Students run ‘Nearly Naked’ for charity

Students gathered in the brickyard to shed their clothes and run for charity, Thursday night.  The crowd met at 9 p.m., despite the rain and cold, and ran a lap around D.H. Hill Library in their underwear.  The event was started by a group from Wiggio.com.  More than two dozen schools participated in the Nearly Naked Run, according to the website. 

Patrick Sazama, a sophomore in public and interpersonal communication, said that he heard about the event on Facebook.  He was not participating in the event, but said he came to support people who were. 

“I’m a little sick, so I don’t want to push it,” he said.  “Plus, I’m not getting undressed in public.  I’m here with some friends.”

“It’s crazy,” said Sazama.  “But it’s for a good cause. I give props to the people who came out in this weather.”

The clothes shed by the runners will be donated to Raleigh Rescue Mission, a local homeless shelter. 

Michael Ramos, a sophomore in biological science, said he participated to represent N.C. State.                   

“One hundred thousand fellow students around the country are doing this,” he said.  “We have to represent N.C. State.”

“You only live through college once,” he added. 

After making their way around D.H Hill Library, runners came back to their original meeting place chanting “Wolfpack. Wolfpack.” 

They were greeted by local news reporters and cameramen. 

Erika Alpeter, a junior in mathematics education, said she looks forward to next year’s event. 

“I can’t wait until next time,” Alpeter said.

Brooklyn Lynam, a freshman in engineering, said that he agreed. 

“This should be a weekly activity,” Lynam said.  Lynam said she also heard about the event on Facebook. 

“I saw ‘nearly naked’ and I was game,” she said. 

                  After the lap around the library, many of the participant felt that the run was too short, and decided to run into the library. 

                  A group of roughly 70 people ran to the library door, chanting “D.H. Hill, D.H. Hill.” 

“We circled the second floor,” said Lynam.  “It was intense.”

Volunteering for the group was Tyler Moncourtois, a sophomore in aerospace engineering.  He said that the event was a way for students to have fun and support a good cause.

“It’s a charity event and it’s fun,” Moncourtois said, while watching over the discarded clothes or the runners.

While the event was successful, there were last minute doubts about whether it would actually happen.  Concerns about the weather and about the legality of the event may be the reason only a portion of the more than 600 people who said they were attending the event on the Nearly Naked Race’s Facebook page actually showed up. 

According to Deborah Felder, assistant director of campus activities, the organizers of the event did not have a permit to host the activity on campus.  Two police officers watched the event from a distance, but did not interrupt the race. 

A representative for the event refused to give her name, but emphasized that the event was for charity. 

“All of the clothes we get will go to Raleigh Rescue Mission.  This is a charity event,” she said.