DU’s chapter of the Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity recently donated $20,000 to the National Sports Center for the Disabled (NSCD), one of the world’s largest therapeutic recreation agencies with an array of year-round sports and recreational experiences offered for all disabilities and diagnoses. In the winter, participants can enjoy cross-country skiing, alpine skiing, snowboarding, Nordic hut trips, ski racing and snowshoeing with the mountain programs. In the spring, summer and fall, partakers can go rock climbing, swimming, sailing, camping, horse riding, river rafting, canoeing and kayaking.

“They are an amazing organization headquartered in the Mile High Stadium,” said Nicolas Salvini, Lambda Chi Alpha’s Philanthropy Chair.

Half of the donation money was generated from members growing 1970s-style mustaches and asking friends and families to sponsor them by donating to the NSCD—the greater the mustache, the greater the donations. Additionally, each member of the chapter was expected to donate at least $50. The rest of the donation money came from ticket sales for Mustache Bash: a benefit concert where party-goers don their most extravagant disco garb and dance to throwback ‘70s hits played by a live band. To make the event as accessible and safe as possible, Lambda provides transportation to and from the venue and utilizes sober monitors both in the busses and at the concert.

“We really want people to be aware of what an amazing impact the NSCD has,” said Salvini.

The DU chapter of Lambda Chi Alpha has raised over $100,000 for the disabled from many years of mustache antics, and Salvini said they look forward to another successful fundraising period come springtime.