Collegiate Times

The rivalry between Virginia Tech and UVa. has not only fostered exciting athletic competitions but also a fundraiser that in the past three years has garnered over $100,000 for cancer research. The Phi Gamma Delta fraternity chapters, better known as FIJI, at both Tech and UVa. participate in the FIJI Run Across Virginia to raise money for the V foundation.

“This is the fourth year we are organizing the Run Across Virginia,”
said Philip Talarico, the recording secretary for the Tech chapter of FIJI. “Throughout the past three years we have raised over $100,000 dollars for the
Jimmy Valvano Cancer Research Foundation. This year our fundraising goal is
$30,000 dollars with the help of individual and corporate sponsors.”

Private donations can be made and there are several levels of business and corporate sponsorship ranging from under $100 to over $3000.

The run begins the day before the Tech football game against UVa. and ends on the 50-yard line right before the game begins. Participants run the game ball from the non-hosting school to the hosting school: a 152-mile route.

“We have a James River bus with all of the runners on board. Whenever the current runner becomes tired, they get back onto the bus and a new runner goes out. Each chapter has about 40 runners to cover the distance,” said Run Across Virginia Founder Jeff Caldwell, a former FIJI member at Tech.

Because each chapter can only have 40 runners, participants are chosen based on their level of involvement in the fundraiser.

“It requires a great sacrifice from all of the runners because they have to return to school the day after Thanksgiving in order to participate,” Caldwell said.

The idea for the run came after Caldwell heard about a similar run with FIJI chapters at the University of Georgia and Georgia Tech.

“We began discussing the idea after we heard about the other FIJI chapters doing a similar race, although theirs was only 50 miles. It took a year for us to organize the run, and I probably put in 200 hours in a semester trying to start it up,” Caldwell said.

Despite some problems during the first year of the run, Caldwell and the FIJI chapter adopted the same mantra of the cancer organization they were donating to: “Don’t give up. Don’t ever give up.”

“I would be lying to you if I told you that the run was easy.  It is very
difficult, if not almost impossible, to get the permits and police escorts to run
halfway across the state,” Caldwell said.  “However, we did not give up, and pressed on and
made this event happen.”

The V Foundation is a charitable organization that donates funds for cancer research. It was established in 1993 by basketball coach and television commentator Jimmy Valvano after he was diagnosed with cancer.

“The foundation was chosen because of its connection with sports, and because of it’s setup,” Caldwell said.  “Over the past five years, an average of 83 cents of every dollar raised has been donated directly to cancer research, which is an extremely high donation percentage.  The foundation also has a scientific review board to determine who should receive
funding.”

Students support the fundraiser and believe that raising money for cancer research is a priority.

“My family has been greatly affected by cancer and I’m happy to know that an organization like FIJI is willing to participate in such an involved and strenuous fundraiser to raise money for cancer research,” said Caitlin Cossaboom, a freshman dairy science major.

The fundraiser is a pride of the fraternity, and the chapter hopes to continue it for several years to come.

“The brothers are proud of their contribution to the run and they are our primary fundraisers.  Everyone has been affected by cancer, whether an immediate family member, relative, or friend, and I am proud to say as a FIJI chapter that we are taking a stand,” Caldwell said. ‘We feel honored to know that we provide thousands of dollars to cancer research, and we will keep going until a cure is found.”