Boyd Campbell is a senior Mass Media and Strategic Communication major and a member of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity.
UT Martin’s Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity held Pike’s Peak Week March 28-April 1 in order to raise money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis and for tornado disaster relief in Dresden, Tennessee.
On Tuesday, March 29, the Pikes sold about 300 chicken dinners at $10 each to raise about $3,000 dollars for St. Jude. On Wednesday, March 30, “Purchase a Pike” was an auction to buy a Pike for two hours, which raised $2,600 for St. Jude. On Friday, April 1, the 31st Annual Craig Long Memorial Pike Fights was held in Dresden, with proceeds going to the tornado disaster relief. A little over $11,000 was raised for the community of Dresden.
On Tuesday, UT Martin and Pike alumnus Mike Martin of Lexington, Tennessee, brought his grill and set up in the front yard of the Pike house and began cooking chicken about 5 a.m. His grill was pulled behind a semi-truck and was loaded with chicken. Martin grilled chicken all morning and provided food for all first responders on duty for lunch that Tuesday.
For Wednesday’s auction, Pi Kappa Alpha member Tyler Davis, a junior Agricultural Business major from Martin, was the auctioneer who sold 10 Pikes for a total of $2,600. Pikes were sold to help with anything from school work to yard work. Lukas Skinner, a sophomore Agricultural Business major from Greenfield, was the highest seller at $700.
“We are shocked and honored to be able to give St. Jude almost $6,000 from the past two days,” said Maxwell Wardlaw, a sophomore Accounting major from Eva.
For the main event of Peak Week, Pike Fights was a major success, raising the most money to date at $11,000. The gym in Dresden was sold out and the atmosphere was enthusiastic. Members from fraternities and individual fighters slugged it out in the ring, putting on a show the audience loved.
Kody Byrd received the fighter of the night award after winning his fight. Byrd is a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity and a junior Political Science major from Huntingdon.
