Students hit the beach for cause

Students joined the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity on Folly Beach for beach volleyball to raise money for a SigEp alumnus’s medical bills on April 18.

SigEp organized the Cameron Harvey Folly Beach Classic as a fundraiser for fraternity brother Cameron Harvey, class of 2007. Harvey fractured his skull in a skateboarding accident in 2007, said senior Inter Fraternity Council president and SigEp brother Lane Johnson.

Johnson said that Harvey recently regained the ability to speak again, almost two years after his accident. Harvey still requires daily attention, and SigEp decided to raise money to help his family with medical bills, Johnson said.

Every team paid a $50 buy-in, and businesses including Jimmy John’s and Red Bull partially sponsored the event, Johnson said. The tournament raised about $1,500 for the Harvey family.

SigEp president and senior Andrew Fyfe was happy with the turnout and support for the Harvey family. He said Harvey’s condition is improving slowly.

“He’s slowly recognizing friends that he’s had for a long time. It’s good to see him getting better,” Fyfe said.

SigEp has hosted a beach volleyball tournament for their national philanthropy, Youth AIDS, for the past two years. This year they wanted to raise money for a more personal cause that Charleston students could relate to.

“This cause hits close to home,” Fyfe said. “That’s what gets people involved. He’s been a great guy to all of us and we’re trying to give some of that back to him.”

Two hours of traffic on Folly Road held up some spectators on the way to the beach.

“I think that everyone fought hard to get there and they’re really glad they made it,” Johnson said.

Guests and fraternity brothers like senior Michael Lyons were happy with the conditions for the tournament.

“You can’t beat days like this in Charleston,” Lyons said. “There’s an easy break for the surfers, a little wind for the volleyball players, and beautiful weather for everyone else.”

The tournament used a double-elimination, so every team was guaranteed to play two games.

Sophomore Katie Ricart won the first volleyball game with her Alpha Delta Pi sorority sisters, but was disappointed to lose the next two. She enjoyed the chance to support the SigEp fundraiser on the beach, she said.

“It’s a good time at the end of the school year to all be together before the summer,” Ricart said.