For 57 consecutive hours last week, the Sigma Pi fraternity brothers at Ohio Northern University took turns pushing a wheelchair around campus, raising approximately $1,800 to help purchase a custom mobility device for a wounded veteran or first responder.
The philanthropy event, benefiting Wheelchairs for Warriors, was spearheaded by fourth-year pharmacy student Braden Harman. Braden got the idea from his dad, who participated in a similar initiative during his own college fraternity days.
“These men and women put their lives and bodies on the line and were injured helping others,” Braden said. “The least we can do is push a wheelchair around to raise money and try to make their lives easier.”
Fraternity members signed up for one- or two-hour shifts around the clock. During the night, pairs of brothers pushed the wheelchair together while wearing reflective vests and carrying flashlights for safety. Braden, who took a 3 a.m. shift, found himself reflecting in the quiet darkness.
“It was so quiet and it gave me time to really think about what we were doing and why. It put things in perspective,” he said.
In addition to the continuous wheelchair push, the brothers set up a table outside the campus chapel during the day to sell apple cider and accept in-person donations, while also reaching out to alumni, friends, and family for online support.
At 5 p.m. on Friday, marking the end of the 57-hour marathon, all 35 members of Sigma Pi’s Zeta Chapter gathered for a final victory lap around campus together.
Thrilled to have exceeded fundraising goals, Braden noted that the event also strengthened the fraternity’s brotherhood.
“Everyone was on board, everyone worked together, everyone was talking, everyone was getting to see each other throughout the week far more than we typically do—it was phenomenal,” he said.