February 23, 2009

Donating clothes to those in need the goal of Nearly Naked Mile

The Nearly Naked Mile, a noncompetitive event where students run or walk through campus in bathing suits or costumes, will begin at 7 p.m. March 25 at the Class of 1950 Lecture Hall, with registration beginning there at 6 p.m. The event concludes at the Dauch Alumni Center.

Students may choose to give the clothes they arrived in or donate other clothing. All collections will be donated to Lafayette Transitional Housing.

Brandi Farrer, director of student and young alumni programs with the Purdue Alumni Association, said the event is a fun way for students to do something positive to help their community, as well as learn more about how to get involved in alumni association activities while still a student.

The event is organized by the Purdue Alumni Student Experience (PASE), a group that involves students in alumni association activities to create a lifelong loyalty to the organization and the university. Any student currently enrolled at Purdue is eligible to be a member of PASE. Information about the group will be available during the event.

During the race, runners and walkers must be appropriately covered at all times, and the Purdue Police Department will approve each student's attire before the race and will be on hand to monitor the event. Prizes will be given out for the most creative costumes, the best group costume, the best celebrity look-alike costume and the most spirited Purdue costume.

Since it is not a timed race, participants can walk or run. Students in orange vests will guide participants along the route. Free pizza, snacks, games and prizes will be available at the Dauch Alumni Center at the conclusion of the race. The first 300 PASE members that sign up and attend the event will receive a free T-shirt.

Farrer said the inaugural event last year attracted about 125 participants. She said about 300 are expected to sign up this year. Last year, about 360 pounds of clothing were collected.

Those not wishing to participate in the race can donate clothing at the Class of 1950 Lecture Hall before the event begins.

Sponsors of the event are Arni's, University Spirit and IBM.

Complete information, including rules and a map of the race, is available at https://www.purduealum.org/pase/Events/NearlyNakedMile/tabid/5638/Default.aspx

Writer: Kim Medaris, (765) 494-6998, kmedaris@purdue.edu

Source: Brandi Farrer, (765) 494-5180, brandi@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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