Greek Week 'Finch Field Games' benefits student-founded non-profit
Central Michigan University graduate Casey Smith has seen large improvements in his non-profit organization Cleat Repeat after its creation last spring.
The organization collects new and used sports equipment to benefit underprivileged youth involved in sports, who otherwise could not afford the costs.
In an effort to continue campus support for the organization, Casey got in touch with sororities and fraternities to benefit Cleat Repeat at Greek Week's Finch Field Games.
“Last year we got involved with Greek Week, but there was no structure to how people could donate,” Smith said. “This year it’s organized and there are more guidelines.”
Smith credits the Greek community at CMU as one of the main reasons Cleat Repeat was successful.
“People always ask why I pay for my friends, but that’s not the case,” Smith said. “I’ve gotten more support in the past two years from these people than I ever imagined possible.”
Since the creation of the non-profit, Smith said the outcome has gone above and beyond what he expected. So much so, he left his job he attained after graduation just so he could work full-time on the organization. Smith said he realized he had been putting Cleat Repeat on the back burner, and that was never his intention.
“I left a job where I was making a decent amount of money,” Smith said. “I thought, "If I’m going to do it, I have to do it now.'”
After getting the word out about the progress of the organization, more and more people got involved. Smith said he received donations of sports equipment and money, both of which have made a huge difference to kids in the mid-Michigan area.
After the event ended, Smith said he was at maximum capacity for storing the equipment, which was a great accomplishment.
The event allowed the Greek community on campus to take over Finch Fieldhouse for several hours, competing in games such as three-legged races and egg tosses.
“I felt like it was a good way to bring the Greek community together in a positive way,” said Chip Valley junior Alyssa Brownlie.
Other student members of Greek life disagreed and were unhappy with the event.
“It was lackluster and unprepared,” said Warren sophomore Ryan Peters. “Also, the committee didn’t follow the rules they had created.”
Smith said he was pleased with the support he received in regard to Cleat Repeat.
“Honestly, I never thought it would see this much success,” Smith said. “It gives me the chills.”
