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UNM Collegiate DECA Vice President Daniel Perry said last year was the first time he participated in the University’s ‘Undie Run.’
“That was my freshman year,” he said. “It was easy to run; it was less than a mile. It was liberating — we raced and we filled an entire van with trash bags of clothes.”
Although he said he might not be able to strip down and join the race this year, Perry, now a sophomore, is one of the organizers of UNM’s fifth annual Undie Run. He said Collegiate DECA has been organizing the event since early March.
The Thursday night event will start at Johnson Field. It is free for everyone.
Collegiate DECA President Sydney Sivils said the clothes students shed before the event will be piled up and donated to Joy Junction, a nonprofit organization that helps homeless families in Albuquerque. She said her organization aims to collect 1,000 articles of clothing after the event.
Sivils said about 500 people have already signed up for the event through the event’s Facebook page. She said Collegiate DECA has intentionally scheduled the event on the week before finals week to encourage students to release stress while participating in a good cause.
“It’s a really unique opportunity on campus where students can do what they really like while giving back to the community,” Sivils said. “Students undress to dress others.”
Sivils said the Undie Run has usually had a large turnout ever since Collegiate DECA started organizing it annually five years ago.
“We always get a decent amount of people and a decent amount of clothes,” she said.
She said the event also aims to raise awareness about homelessness in the city.
“I think it’s important for students to realize that we’re privileged that we have the opportunity to attend UNM,” she said.
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“There’s a lot of people out there who are not going to have that opportunity. So if we have extra clothes that we don’t all wear, donating is a small thing to help homeless people or the impoverished at least.”
Sivils said an ending celebration would be held at Johnson Field after the one-mile race.
Perry said off-campus business Chillz has helped organize the Undie Run. He said the frozen yogurt store will give free treats to participants who show up in the store in their underwear after the event.
Perry said he is confident that the event will be as successful as always: he expects a number of fraternities and sororities to participate in the event.
But he said aside from its being a way to release stress from finals week, students should not forget that the event is an opportunity for them to embrace charitable works on campus.
“It’s important to get involved,” he said. “It’s an important time for us to have fun and to give back. We really want to emphasize the charitable part of it.”
Fifth Annual UNM Undie Rock ‘n Run
Thursday
South side of Johnson Field
Race starts at 8 p.m.
Free
