Slide 4 Skip raises $41K

Participants of Slide 4 Skip fundraiser
Brielle Crooms | The Famuan

Slide 4 Skip was brought to downtown Tallahassee on Saturday, Sept. 29 by the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity at Florida State University. A 1,000-plus foot water slide was set up on College Avenue at Duval Street and worked its way down to Martin Luther King Boulevard.

This attraction created a slipping and sliding fest that included live music, games and food vendors in  Kleman Plaza. 

The day of the event, a participant, Ashli Payne, explained the attraction: “I have been on the slide for about twohours, and I have been having fun since I got here. It was a perfect day to do this event, and it was my first time being on such a long slip and slide. Since it was on a hill, it practically feels like a water ride.”

The event was a fundraiser to benefit the American Cancer Society, in honor of William P. “Skip” Smith.

A former member of the fraternity, Alex McDermand was able to provide an overview of what the event is for:  “Our old chapter advisor, Skip Smith, a very influential man in the Tallahassee community, someone who cared about ATO a lot, I remember going through pledging he was always there. 

“Then as vice president he was always there, giving me advice and things like that. He passed away last September because of cancer, so we wanted to do something to honor him. We thought of the Slide 4 Skip, and it actually benefits his endowment, the Skip Smith endowment, which goes toward the American Cancer Society. So, we are just out here trying to make a difference today and make sure we can have a positive impact on the community.”

The purpose of the William P. (Skip) Smith, Jr. Talent Live Here endowment, mentioned by McDermand is to remember and honor the life of Skip and acknowledge his service to the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce and community. The endowment funds are used to pay for certain FSU College of Business students’ expenses. The initiative, Talent Live Here, thrives to provide opportunities to students and graduates in an effort to keep them in the Tallahassee area.

The event served its fundraising purpose. Released by the treasurer of ATO, Colby Coombs, the fraternity raised $41,000 by hosting Slide 4 Skip. This fundraiser was supported through donations and each participant paying $30 for unlimited access to the slide.