Students to run ‘nearly naked’

If you see students running scantily clad through campus Monday, don’t be alarmed.  

The Homecoming Nearly Naked Mile Run is a charity-based event organized by the Student Alumni Association. 
 
The race will begin at 10 p.m. in Dunn Meadow and will finish at the Sample Gates. Participants can pre-register online or register at 9 p.m. before the race. A donation of an article of clothing or $10 is required to participate. All clothing or monetary donations will be given to United Way of Monroe County.

Junior Heather Schaefer, vice president of public relations for the SAA, works with the philanthropic division of public relations and helped plan the first-year event. She said donations of warm, gently used clothing are preferable. 

“We just kind of got this idea and started going with it,” Schaefer said. “I’ve been involved since the beginning.”

Although the event is called the Nearly Naked Mile Run, participants must wear clothing with at least swimsuit coverage, Schaefer said. Participants may also wear costumes.

“I’ve heard rumors of guys wearing skin-colored Speedos,” Schaefer said.

Senior Billy Travis, co-director of campus outreach for SAA, said the race’s length is just more than a mile. He said the race is short so more people can participate in the event. Participants may choose to run or walk the course.

“It’s really not as structured as most 5K races. We want it to be a way to donate stuff to United Way,” Travis said. “It’s a fun and new philanthropy event that will hopefully become a new homecoming tradition.”

After the race, Bucceto’s Smiling Teeth’s east location will host an after-party for all participants. The first 50 registered participants will receive all the free pizza they can eat. All are welcome to attend the after-party and may enjoy all-you-can-eat pizza for $5, Schaefer said. Although the event does not require a large sum of money to operate, Bucceto’s and other sponsors are helping with the event, Schaefer said.

“It really doesn’t cost anything to run around campus for a good cause,” Schaefer said.  
Indiana Running Company has donated sweatbands that will be given to the first 500 participants to register online and Bloomington Bagel Company has donated bagel chips – coupons for a free bagel – to the event. Schaefer said the IU Alumni Association will show support by participating in the race. The IU Police Department and B97 are also helping with the event.

Schaefer said the SAA has been visiting residence halls to register students for the race and will wear shirts to promote it. Schaefer said the event is promoted through SAA’s greek strategic planning committee. 

“We’re really excited, and we would like to call out to all greeks,” said senior Kelly Starcevich, co-director of the greek strategic planning committee for SAA.

But not only the greek participants have an opportunity to compete for prizes. The top three female and male finishers will receive gift certificates from Indiana Running Company, Schaefer said. An award will also be given to the best nearly naked group. Schaefer said the group will be judged on theme and how much they stand out in the event. All the winners will receive a medal. 

Conor McIntyre, director of student programs for the IU Alumni Association, said the Homecoming Cornhole Tournament will also collect money for United Way of Monroe County. There is an effort this year to get students more involved with the United Way Campaign, McIntyre said.

“The Nearly Naked Mile all along from conception was having an aspect of donating clothes to local agencies,” McIntyre said. “I think it’s a great way to build as a community on campus while supporting the larger Monroe County community.”