by Sami Moore
The Student Programming Board is now partnering with the Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA) to host the second annual rideATAXIA+ Connecticut event on Oct. 11.
rideATAXIA+ is a 10 mile bike ride on the Farmington Canal Trail through the Hamden and Cheshire area. At the end of the event, participants and guests enjoy a picnic lunch, live entertainment, and more at the finish line on the Mount Carmel campus quad.
SPB President Erica Cianciosi said the following in a statement to Q30 News:
“The Student Programming Board (SPB) became aware that the Quinnipiac University Sigma Phi Epsilon, Connecticut-Epsilon chapter, was no longer able to sponsor the 2nd Annual rideATAXIA event, scheduled to take place on Sunday, October 11th at 10am. SPB decided to become the primary sponsor to ensure the successful completion of this great event which supports Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA) – a nonprofit organization dedicated to research leading to treatments and a cure for Friedreich’s ataxia (FA). FA is a debilitating, life shortening, and degenerative neuro-muscular disorder due to an inherited or single gene disorder. It is estimated that 1 in 100 people are carriers of the FXNgene.”
She went on to say.
“We encourage you to participate in this event, donate, and/or raise funds for FARA’s mission to treat and cure FA through research. Events like this have raised over $3 million dollars in support of research in just 8 years. Than you in advance and we look forward to seeing you on Sunday, October 11that 10am on the Quinnipiac University Mount Carmel campus. Please visit our event Facebook page by clicking the following link: 2nd Annual rideAtaxia +Connecticut.”
The partnership comes after Quinnipiac University officials placed a “cease and desist” order on the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. Hazing allegations arose this past weekend and were brought to the attention of the fraternity’s national headquarters and the university. The fraternity is now under a full investigation.
Due to the investigation, the fraternity’s headquarters has temporarily suspended the brothers from all fraternal activities. This suspensions includes the rideATAXIA+ philanthropy event.
SigEp co-sponsors the event to help raise awareness for FA, in honor of its brother, Quinnipiac junior Joey Mullaney, who suffers from Friedreich’s Ataxia.
On Sept. 13, in the event’s Facebook page, Mullaney said, “This disease affects more than me, my sister, or anyone else with FA. It affects everyone we are close with. Therefore, it affects all of my brothers in Sigep. Instead of just being there to carry me up stairs or pick up my phone when I drop it, they push me to do more.”
Mullaney and fellow SigEp juniors, Matt Blumenthal and Jon Nanna, brought the rideATAXIA+ event to Quinnipiac last year in order to help raise awareness about Friedreich’s Ataxia. At the SigEp sponsored event, the fraternity men were able to raise around $30,000.
“With the help of this and events like this, hopefully one day I’ll be able to run up that mountain,” Mullaney told Fox CT earlier this month.
Mullaney and his fraternity brothers recently drew national attention to the event, when news of SigEp brothers carrying Mullaney up the Sleeping Giant mountain went viral.
.@JoeyMullaney1 thought he’d never hike Sleeping Giant. @QUSigEp decided he could & he did! http://t.co/RAA9Bnbjzv pic.twitter.com/quwDWwwFrD
— Sigma Phi Epsilon (@officialsigep) September 16, 2015
Sigma Phi Epsilon’s national philanthropy is Big Brothers Big Sisters of America organization. The University has not released any updates on the alleged hazing investigation. Follow @Q30News
