They get a couple of vans together, stock them full of food and beverages and hit the road.
They take their time getting there, sort of the long way. Oh sure, it's the same way that any number of Griz fans take, that 217 miles of Interstate 90 heading east. But while you're listening to tunes in the comfort of your heated, padded four-wheel cradle of vehicular luxury, the Sigma Phi's are getting snowed on, rained on, honked at and blistered as they run - run, as in, with their feet - the entire distance from Missoula to that other town whose university has some sort of feline-like creature for a mascot.
Neither rain nor sleet nor snow nor dark of night - and yes, they do run through the night - will stop these guys (and a few sorority women as well) from reaching the stadium by game time Saturday. And when they return (by car; are you bonkers?), there will be no trophies or accolades. Just a pile of cash for Missoula's Watson Children's Shelter, for which their lungs and legs pump.
“It just melts my heart,” said the center's executive director, Fran Albrecht.
Whatever that heart-melting substance is, these guys sure could use it. Brrrr City.
For at least 20 years - and some say as many as 30 - the boys of Sigma Phi have done this for the center, which houses children who have been abandoned, neglected or abused, serving as an emergency shelter for infants to 14-year-olds.
Before the run, the fraternity members get per-mile pledges and other promises of money, knocking on doors and dialing the phone to raise money for the cause. The money will go toward a second shelter, which Albrecht hopes will break ground in late 2008 or early 2009.
“It's a big fundraiser, but a big awareness-raiser, too,” said Sigma Phi member Derek Duncan. “You hear that a bunch of frat boys are running to Bozeman, and people ask, ‘Why?' ”
It's a good question, one they'll hear over and over as they're seen jogging along the side of I-90 over the next two days (the group left at 9 a.m. Thursday).
The 35 Sigma Phi brothers run in four-hour shifts of five men each, each runner taking his turn on the road. When those five are done, another van-load of runners takes over. And on and on it goes, until every inch of I-90 from here to Bozeman has been run. That works out to around 6.2 miles per frat guy (mpfg).
Motorists along I-90 are naturally curious when they see someone jogging in front of a van with its flashers on, particularly in the middle of the night.
“In the past, police cars have stopped us because someone will report there's been an incident of spousal abuse and someone's running in front of the car,” said Colin Boyle. When they learn it's a group of fraternity guys doing the running, many assume that it's a hazing ritual.
Hazing? No. Crazy? Sure.
Because November in Montana can be ... well, it can be all wintry.
And if it snows?
“We run through it,” said Mahoney.
“Wear a flannel shirt,” said Boyle.
“Good shoes with lots of traction,” said Duncan. “And hopefully, there will be no cardiac episode.”
Albrecht wants the community to know how much she appreciates the guys' effort.
“It's deserving of more accolades than just the money they raise for us,” she said. “I think this is something where people should commend them and thank them.”
Godspeed, young Sigma Phis. Godspeed.
Reporter Jamie Kelly can be reached at 523-5254 or at jkelly@missoulian.com
‘Brawl Crawl' is today
The University of Montana football team departs Friday for the 107th Brawl of the Wild in Bozeman. The public is invited to send the 10-0 Griz off in style during the first “Brawl Crawl.”
The Crawl kicks off at about 10:20 a.m. Players and coaches will walk from the parking lot adjacent to Washington-Grizzly Stadium to the lot between the Lommasson Center and Craig Hall. Their route will take them between the tennis courts and the University Center to Main Hall and then across the Oval to waiting buses.
Fans have been invited to line the route to show their support.
The team will walk through the giant Griz helmet inflated near Main Hall. Monte the mascot will lead the team, along with the Grizzly Marching Band and UM Spirit Squad.
Fans also are encouraged to line the bus route out of town. Accompanied by a police escort, the buses will travel north on Arthur Avenue, east on South Sixth Street and then proceed north across the Madison Street Bridge to Broadway, before turning right to reach Interstate 90.
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