Would you believe that an event with over 380 donors, 150 participants and a staggering $21, 680 raised shares a name with a popular dare for drinking games?
No, I wouldn’t either — but the Jewish Fraternity Alpha Epsilon Pi’s “Naked Mile” was able to accomplish way more in the span of a month-and-a-half than supposedly any other single event for a club on campus.
On Friday, March 23, the fraternity hosted their first ever “Naked Mile” on Alumni Field with many of the brothers from Greek Life and other supporters.
Although I was quite astounded with the accomplishments of this when I went to the event, I was genuinely curious if this would become the true nature of the name, but many participants expressed that they weren’t planning on going too far with it.
Others said that it honestly depended on how the mood went and the day itself.
When asked about how the fraternity was able to get this event approved by Laurier, AEPi President Michael Cooper said:
“The fraternity had to promise to give t-shirts and boxers but it might end up getting a little wild.”
“Their fraternity’s organization gave them the goal of raising $20,000 over two years … and they really took that goal to heart,” Cooper said.
The fraternity was inspired to take on the “Naked Mile” as their major proposed idea, planning alongside sponsors, such as Dallas Nightclub, Sleep Ezzz Matress Express, Ethel’s Lounge, and many others.
The ambitious attitude of both Cooper and his fellow members of the fraternity made them decide to not only raise the money in under a year but that they would do it in one big event.
Alpha Epsilon Pi itself is the largest international fraternity in Canada.
The chapter that executed this event has over 67 active brothers — reflecting their capacity, just in sheer numbers and connections to other donors, to raise the amount that they did.
But, what is truly incredible is the short amount of time it took them to do so. As previously expressed, Cooper wanted to be able to meet their objective with one single event.
This organization provides an important voice for the Canadian Jewish community and, as Cooper explained, gives a range of educational and social programming, community services, and human initiatives.
“We [the fraternity] made it our life for a month-and-a-half.”
And within two weeks of the event, they had gone far beyond what they could have expected to achieve — they continuously kept raising funds until they had exceeded the initial $20,000 goal.
“I am very proud of the brothers and community for the efforts that were demonstrated,” Cooper said.
All of the proceeds from this event were sent in support of the B’nai Brith Canada.
This organization provides an important voice for the Canadian Jewish community and, as Cooper explained, gives a range of educational and social programming, community services, and human initiatives.
“This organization is important in combatting the anti-Semitism that many of our members experience every day.”
When asked what he hopes for the future in terms of other events, and the Naked Mile itself, Cooper expressed that: “The fraternity hope’s to be able to keep pushing the boundaries … and they will be conducting the event again next year with an even higher goal than this year.”
This event honestly amazed me and goes to show what one club on campus can do when they put their full efforts towards it.
The day was one to remember for the Laurier community, and I hope that they will be able to reach higher goals in the next year, and you never know what could happen with the run itself — they might end up taking it up a notch. Nothing’s impossible, right?