Pikes pull truck for charity

On the morning of Oct. 3, Wilfrid Laurier University’s Homecoming, members of the campus fraternity Pi Kappa Alpha will pull a fire truck or city bus (the exact object is to be determined based on availability) as part of their annual fundraising event for Big Brothers and Sisters of Kitchener-Waterloo.

The 30 members of the fraternity, who did not formally train for the feat, plan to pull the truck or bus along Albert St. from Bridgeport St. to University Ave.

The members of Pi Kappa Alpha, known as Pikes, have raised upwards of $4,000 in previous years.

“Our goal is $3,000 and nothing short of. With 30 guys in the fraternity, with each raising about $100, at least $3,000 is our goal,” said Nigel Trimble, vice-president of external affairs for Pi Kappa Alpha.

”We’re also turning to the student body for charitable donations.”

Pike House began fundraising for their philanthropy, Big Brothers of Canada, since they were locally founded in 1996. Although the fire truck pull has been a Pike tradition, it has not occurred for the past three years, as fundraising events were not held locally.

Trimble believes that making this year’s fundraising event local will generate more awareness for their cause and encourage community involvement.

“[It’s] more advantageous because we can involve local businesses and [generate] more support if people can see what is being done. Seeing something happen in your own backyard will affect you more in than in somebody else’s.”

Trimble further states that pulling a fire truck or bus as part of this year’s fundraising event will revive the old tradition while having fun and giving to charity.

Trimble explains that fundraising and community involvement are important parts of being a Pike. Pikes try to base their actions upon the four pillars of the fraternity: Scholars, Leaders, Athletes and Gentlemen (S.L.A.G).

“We are trying to be the best gentlemen that we can be … we think it’s admirable to give back to the community in any way, so we try to do our best.”

Members of Pike House host two to three fundraising events each year but also undertake a number of smaller community-based initiatives, such as blood donations and snow removal, to uphold the principles of S.L.A.G.

“Every hour counts toward anything that we do,” said Trimble.

The week prior to Laurier’s Homecoming, the Pikes will have a booth set up on campus in the Hall of Fame and will host a BBQ outside of the Terrace.