Almost Naked

By: Lauren Kawam

Posted: 5/1/08

The end is near; so let's get naked (almost) and run around campus - for charity.

That, pretty much in a nutshell, is the concept behind the upcoming Undie Run on Arizona State University's Tempe campus. The event - the first of its kind in Arizona - will be held at 11:55 p.m. on Tuesday, April 29. It begins in Parking Structure 5.

Rubin Green, an ASU biochemistry sophomore and the sole student coordinator of the Run, said attendees should wear clothing they intend to donate. When the run is about to start, participants will strip down to their knickers, make a mountain of clothing, and then jog across campus, half-naked.

The clothes will be donated to the Valley Christian Center, a non-profit organization that is dedicated to helping members of the community by providing assistance to individuals, families, children and the elderly. The VCC has been in existence for almost 90 years

It is located in central Phoenix and is more than just a clothing donation drop off. They have a library, kitchen, cafeteria, basketball court and computer room.

Ledale Miles, a program manager at the VCC for 18 years said that the VCC serves everyone, not just residents of Phoenix.

"Anyone who walks in the door and says 'I need …,' that's our community," Miles said.

The VCC was chosen for one main reason, Green said.

"They seemed like the only legitimate organization that would actually donate the clothes," Green said.

Miles said that the VCC doesn't sell any of the donations they receive.

"We actually try to clothe the homeless," Miles said. "The clothing is actually going to be given away. It will all be given for a good cause and will get a lot of use."

The VCC also helps with personal hygiene, jobs, rental referrals and food boxes as well as clothing. They also have a program for senior citizens and a summer camp for the younger crowd.

Green said the inspiration for the came from a friend who had already done one successfully.

"One of my friends started one in San Diego," said Green. "I was there, and saw how fun it was. Then, I heard about ones in Colorado Texas, and Santa Barbara. It spread fast."

There will be sponsors at the event including Red Bull energy drink and Axe body spray, and also live music by local rock bands Friday Night Gun Fight, Gooder and power pop band RingLeader.

"[The sponsors] all seemed pretty enthused to help," Green said. "They really care about the community."

This event is slated to become an annual event, Green said, because of steps he has taken to move it from just an event to more of a club.

Byron Rainey, an ASU kinesiology sophomore said he heard about this event through friends and co-workers.

"It's a good time to give to others that have nothing," Rainey said. "I think it is good that ASU is getting involved with the unfortunate, and by hosting an event like this it's a good path to head down in the long run."

As far as apprehensions about running around in his underwear, Rainey said he doesn't have a problem with it.

"How often to you get to do this?" Rainey said. "Might as well grab the bull by the horns and run with it."

Green said that he, alone, had to go through the entire legal process with ASU to get permits for food and for the live music.

Recently, the route of the Run had to be changed because of Tempe police regulations.

"I was forced to change the route, because Tempe Police wanted to charge me hundreds of dollars for using city property," Green said.

He also said that when he told Tempe Police that this is a non-profit event for charity, they just said that they needed the money if he wanted to keep his old route.

Green, who used Facebook to publicize the event, said he expects 2,500 students, "if not more."

The official Facebook group dedicated said that the intent of the Run is "to launch this event into a knock your socks off party and charitable event ... incorporating a clothing drive for Tempe's needy."

It calls for the "Undie Run Coalition" to transform a typical undie run into an accepted past time and tradition, spreading the fire across college campuses everywhere - all in the name of a good cause.

It says that other than the obvious reasons for participating - wanting to help a charity and wanting to run around in your undies - the purpose of this event is to "make ASU an even more sexy and sophisticated party paradise."

Encouragement for those who are modest can also be found on the Facebook page. And it encourages those who do not want to get nearly naked to still bring their clothing to donate to the VCC.

There are seven other universities concurrently putting on Undie Runs within a weeks of ASU's - proof that this phenomenon is more than just a fad.

Green said that students can use this event to also "stick it to the man."

"Running around campus in your underwear is a defiant statement against social norms," Green said. "It's about rebelling against the system and feeling totally free."

"I'm just trying to have a kick ass time," Green said. "It makes you feel good about doing something for your community and you also just feel good running around in your underwear."