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Hosted by SCOPE and Sigma Alpha Epsilon, the fifth annual Swimsuit Sprint and concert was held this past Friday night, where participants started at the Bixler/Botwinik Quad, ran around campus, and ended at the Rec Center where they got priority access to the concert. The event is held each year to help donate clothing to the homeless through Salvation Army.
Sprinters came to the quad dressed in clothing they planned on donating, then took them off and put the clothes in the three big bins in the middle of the quad, followed by the “sprint” around campus.
The two opening acts were Crystal Clear and E. Poll x Nik Ghents, both opening for the main artist, Mike Stud.
The first time this was put on was in the fall of 2012. The event took two years to get started, and Kenny Hall and Tim Farmer came up with the idea behind the sprint. SAE wanted to have a signature event for homecoming weekend and to give back to the community.
“I think the swim suit sprint is such a big success because it brings our school community together, it makes us one and helps a great cause, SAE brother Joe Anquillare said, who has participated in the event for the past five years.
The fraternity has always had the clothing donated go to the Salvation Army because it’s a location close to home and it’s giving back to the community.
“The musical talent was picked by both SCOPE and SAE. We wanted to get an artist that would excite the audience. That is why we chose Mike Stud,” said Heather ENg, Vice President of Finance for SCOPE.
The preparation started last semester, and continued each week this semester. Both Crystal Clear and E. Poll x Nik Ghents are student based bands.
The first opening act was Crystal Clear. The band has six members whom of which include, Ken Fabian, Jacob Goode, Stephen DeRose, Jo Sinta, Jameson Hegger, and Joey Stanca.
“Performing tonight was unlike anything I’ve done before. It’s amazing that I have these wonderful people in my life and I can’t be thankful enough for my band mates because I feel like we all just work together very well. We all get things done and that’s why we are where we are at the moment,” guitarist and singer, Jacob Goode said.
The second opening act was E. Poll x Nik Ghents. The members include Evan Pollick, and Nikolas Sarnacki. They also have a guitarist, Jamie Macomber, and DJ Ian Wilson.
The band’s genre is hip hop, and all the members are junior music majors. The band formed when Nikolas and Evan went to the studio and liked what they worked on together. Before working together they both had solo material. The just released their EP, The Barricade, this past week.
Band member, Nikolas Sarnacki said about the show: “It was a really good opportunity and good exposure.”
Collin Recore and Zachary LePage traveled the furthest for this event. Recore came from North Adams Massachusetts and LePage from Orono, Maine.
“I came because I wanted to see Mike Stud because he is my favorite artist. I have followed him since the beginning. The concert wasn’t all I hoped it to be, there were not many people, however, I still loved the show because Mike Stud is my all-time favorite artist,” he said.
“Events like this are important because they bring different groups of people together for a good cause. SCOPE and SAE put a lot of work into this event, and it’s always rewarding to see how people enjoy the event and how much we can give back to the community,” said Teri Tozzi, President of SCOPE.
Although students really enjoyed donating for those in need, there were mixed reactions for the concert itself.
“I liked Crystal Clear. I did not like the two rap performances, but that’s just me. The swim suit sprint was fun and for a good cause,” freshman Kelsie Pace said.
Gabby Goldman, a freshman at U.N.H. didn’t really feel excited for the artist.
“The music wasn’t my taste. He kept saying that he ‘hasn’t played a show this size in a while.’ I guess people just weren’t pumped for him,” she said.
Jeremy Bellman, a brother of SAE thought the event was great and is proud of what the fraternity accomplished.
“This was my first time I ever went to an event like this and it was truly amazing to me that we can put in something as amazing and great as this,” he said.
Freshman Lindsey Muraskin, who enjoyed the concert a lot, said, “It was amazing. He’s so entertaining and I wish I could see him 10 more times.”
Sophomore Liana Antonelli enjoyed the event as a whole, and feels it is very important to give back.
“It’s a fun way to get people to donate clothes that other people really need,” she said. “I feel like if I can give anything to people who can’t afford clothing I should do everything that I can. I would definitely do it again.”
