Nearly naked: Weber State students strip down and run for charity
From left to right, Mikayla Williams, Bronte Fronk, McKell Costley and Lauren Wiliams dance to some funky grooves while getting pumped before the Nearly Naked Mile on Friday, Nov. 18, 2016, at Weber State University in Ogden.
Sydney Tarbell paints an Superman "S" on Oriel Castillo's chest before participating in the Nearly Naked Mile on Friday, Nov. 18, 2016, at Weber State University Ogden.
Runners participate in the Nearly Naked Mile on Friday, Nov. 18, 2016, at Weber State University Ogden.
Runners participate in the Nearly Naked Mile on Friday, Nov. 18, 2016, at Weber State University Ogden.
Alexis Frias leads participants through a series of stretches before the Nearly Naked Mile on Friday, Nov. 18, 2016, at Weber State University Ogden.
Runners participate in the Nearly Naked Mile on Friday, Nov. 18, 2016, at Weber State University Ogden.
Runners participate in the Nearly Naked Mile on Friday, Nov. 18, 2016, at Weber State University Ogden.
Allison Qualls , left, stretches before participating in the Nearly Naked Mile on Friday, Nov. 18, 2016, at Weber State University Ogden.
Runners participate in the Nearly Naked Mile on Friday, Nov. 18, 2016, at Weber State University Ogden.
Runners stretch out before participating in the Nearly Naked Mile on Friday, Nov. 18, 2016, at Weber State University Ogden.
Runners participate in the Nearly Naked Mile on Friday, Nov. 18, 2016, at Weber State University Ogden.
Runners participate in the Nearly Naked Mile on Friday, Nov. 18, 2016, at Weber State University Ogden.
OGDEN — Wearing nothing but some very tiny pink tutus, glittery body paint and glow sticks, Drew Ackerman and Jared Johnson didn’t exactly look ready to run a mile, but surrounded by a few dozen other Weber State University students, that’s exactly what they did Friday night.
“What better way to show up than nearly naked in these tutus?” Ackerman said.
The seventh annual Nearly Naked Mile at Weber State drew a cast of colorful characters in colorful body paint, spandex and a variety of random costumes.
Third-year student Danielle Haverkamp coordinated the run and said it’s a well-known event on campus.
“Anybody who doesn’t know about it doesn’t hear the ‘nearly’ part, just the ‘naked’ and they’re like ‘How does that work?'” she said, laughing.
In order to participate, students had to donate canned goods or clothing and at the end of the run, student senator Chelsea Bybee said they had collected more than 500 cans.
Sophomore Allison Qualls and first-year student Miranda Wachs ran together wearing brightly-colored sports bras and shorts.
Qualls ran last year and came back because she enjoyed it. This year, with the message “I run 4 Miss Brooklyn” written across her stomach, Qualls said she was also running for her friend with Down syndrome.
“I think it’s a really great cause,” she said.
Wachs also liked pairing something she enjoys doing with a charitable cause.
“I love donating and I like to run,” she said. “It’s great to have activities to go out and do.”
The mile-long track looped through the middle of campus and volunteers stood by, cheering runners on as they went.
Zach Wyberg, a first-year student, won the race.
“It’s fun out here in the cold, it makes it even more exciting,” he said.
A 1990s-themed dance followed the run in collaboration with Weber State’s International Education Week.
Senior Andrew Glover and Junior Kenzie Stokes put their own spin on it with Glover running the Nearly Naked Mile in an outfit from the 1790s.
“We decided to dress like this because we thought it would be funny and I really wanted to wear mermaid leggings,” Stokes said, gesturing to her own brilliant green leggings.
Haverkamp said the food will be donated to pantries in Ogden and clothing will go to the St. Anne’s Center, a local homeless shelter and soup kitchen.
“We’re just trying to help out the community in any way we can,” she said.
Contact education reporter Anna Burleson at aburleson@standard.net. Follow her on Twitter at @AnnagatorB or like her on Facebook at Facebook.com/BurlesonReports.
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