast 52nd Street.

According to the Greek Week 2007 handbook, "Greek Week 2007 is going to be a time to display [fraternities' and sororities'] Greek pride through [their] united community. Held May 6th to May 12th, [the] celebration of Greek life will be filled with week-long events focusing on philanthropy, community service and competition."

The week's events will include a blood drive, a canned food drive coupled with a canned food castle-building contest, Delta Chi Fraternity's Pool Hoops tournament, Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity's dodgeball tournament, Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity's air-band competition, an all-Greek BBQ, Relay for Life and a clothing drive.

Greek Week teams are arranged by grouping sororities and fraternities into threes and fours. Points will be awarded for participation in these events, as well as the success a team achieves in the competitions.

The team with the most points at the end of the week will receive free dinner from Chipotle and various other prizes. The chapter displaying the most individual success during the week's events will receive a gift certificate from Best Buy.

The Greek community hopes Greek Week 2007 will not only help strengthen relationships within the Greek system, but also demonstrate the positive role that Greeks play at the UW and in the U-District.

"Unfortunately, from an outsider's perspective Greek Week has historically been about Greeks getting to know one another and excluding those on the outside while we party all week," said senior Connor Carroll, vice president of Greek relations for the Interfraternity Council, a member of Delta Chi Fraternity and a Greek Week organizer. "Over the last few years, though, it has been about showing the community how we are not only internally connected, but how we are just as involved at [the] UW and in the larger community as well."

Carroll cited yesterday's day of service and the Greek community's involvement in Seattle Public Utilities' Adopt-A-Street Program, in which fraternities and sororities have pledged to clean up and maintain streets in the area north of campus.

"This week is not just for Greek members; it's for everyone," Carroll said.

This week of philanthropy, service, fun and opportunities to help the community has Greek members rallying together for what some think is a prime opportunity to overcome stereotypes and stigma.

"Greek Week is all about coming together as a Greek community," said Gerald Corporal, a junior and a member of Theta Delta Chi Fraternity,. "We think of ourselves as a pretty strong community ... academically, ... socially and philanthropically."

Corporal also said he hopes the events will help to dispel common misconceptions about sororities and fraternities.

"We do come together. We do care about a lot of things: about the community, about community service, about pride, about school spirit and about academics," he said. "There are a lot of activities throughout the week to showcase these things."

According to the Greek Week 2007 handbook, the Greek community will work hard to raise money and awareness for Relay for Life and Boomtown Café. They will also donate canned foods to the University District Food Bank and clothing to the Community Services for the Blind and Partially Sighted.

"It really is a good community to be a part of," said Danielle Knoepfler, a freshman and member of Zeta Tau Alpha sorority. "I know people have their doubts about it, but ... there's [more than] 30 of us cleaning up garbage on the streets right now, so we really do care about our community."

Reach reporter Camden Swita at news@thedaily.washington.edu.