“I can’t imagine I really feel this good. I really feel like one million {dollars} proper now,” mentioned Alpha Epsilon Pi’s Chris Genovese in his fiftieth consecutive hour of ‘rocking.’
In AEPi’s inaugural “Rockathon,” benefitting the Present of Life Marrow Registry, Genovese sat in a rocking chair on the Foote Inexperienced outdoors of Richter Library for a whopping 55 hours and not using a break. He sat from 11:17pm on Thursday, April 3 to six:17pm on Saturday, April 5.
For Genovese, the trigger is private. His grandfather, Ronald Lenzo, misplaced his life to blood most cancers. “His birthday was the seventeenth of June, so ‘getting up’ at 6:17 is symbolic of him and his legacy,” Genovese mentioned.
Genovese declined to touch upon the toll that 55 consecutive hours of sitting took on his physique. “I’ve received the perfect crew of individuals supporting me, mentally, bodily, emotionally … with meals, water and firm,” he mentioned.
Present of Life Marrow Registry is a non-profit group that facilitates blood stem cell and bone marrow transplants for sufferers battling blood most cancers. UM’s Present of Life ambassadors had been on-site at Rockathon on Thursday and Friday, swabbing nearly 300 college students and college. These swabbed will enter the registry and turn into eligible to donate these life-saving cells if and after they ‘match’ with a blood most cancers affected person.
AEPi’s first-ever Rockathon raised over $53,000 for Present of Life.
The greater than two-day fundraiser featured a plethora of actions that stored vitality excessive, together with a petting zoo, meals distributors, performances by UM membership dance groups and pupil bands, a body-building competitors and a yoga class.
“We’re altering the tradition round frat philanthropy [at UM]. Plenty of fraternities simply do it to ‘examine a field.’ We’re making it one thing extra significant than that,” mentioned Jordan Katz, a sophomore majoring in biology and serving as AEPI’s Co-Chair of Philanthropy.
“The outpouring of help from the campus group has been unbelievable,” mentioned Jimmy Koch, a junior majoring in biology and serving as Philo Co-Chair. “We hold seeing the identical individuals stroll by, come up and chat with Chris, cheer him on. It’s actually particular to witness.”
“Each one who received swabbed … enters the registry and down the road and may need the prospect to donate bone marrow or stem cells and save somebody’s life,” mentioned Katz. “This is likely one of the coolest issues I’ve ever been part of.”
“Present of Life is definitely an incredible charity,” mentioned Charlie Cohen, a junior majoring in Sports activities Administration and serving as AEPi’s Chapter President.
“We seemed by way of in all probability 500 totally different charities. Me, Jimmy, and Jordan determined that Present of Life is most aligned with what we wish to accomplish as a result of you possibly can see their impression … It feels actual. They’re saving individuals’s lives,” mentioned Cohen.
UM’s AEPi chapter drew inspiration for Rockathon from their brothers on the College of Missouri (“Mizzou”), who’ve held the occasion yearly for over 50 years. Katz and Koch introduced the plan to fruition.
“We scheduled a name with the Mizzou guys and talked to them for possibly three and a half hours that first day. We discovered every thing in regards to the trigger, how they fundraise, and the way it grew to become so profitable,” Katz mentioned.
When requested how Rockathon Miami would proceed previous Genovese’s involvement, Katz mentioned, “being ‘the Rocker’ is the very best honor you may have at [AEPi] Mizzou – increased than president, increased than social chair, increased than any E-Board place. Hopefully, now that we have now the primary Rockathon below our belts, there’ll be like 5 or 6 guys volunteer to be the Rocker subsequent 12 months.”
“It’s been extraordinarily worthwhile and I’m glad I did it,” mentioned Genovese. “I’d do it once more, however I want to cross it onto a youthful man. A youthful fella.”