UK Fraternity and Sorority Life Organizations Unite to Benefit Local Charity
LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 27, 2020) — Two University of Kentucky Fraternity and Sorority Life (FSL) organizations, Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity and Alpha Delta Pi sorority, are joining forces to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) of the Bluegrass through their event OneMore — a 26-day marathon beginning June 1 and ending June 26.
OneMore is a marathon challenge in which participants have 26 days to complete a walk, run, hike, or any other physical activity to the distance of 26.2 miles.
“We are excited to be embarking on this effort to support the families of Kentucky who are being affected by COVID-19,” said UK Pi Kappa Alpha chapter president Zach Gaubert. “RMHC of the Bluegrass has done so much for our Lexington community and we want to do our part to help.”
Anyone is eligible to join from their location and while there is no participation fee, each participant is encouraged to earn a minimum of $26.20 for RMHC to help keep families together during this pandemic.
The idea for the event began in late April, when Pi Kappa Alpha advisor and Gatton College of Business and Economics director of undergraduate studies and lecturer Darshak Patel checked in with Gaubert. They discussed ideas to keep members engaged in community service and the idea for a virtual marathon was born.
Gaubert reached out to the Alpha Delta Pi philanthropy chair, Ellie Fahey, to see if they wanted to collaborate for the event, as Ronald McDonald House Charities is the sorority’s national philanthropy.
“Within 24 hours of that Zoom call, we had a full team setup, a goal of what we wanted to accomplish and a name,” Gaubert said.
Members of Alpha Delta Pi originally planned an in-person philanthropy event to benefit RMHC this semester but grasped at the opportunity to find a new way to support their philanthropy.
“When Pike reached out to us about still finding a way to give back to these families during this tough time, we knew this was an opportunity to create something special,” Fahey said. “All it takes is OneMore dollar, OneMore participant, and OneMore mile to change a life.”
Only 48 hours after launching the online registration site, the team had seen 150 participants and $1,600 raised.
RMHC’s mission is to keep families close to their hospitalized children receiving care at Kentucky Children’s Hospital.
“The Ronald McDonald House provides a place for families to stay close to their children who are sick in the hospital and volunteers are the heart of this mission,” said Madison Lauer, Alpha Delta Pi chapter president. “The safest way to give back to the house that keeps families close is through monetary donations and raising awareness of this amazing organization. By participating and donating towards OneMore you can help provide meals, house to hospital bags, a comfortable night at RMHC and a smile.”
To join the hundreds of people already signed up, visit www.runsignup.com/Race/KY/Lexington/OneMore.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.