Two cities; two chapters of Phi Gamma Delta; one rival football game; one long relay run. One cause. The brothers from the University and Virginia Tech last week ran the game ball from Charlottesville to Blacksburg before the annual rivalry Commonwealth Cup to raise money for the fight against cancer.
The chapter’s 10th annual FIJI Run Across Virginia began in 2003 and benefits the Jimmy V Foundation for Cancer Research. The foundation was only created in 1993, but it has already given $90 million to help launch the careers of emerging scientists and physicians, awarding research grants to facilities such as the University of Virginia Health Sciences Center and helping facilitate the entrance of innovative medical research into the market.
“It’s a great cause that we can unite the brotherhood around,” said Matt Boegner, third-year Engineering student and fraternity Corresponding Secretary.
Corporate partners, small businesses and private donors contribute to the foundation, and in exchange the brothers from the University and Virginia Tech run the game ball from the away-team stadium to home-team stadium before the annual rivalry Commonwealth Cup. The 150 mile trek took about 20 straight hours for the brothers to complete.
Almost half of the University’s brothers set off on their portion of this marathon journey, about 65 miles, from Scott Stadium Friday afternoon. At least two brothers ran at a time, with the rest following along behind in a bus available to trade shifts as needed. They also had a police escort for safety. “It was energizing to see the excitement the brothers brought back to the event, despite the fact that it cut short their Thanksgiving breaks,” Boegner said.
The University runners met up with their fraternity brothers from Virginia Tech in Lynchburg, the midway point, after a minor hiccup: They briefly got lost in Lynchburg because both of the town’s bridges are under construction. “[But] we managed to get there safe and sound,” said Nick Allen, third-year College student and the fraternity’s Philanthropy Co-Chair.
Once both fraternities had arrived, they enjoyed hanging out and throwing the football around before the U.Va. boys handed the ball off to their cohorts. They then boarded the bus back to Charlottesville, while the Virginia Tech side of the run was just beginning.
Once the Virginia Tech brothers reached Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, they presented a check for the amount they had raised so far to one of the foundation’s representatives in a brief ceremony before the game.
Each year the event builds on its traditions and previous successes and receives more in donations. This year, between the two universities, the brothers have received more than $52,000, a record annual contribution that brings their total donations to the Foundation through the years up to $380,000, Allen said.
Their event has also inspired other universities to plan their own runs to benefit the foundation. Phi Gamma Delta chapters at the University of Georgia and Georgia Tech have started doing a similar run before their own rivalry football game, said Clark O’Bannon, fourth-year College student and fraternity President.
The fraternities’ dedication to the event mirrors the foundation’s creator Jim Valvano, who was, among other accomplishments, a basketball coach, a sports commentator and an entrepreneur before he was diagnosed with cancer at age 46. Valvano’s motto: “Don’t give up, don’t ever give up.”
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