Snow in SLO for fundraiser

The Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity at Cal Poly demonstrates that the hardships of one brother will be braced by every other member.

Pi Kappa Alpha and the San Luis Obispo branch of One Way Board Shop are working together on the “Boarding for Cancer” fundraiser taking place Saturday.

Greek organizations plan philanthropic events to benefit the community, and the members of this fraternity chose a cause close to home for their winter event after one of their brothers, Bryan Fouch, was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma last fall.

“At first we didn’t know what we were donating our money to,” Pi Kappa Alpha member and business junior Will Hurley said. “But it all came together and we got sponsors when they learned about the cause and knowing who it’s happening to.”

According to the National Cancer Institute’s Web site, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, also known as Hodgkin’s disease, is a cancer of the immune system in a group of cancers called lymphomas. It is distinguished by the presence of a large, abnormal cell called the Reed-Sternberg cell.

Hodgkin’s disease is an uncommon form of lymphoma, accounting for less than 1 percent of all cancer cases in the country.

Pi Kappa Alpha brother and construction management junior Bryan Mione directed much of the event assembly.

“We were talking about putting together a winter event,” Mione said. “I had entered a previous competition at One Way Board Shop and I knew the owner from that. I connected the two ideas together.”

The primary attraction of “Boarding for Cancer” is a snowboarding competition. Fifteen tons of snow have been donated and will be delivered the day of the event.

“It’s gonna be cool; it’s not cheap trucking in tons of pounds of snow. One Way’s been really helpful,” Pi Kappa Alpha member and business senior Wes Hartman said.

The snowboarding contest is the main attraction, but there will be numerous other happenings as well. Food has been donated for a tri-tip barbecue. There will be a snowboard raffle, sorority fashion show, sorority-run carnival games, giveaways and a DJ.

“We want to have a great time and raise as much money as we can,” Mione said.

Money raised from the event is not only allocated for Fouch’s family but for St. Joseph Hospital’s new Cancer Center located in Orange, Calif.

“We said we had to do this for Bryan, help his parents, help them pay for bills or send it to a cancer foundation,” Mione said, noting that a donation box will be located on-site. “Sponsors paid for all of the supplies and prizes so everything we make is profit, which is really cool.”

An e-mail from St. Joseph Hospital Foundation’s director of development Viki Barie to Hurley states that all proceeds will be designated to the new, comprehensive Cancer Center housing their expanding cancer programs.

The new three-story center is scheduled to open this summer and offer full-service treatment in a single location.

“Boarding for Cancer” will take place from approximately 1 to 5 p.m. in front of One Way Board Shop located at 1501 Froom Ranch Rd. One Way Board Shop is one of 11 sponsors and will also hold a sale and donate prizes.

There is no attendance fee for the function, but entry for the all-division contest is $10. First prize is a snowboard, second prize is a jacket and third prize is a pair of gloves.

“It’s going to be a lot of fun,” Hartman said. “Even if you don’t know Bryan, come out for the cause, come out for the snowboarders. How often is there snow in San Luis?”