HomeCalvin Benevento
Maryland Beta - McDaniel College
My Iron Phi Story
Welcome to My Personal Iron Phi Page
Dear friends, family, and brothers,
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 for ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease).
The net proceeds of my fundraising effort will support ALS research, education, screening and treatment. It will also help strengthen an organization (Phi Delta Theta) that has had a lasting impact on my life.
In order to complete this, I must also complete an athletic endeavor, the point of which is to push myself to a higher level. Naturally, being a baseball player and with Lou Gehrig’s obvious baseball connection, I figured that I would do something baseball-related. I plan on throwing 790 pitches over a week (or two weeks, depending on the shape of my arm) time starting October 6th.
In my career as a pitcher, I have never thrown more than around 150 pitches in a game (and then needed decent rest). Thus, the 790 pitches in a week is a tough goal for me. I am choosing the number 790 as a memento (albeit a bit backward-thinking one) to the number of times Lou Gehrig struck out in his career. I plan to use that number, my event, and its proceeds to help “Strike out ALS.”
According to The ALS Association's web site, 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, in a way other than the Ice Bucket Challenge. I’ve set my personal goal at $1,000, and I need your help. You can make a donation on this page by clicking on the "Make a Gift" link below the thermometer, or contacting me if you'd like to donate in another form.
I hope that you'll share this incredible adventure with me - by supporting me in my fundraising efforts.
Thank you in advance for your generosity and support!
Calvin Thomas Benevento
Marlyand Beta (McDaniel College), Bond 619
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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.”
