Fraternity That Carried Wheelchair-Bound Brother Up Mountain Raised $25K Despite Cease And Desist Order
9 years ago

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A month ago, I covered the awesome story of the Quinnipiac University Sig Ep brothers who took turns carrying Joey, a brother who is confined to a wheelchair because of Friedreich’s Ataxia, up to the top of a mountain to fulfill a Quinnipiac rite of passage. Here’s a video about the event.

Two weeks later, after the fraternity had garnered national positive attention for the viral video, the university issued a cease and desist order to the chapter because of hazing allegations. This cease and desist meant that the Sig Eps could no longer put on their philanthropy event to raise money for Friedreich’s Ataxia research under the Sig Ep name. Good look, Quinnipiac.

Now, in what I hope is the second-to-last installment in what should never have been a series (hopefully I can close out by covering the removal of their cease and desist order), here is an email sent to me last night by a member of the chapter that details how successful the philanthropy event ended up being despite the cease and desist.

What’s up Jared,

Just wanted to fill you in on our philanthropy event for our Brother with Friedreich’s Ataxia, “rideATAXIA+ CT”. So because of our cease and desist, we weren’t allowed to sponsor the event, but still wanted to make it happen somehow. We were able to pass it off the to student programming board, and they put it on for us. We weren’t allowed to be be involved in the planning process at all and the Sigep name wasn’t allowed to be anywhere which really hurt, but the cause is greater than our ego so we were happy we could still raise money for a good cause. It happened today, and we raised just under 25k, and we still have some really nice sports memorabilia that we’re going to bring to an auction house and hopefully raise a few more thousand.

Due to the success of our ride, the friedreich’s ataxia research alliance (FARA) is starting a new initiative called rideATAXIA+ where any community across the country can start a ride (similar to relay for life) and they’re using our ride as a model for all others.

Thanks again for all the support, I don’t think we would have done as well if you didn’t do your story on us.

The QU Sig Eps could not have handled this situation any better if they tried. Such a beautifully subtle “screw you” to the university. These guys made sure that rideATAXIA+ CT still ended up being a successful philanthropy event despite receiving no official recognition, simply because they knew it was the right thing to do. I want them to come to Austin and give me their new member education program if it’ll turn me into as good a person as it has their brotherhood.

Image via YouTube

  4. Millard Fillmore

    I’m not a Sig Ep and most people like to rag on fraternities that are not their own. However, regardless of one’s letters, a truly genuine brotherhood is something to be proud of and respected. Good work QU Sig Ep, things like these are what it means to be Greek.

    9 years ago at 11:09 am
  5. USUGDI

    Just imagining myself in his shoes, I would’ve been super grateful for guys like y’all. Very awesome, keep it up.

    9 years ago at 12:53 pm
  6. Jayhawker1

    I’ve never met a SigEp I didn’t like. Hats off to you, gents. Much respect

    9 years ago at 3:28 pm
  7. LibertarianFrater

    A family friend of my father was an older Army veteran, and while I’m in a different fraternity, I’ll never forget his crazy college stories and how he always spoke in reverence of Sig Ep and the brothers he still kept in touch with. Swig Ep’s he called them, and that’s a brotherhood regardless of what letters you’re wearing. Good work guys.

    9 years ago at 6:12 pm
  8. A brONU SigEp

    These are the kind of stories that need to get the attention from the general public. Fraternities across the country do amazing things like this all the time, and unfortunately get overlooked. Damn proud. VDBL.

    9 years ago at 7:13 pm
  9. emfinley

    Will SigEp nationals do a membership review and kick out guys who carried their brother up a mountain and earned such positive press? “Zero tolerance” policies for hazing are such crap when anything and everything can be considered “hazing.”

    9 years ago at 9:34 pm
  10. CanadianB4C0N

    To any logical human being philanthropy would be the one thing that the universities cannot infringe upon. If only we could let logical human beings be in charge of shit for once.

    9 years ago at 12:17 am