Nearly two weeks ago Charlottesville looked as if it were in routine game-day mode, yet something in the air seemed different. The makeshift campground in front of Scott Stadium had assembled as early as the morning of Nov. 15, boasting higher numbers of people with elevated spirits than is usual for home games, despite the dropping temperatures.
And as the countdown to Thanksgiving break began, football still remained a top priority for many students, who waited in anticipation for the U.Va.-Virginia Tech rivalry to be played out in an annual football game rather than through the usual verbal exchange of insults.
While the athletic department made lots of behind-the-scenes logistical preparations in anticipation of this grudge match, certain details of the game's execution may escape many students' individual radars completely. For example, how exactly did the official game ball even get to the stadium? The seemingly obvious answer: It was bought from a store or ordered from a warehouse. But there is more to this question than meets the eye. Who would ever guess that nearly 100 students strapped on their running shoes, banding together to transport the ball over 150 miles on foot?
In fact, Fiji (Phi Gamma Delta fraternity) brothers from both the University and Virginia Tech transported the official game ball from a pep rally in Blacksburg, Va. all the way to Charlottesville, just in time for kickoff Saturday afternoon.
"We charter a bus," Fiji Event Chair Brent Bullock explained. "The bus follows the runners, and we have a brother-to-brother handoff of the ball, so none of the brothers are running the whole 157 miles."
Through their efforts, Fiji brothers strive to offer more than just an impressive display of athleticism. As their philanthropic event, the goal of Fiji's "Run Across Virginia" aspires first and foremost to raise funds for the Jimmy V Foundation for Cancer Research.
According to fourth-year Engineering student and Fiji member Dan Laufer, the success of similar fundraisers elsewhere prompted the idea to come into fruition here at the University.
"The concept itself isn't totally new," Laufer said. "Fiji chapters at Kansas and Kansas State have raised a million dollars this way, and Georgia and Georgia Tech do it, too. We thought that Fiji at U.Va. and Virginia Tech was strong enough to set up a run and do it well."
The run, now in its third year, has amassed $70,000 up until this point. This year, as in the past, the total sum of money raised was derived from a multitude of sources.
"The brothers raise a couple of hundred dollars each in pledges," Bullock said. "We also had a benefit a capella concert that we put on --- Fiji Sing for the Cure."
The concert, which took place in October, included a number of a capella groups on Grounds, from the Hullabahoos and the Belles to the Silhooettes and the Virginia Gentlemen.
Fiji alumni also contributed to the effort through individual donations, while local businesses sponsored the event, providing additional funds.
"We don't have one main sponsor this year, but rather a dozen of businesses that help us out," Laufer said.
Through the Jimmy V Foundation, Fiji members had the opportunity to be featured live on ESPN. Jim Valvano, the namesake of the organization, had been an ESPN commentator before losing his battle with cancer.
During the game a segment featuring footage of the brothers running with the game ball aired.
"Obviously, we were excited, because number one, it's national television," Bullock said. "Number two, it shows you exactly how far your efforts can go."
While Bullock said this exposure made the run more fulfilling for Fiji members, he sees the run having an even greater impact in years to come.
"We'd like for the run to be on a statewide scale," Bullock said. "I envision it being a competition between the U.Va. and Tech chapters. ... Getting everyone involved would be a way to rebuild the rivalry for all members of the local community but also anywhere in the state."
Bullock hopes heightened involvement will have a twofold effect. While the Jimmy V Foundation and its cancer research would benefit through increased donations, perhaps an organization like Fiji, with its official emphasis on "service, morality and excellence," could take steps toward eradicating the negative stereotypes that fraternities often face, he said.
Though Virginia Tech may have been victorious on the football field, Fiji brothers at the University had the last laugh.
"The event raised $32,428 dollars," Laufer said. "Between $17,000 and $18,000 came from U.Va."
Those who are good at math know what this means: The Fiji Cavaliers raised more money for the Jimmy V Foundation for Cancer Research than their Hokie counterparts. And such a victory means that all of those cold, wet nights sleeping in tents in front of Scott Stadium were nights well-spent indeed.
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