Love of animals and the desire to help them can bring all sorts of people together. This past week, two Oakland University fraternities united with one goal in mind: help a good cause.

On Friday, Oct. 14, at 11 a.m., Sigma Pi and Sigma Alpha Epsilon sponsored an off-campus charity event with the Canine Companion Rescue Center at the Auburn Hills Civic Center Park, across the street from OU.

The Canine Companion Rescue Center is a nonprofit, foster-based rescue.

“We pull animals that have ended up in animal control . . . animals that would otherwise get put down because of overpopulation,” said Kerry Godwin, a member of the Canine Companion Rescue Center. “We pull any dogs that are family-friendly, get them completely vaccinated, and we get them fixed. And then we adopt them out to families. Our mission is getting these dogs out of animal controls that are overpopulated and getting them fixed and into loving homes.”

All dogs at the Canine Companion Rescue Center typically go into volunteer homes. Godwin said she is fostering several dogs at her home.

“Sometimes they just need to be able to decompress and tell people what their personality is like,” Godwin said. “Sometimes they’re just afraid. Some days may seem like they’re not adoptable, but they just need to be in a home.”

The Canine Companion Rescue Center has been helping dogs for 15 years. Some of the dogs it’s fostered have gone on to be drug-finding dogs for the State of Texas. Recently, one of the center’s German shepherd puppies, Madison, appeared on television during the Puppy Bowl.

In addition to helping foster dogs, the Canine Companion Rescue Center also assists pet owners who are struggling financially.

“We did start a new portion of our program called the Paws Project,” Godwin said. “Right now, it’s just in Clarkston, but we are planning to expand eventually. We help [owners] with food … As long as they can show us that their animals have been spayed and neutered, we will continue to give them food on a monthly basis.”

The purpose of the fraternity-sponsored event was to raise money for the the Canine Companion Rescue Center, promote the cause of rescuing animals and persuade people to adopt dogs in need of a home.

The event was a success. Sigma Pi estimates that around 200 people attended the event.

“We’re estimating we’ve raised over $900 for the rescue center with a lot of individual contributions as well as contributions from the fraternities involved,” said Zachary Quinn, president of Sigma Pi. “We also had one dog adopted, pending all the paperwork. All of it was for a great cause, and I’m really happy with the turnout today.”

Quinn recommended that students get involved with Greek life.

“What you see in the movies and on TV about fraternities might not give the best impression to the average student,” Quinn said. “Being a part of this organization for four years, I’ve learned it’s not what it looks like in the movies. There’s a lot of philanthropy work like this and a lot of good is done through Greek organizations.”