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MAY
2, 2002 | When it rains it pours—barbecue and
contributions for the Arkansas
Cancer Research Center (ACRC).
Recently, Sigma Chi fraternity held a fundraiser,
“Stand Bside the Cure,” at the University of
Arkansas, Fayetteville (UAF) to kick off the campaign
for the Cole Bechtelheimer General Research Endowment
Fund. Bechtelheimer, a member of Sigma Chi, died of
complications from a brain tumor last fall at the age of
19.
Rain
was no match for the spirited Sigma Chis, who quickly
moved the party from the track field to their house.
When 170 pork butts from Whole Hog Café in Little Rock
made it to the house, volunteers including
Bechtelheimer’s parents, Gay and Russ Bechtelheimer of
El Dorado, put on their work gloves to pull pork.
Several hundred barbecue sandwiches, soft drinks from
Pepsi Bottling Group of Bentonville, and cookies
satisfied the group that partied to the music of Bside
Folk Union.
Bechtelheimer’s fraternity brothers wanted to give meaning to
Bechtelheimer’s death and combined efforts with the
ACRC to raise money for cancer research. And they did!
More than $20,000 has been realized to date for this
fund. Students spent six weeks combing the state for
contributions. Some donors gave a dollar; some gave
thousands of dollars. The fund will help support new
research projects and tide over researchers who are
between grants. Money will be distributed at the
discretion of the director of ACRC.
None
of this would have been possible without BancorpSouth,
underwriter of the Sigma Chi party. Other key supporters
were the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette,
Intercontinental Hotels, U.S Pizza, Stone & Ward
advertising agency, John Phillips of Rogers, Poe Travel
and Dillard’s.
The
fraternity house party was not the end of the barbecue,
however. The following Monday, ACRC employees got to
have a tasty all-they-could-eat barbecue that raised an
additional $900 for the fund.
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Russ
and Gay Bechtelheimer with Thad Hardin (center), a friend
of Cole Bechtelheimer
Back
row left to right: Brad Miller, Dale Smart, Caroline
Hardin, Gay Bechtelheimer, Adam Childs, Kathryn Grace, Wes
Wilson, Brittney Johnson, Russ Bechtelheimer; Front
row left to right: Jason LaRue, Jennifer Evans, Courtney
Packard, Matt Reynolds
“Stand Bside
the Cure for Cole Bechtelheimer” was the message on a
banner at the Sigma Chi house during a fundraiser for the
Cole Bechtelheimer General Research Endowment Fund. The
band Bside Folk Union performed at the event.
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