HomeJackson Woody
Virginia Eta - Virginia Tech
My Iron Phi Story
Welcome to My Personal Iron Phi Page!
This year, I'll be attempting to become an Iron Phi - a distinction given to a small percentage of members within my Fraternity. The mission of Iron Phi is to strengthen the Phi Delta Theta International Fraternity and the impact it has on the fight against Lou Gehrig's disease through the fundraising and athletic efforts of its members. Lou Gehrig was a member of Phi Delta Theta, and our organization has taken an active role in finding a cure.
The net proceeds will support ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) research, education, screening and treatment. It will also help strengthen an organization (Phi Delta Theta) that has had a lasting impact on my life.
I've chosen to do my athletic challenge in the name of the Iron Horse himself, Lou Gehrig. Gehrig was a first baseman for the New York Yankees, known for his remarkable consistency, work ethic, and perserverance which led him to play in 2,130 consecutive games. As a nod to this incredible feat, I'll be hiking 21.3 miles along the Appalachian Trail in Virginia over the course of a single day. I'm an avid hiker, but this distance over the mountainous terrain of the AT will not be easy. However, a hike is nothing compared to the hardships that the thousands of ALS patients and their families endure on a daily basis.
Approximately 5,600 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with ALS each year. It is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Motor neurons reach from the brain to the spinal cord and from the spinal cord to the muscles throughout the body. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS eventually leads to their death. That's why I'm becoming an Iron Phi. To do something bold about Lou Gehrig's disease.
I've set my personal fundraising goal at $1,000. So I need your help. Would you please consider making a donation of anywhere between $20-50? You can make a donation on this page by clicking on the "Make a Gift" link below the thermometer. You can also send a check made out to Iron Phi to me at 540 Golden Harvest Circle, Blacksburg VA 24060 if you'd rather donate that way. Donations made by US residents are tax-deductible.
I hope that you'll share this incredible adventure with me - by supporting me in my fundraising efforts. I understand that the pandemic has made for some trying times, but any donation would truly mean the world to me, my organization, and the thousands of families that suffer from ALS each year.
Thank you in advance for your generosity!
Sincerely,
Jackson Woody
Vice President | Phi Delta Theta- VA ETA Chapter
Virginia Tech '22
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How Does My Donation Make a Difference?
Your donation towards an Iron Phi athlete equally supports two very important things: Supporting ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) through research and support of ALS families and leadership development for undergraduate members of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity.
At the end of each year calendar year, the LiveLikeLou Foundation grants dollars raised through Iron Phi to fund its initiatives that support ALS research, scholarships to support the higher education goals of ALS dependents, and summer camp experiences for children who have a parent or grandparent with ALS.
Dollars used for undergraduate leadership development have and continue to help Phi Delta Theta educate more of its undergraduate members as they work to “Become the Greatest Version of Themselves.”
