The brothers of Alpha Chi Rho are a bit cold, but they are doing it for a good cause: eliminating cancer.
Members of Crows will be outside Milne Library until Friday Feb. 2 collecting money for the American Cancer Society during their annual Deep Freeze event.
Communication major junior Eli Bombard, international relations major senior Trevis Lipnicky and political science major senior Kyle Antonioli (pictured from left to right) raising money in front of Milne Library for the Alpha Chi Rho Deep Freeze event (pictured top). To help fundraise, a cappella groups, including Southside Boys (pictured above) performed at a free concert on Monday Jan. 29 in Sturges Auditorium. (Izzy Graziano/knights’ life editor)
Despite the frosty winter temperatures, the fraternity brothers seem to be having a great time asking for donations. In addition to doing shifts for fundraising, everyone who is helping raise money sleeps in a tent by the Integrated Science Center, so the cold never stops for the brothers of Crows.
“It’s not too bad—it’s kind of fun being out there with your friends, and it’s fun to be annoying with it because then when after you get a hundred no’s, you get a yes and someone donates. You’re doing something good for charity,” biochemistry major junior Aric Huber said.
Huber is the director of the Deep Freeze this year, after being the assistant director last year. It is his third year as a member of Crows and his second Deep Freeze event overall.
This is Crows’ main fundraiser for Relay for Life.
“All of our profits, we donate toward our Relay for Life goal,” Huber said. “Our goal is $10,000, which is very ambitious, but we’ll see how it turns out.”
Crows have been fundraising for 17 consecutive years for cancer research. In addition to standing out in the cold and staying overnight in the tent outside the ISC, the fraternity organizes other events. These include a free a cappella concert, fitness classes and a candlelit vigil on Friday Feb. 2 at the end of the fundraising week.
“Everyone comes, has a good time and there’s a donation bowl at the end if people want to donate,” Huber said.
A lot of the donations come not only from students, but also from alumni, who donate to the cause online.
Other brothers of Crows raising money outside of Milne Library include geological sciences major senior Cole Farnam and political science major senior Ben Smith. Both are doing their third Deep Freeze, and neither seemed too bothered by the cold.
“I think it’s just really fun to be out here and see the sense of community everyone at Geneseo has,” Farnam said.
Many brothers agreed with this sentiment.
“I think my favorite part of it is that each person donates a little bit of money, and it adds up to thousands of dollars in donations at the end,” Smith said. “I think it’s really cool to see how each person making a small donation can make such a difference.”
Huber echoed a similar attitude, saying that it feels good to give back to the community.
The brothers of Crows are completing commendable work raising money for cancer research. Their efforts show the true character of Geneseo—that of charity and the desire to help others.