Sigma Brothers Race 200 Miles for Cancer Awareness

On August 24^th, a group of five Alpha Sigma Brothers and other University of North Carolina students will take part in a 200-mile relay race that starts at the top of Mt. Hood in Northern Oregon and ends on the Pacific Coast to raise funds and awareness for the American Cancer Society. They will be one of more than one thousand teams competing in the world’s largest race.

This is the second time running Hood to Coast for Tyson Presnell, Σ ’14. "I participated in the Hood to Coast relays in high school, and it was an amazing experience,” says Presnell who has coordinated the first team at UNC.

Presnell explains that most of his teammates have been personally affected by cancer through the loss or diagnosis of several friends and family members, making this an even more important endeavor for each of them. Still Presnell says that the experience itself is as exciting as working towards a great cause.

"Being in Oregon and looking back at our whole experience will be an exhilarating experience. The race itself is 24-hours of adrenaline and excitement, an unforgettable experience to say the least,” he says.

He adds that he excited and a bit nervous to run with his diverse team which consists of men and women who have served as RAs, members of four different Greek organizations and three campus ministries. "We have a great team with fun chemistry, and it will be hard if one of the twelve of us isn’t able to run due to injury, either before the race or during it!”

Hood to Coast is one of the world’s most popular races so participation is extremely competitive. In order to guarantee a spot in the race, each team must raise $20,000 for the American Cancer Society. The team is currently the leading fundraising team, with six out of the top ten individuals in fundraising, but they still need help to reach their $20,000 goal.

"Many of us have been impacted by cancer, including some of our fellow Chi Psis. If you or one of your brothers has been impacted by cancer, we hope you consider supporting us in our cause,” Presnell says, adding "We really hope that the Chi Psi community will reach out and join us in our fight against cancer. We definitely appreciate encouragement, but if you would like to contribute, you can do so directly on our website, http://main.acsevents.org/goto/heelstocoast.”