The evergreen trees shake with vigorous intensity as pure, fleece-like snow falls to the ground. The wind continues to pick up and one can see that the long stretch of the highway ahead of them is covered with a thin sheet of ice, sparkling underneath the bright car headlights that whiz by.

All one wants to do in that moment is to sit fireside, listening to the soft crackling of the orange embers while making casual conversation, with a cup of cocoa in hand, but they must keep moving. Hiking alongside the road, one is not alone, as they are joined by their dearest friends and embarking on this journey together. Wrapped in big, puffy coats and warm hats, they continue to make their way down the side of the road.

The Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity members all worked together in an effort to raise money for Alzheimer’s disease by going on a 53-mile walk while simultaneously rolling a bathtub to Akron University to meet with their TKE chapter located in Akron, OH.

The trip itself took 15 hours to complete. The TKE members began their quest around 4:30 p.m. on April 8 and arrived at Akron University at 7:30 a.m. on April 9, two hours earlier than expected.

The TKE members created a system where small groups of men would each rotate by the hour and then the new wave of individuals would relieve them from their duties. The only time a vehicle was involved was to move the bathtub to the outskirts of Ashland, where they first began walking. Additionally, transportation was used to follow the bathtub for safety purposes.

Sophomore Christopher Carrillo, philanthropy and community service chairman of TKE, noted how their goal as a fraternity is to bring awareness to important issues and topics that affect individuals, especially something as sensitive as Alzheimer’s disease.

“The major thing I want people to know about [Alzheimer’s] is that it is a disease that affects a lot more people than one [may] think. We are trying to fight the fight for people who cannot necessarily [do] it themselves,” said Carrillo. “Our [mission] is to help people. Every dollar counts, no contribution is too small.”

Junior Colin Suffecool has participated in the tub tug event for two years. He described how this was no ordinary bathtub, as it included a special commemoration for those who suffered or are currently suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

“We put names of [individuals] who had Alzheimer’s on the tub. Some of the names were from people in the chapter, as they knew others who had [suffered] from it,” said Suffecool. “We also [wrote] on Twitter, saying that if you wanted us to dedicate to a certain person, we would write [his or her] name.”

Eating leafy green spinach, power-lifting heavy weights, and listening to the hit 80’s song “Eye of the Tiger” on an endless loop is probably what one thinks of when they first heard that a group of men in college were going to be embarking on a walk as long as this one. But, besides remaining bundled up in lots of cozy layers, the men really did not do too much strenuous work in order to prepare for this long journey.

“The only thing we had to [really] prepare was the tub itself,” said Carrillo. “Over the past couple of years, we have [experienced] some hardships with it breaking halfway through the trip, losing the tub after we finish the event, or having it stolen.”

Senior Shane Priselac, TKE’s designated Historian, commented on how this fraternity event in particular was unlike any other on campus.

“There are conventional things, such as holding a dance or [hosting] a Super Bowl party, but there is not much that goes on around here that is outside of the box,” said Priselac. “College is all about [trying] new things.”

TKE members felt that the tub tug was a lot of fun and despite the blizzard outside, the weather did not make their trip any less enjoyable. The TKE brothers cannot wait to do this event again, and it will be held in the fall instead of spring. The bathtub now remains safe and sound in the TKE house for future activities.

Carrillo felt an overwhelming amount of gratitude both during and after this wonderful opportunity he shared with his fraternity. He wanted to include a special thank you to everyone who had helped prepare not only himself but his brothers for this experience.

Carillo wanted to show appreciation to Home Depot, as they had donated the wheels of the bathtub, which made the trip possible. He also wanted to give a shout-out to Advanced Auto Parts, who donated the straps that were used to pull the tub. Additionally, Carrillo wanted to thank the Habitat for Humanity as they had donated the actual tub, which was used in the event. Finally, he wanted to acknowledge his father, Francisco Carrillo, for all of his love and support.

For those interested in donating to help find a cure for Alzheimer’s disease, one can write a check to the TKE fraternity or visit http://myevent.com/tketubtug2k16 for more information.