"Kobayashi baby, Kobayashi!" Where else would you hear a chant like this? Only at Sammys' first annual Garbage Plate Relay Run this past Saturday at Doty Field.
Hosted by the Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity, the relay was a fundraiser for the Judy Fund - an association dedicated to Alzheimer's research - and involved two very different events. Participants had to run over a mile and then eat an entire garbage plate from Main Street's University Hots.
Five teams competed: three were comprised of three members, one had two, and the last team was lone senior Chris Hennessy, who was daring enough to attempt the run twice and consume the garbage plate alone. Hennessy claimed that he "had already won his own race."
As intimidating as Hennessy was, it's safe to say that every member was prepared to fight for the win. Although the turnout was small, the event was a big hit with the intimate crowd that came to show its support on a drizzly fall afternoon. Most were supporters of the fraternity, and others just wanted to be entertained by the sight of someone downing a garbage plate as fast as they could.
The race kicked off and senior Sammys brother Andrew Bohlen led the pack back to Doty Field. The tables turned, however, when junior Nick Allwell consumed his plate in record time and his teammate, senior Will Perillo, ran a final victorious mile, leading the duo to success. Allwell, a Rochester native, said he's been eating garbage plates for years and that it is no longer a challenge for him.
All of the teams put in a solid effort, and it was a tough competition. Junior John Etu, though very ambitious, could not keep his garbage plate down as he tried his hardest to finish the last few bites, ultimately disqualifying his team.
Being a true brother, however, Etu decided to finish the run with teammate Bohlen, ending the race proudly and receiving cheers from the supportive crowd. The event was successful, raising over $200 for the Judy Fund, and the brothers say that they hope to continue this new tradition for years to come.