The Kappa Sigma fraternity provided much entertainment for students at Northeastern this past year, including performances by Ben Folds, Zox, Bayside and “The Office” actor and scribe BJ Novak

“We’ve done a lot of good things this year,” said James Edwards, grand master of ceremonies for Kappa Sigma. “But if I were to pick one [that really stood out] it would be BJ Novak. It sold out unbelievably quickly and brought a lot of notoriety, not just to us, but to Greek life in general.”

But for Xi-Beta, Northeastern’s chapter of the Kappa Sigma fraternity, which has 91 members, their initiative does not begin and end with campus entertainment.

Last month, close to 40 members from the fraternity picked up more than 200 pounds of garbage from areas surrounding Northeastern, including Mission Hill, The Fens, Columbus Avenue and Massachusetts Avenue. Xi-Beta invited Pi Kappa Alpha to join in collaboration for the event, a step toward improving inter-fraternal relations on campus.

Prior to the event, Xi-Beta took on other community service projects that ranged from acquiring donations to support organizations throughout Boston like Rosie’s Place and The Greater Food Bank.

Last Christmas, brothers from Kappa Sigma and staff members from Our House East, a restaurant and pub, worked to raise more than $1,200 worth of new toys to donate to the Toys for Tots program. The toys were later distributed to families in the Boston area who could not afford to buy gifts for their children.

Early in November, the brothers of Kappa Sigma made a $500 donation to the Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB), an organization they aided in the past. Due in part to their assistance, the GBFB, located on Atkinson Street, exceeded their goal of acquiring 35,000 turkeys to give to families by more than 3,000.

“This year, we’ve seen about a seven to 10 percent increase in the amount of hours and dollars our members have dedicated and raised,” Edwards said.

Service is one of Kappa Sigma’s four cornerstones, according to the official Kappa Sigma website. Others include leadership, scholarship and fellowship.

“We’re looking to step things up a little bit next year,” Edwards said. “In the past, there has not been a lot of good will for the Greek system. … To divide ourselves more isn’t helpful; we’re trying to build up relationships for the greater good.”

– Sean Leviashvili, News Staff