The War of the Roses begins anew today on the UA Mall with more than 900 participants from 11 sororities competing to raise money for national and local charities.

Members of sororities will participate in events like the Greek Olympics, powder-puff football and kickball today through Friday.

The event, in its fourth year at the UA, kicks off today with the Olympics, in which sororities will compete in five different events; an obstacle course, sumo wrestling, jousting, relay races and tug of war.

“”We’re going to try and keep it as calm as possible,”” said Chris Tommarello, a business sophomore and executive vice president of Pi Kappa Phi fraternity, which is organizing the event. “”But they play to win.””

Tomorrow’s competition is “”Greek Idol,”” in which UA athletes and Pi Kappa Phi alumni will judge sorority members on songs, dancing, skits and serenades. Thursday’s festivities will include a double-elimination kickball tournament. The war concludes Friday with a powder-puff football tournament, the most exciting and favorite event of the participants, Tommarello said.

“”It gets pretty competitive. They play with a lot of heart,”” he said.

Each participating sorority member pays $15 to compete and will be fundraising on the mall, asking for donations throughout the week to raise additional money.

Pi Kappa Phi is fundraising for Push America, the national outreach program for the fraternity. The program’s mission is to serve people with disabilities.

This year, the bank will create summer camps for handicapped children. Twenty-five percent of the money raised will return to Pi Kappa Phi to support the children’s hospital at University Medical Center, said Paul Mallery, a pre-business freshman and member of the fraternity.

Last year’s War of the Roses raised about $17,500 for Push America, Mallery said.

Nearly $4,400 of that returned to the fraternity to support the Children’s Clinics for Rehabilitative Services, a non-profit outpatient clinic serving children with special health care needs in Tucson and Southern Arizona, said Adam Kaiser, a physiology junior and president of Pi Kappa Phi.

In addition to giving the clinic a check, the fraternity held a haunted house for the hospital last Halloween and two Christmas functions in December, when sick children listened to Christmas music, wrote letters to Santa and made ornaments for two trees the fraternity donated, Kaiser said.

“”The frat’s enthusiasm is wonderful,”” said Lori Mitts, a child life specialist for the clinics. “”It’s uplifting not just for the children and their families but for our staff as well. It means so much to the kids who are in treatment throughout the year to have fun events to look forwards to.””

“”It’s great to see part of the money go to a local Tucson organization where you can see its effect,”” Kaiser said.

Local businesses as well as parents and friends of students also contribute money toward the event, Mallery said.

“”It’s a great opportunity to get involved,”” said Ashley Preach, a political science junior and president of Gamma Phi Beta, whose sorority had more than 80 participants, mostly freshmen, last year. “”It’s a great way for the freshman pledges to bond and get to know each other through the different competitions, all while raising awareness for Push America.””