3rd Annual Jeremy Ojalehto Memorial 5k

The Cornell University Chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon will host a 5K at Cornell's Botanical Garden in memory of Jeremy Ojalehto to raise money for mental health.

A fundraising campaign for Sigma Phi Epsilon NYB

On April 21st, 2018 at 12pm, the Cornell University Chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon will be hosting a Memorial 5K run through the Cornell Botanic Gardens to raise money for the National Alliance on Mental Illness, a grassroots organization dedicated to the treatment of mental illness. Pre-sale tickets for the race cost $15, tickets for the race on April 21st will cost $20.  If you want to run the race and get a memorial 5K t-shirt, the price is $35.


IN MEMORY OF JEREMY OJALEHTO
Jeremy David Ojalehto, affectionately known as "G," passed away January 26, 2016 in Monroe, Washington at the age of 23. 

It was G's strongly felt purpose to know and love the world. He was always looking around the next corner for new ideas and projects. He loved reading, and was rarely seen outside the company of a book, his journal, or headphones for an audiobook. His love for intellectual conversation and debate was matched by an uncommon ability to find deep connection with all those who came into his life. He was the frat brother who initiated reading groups at the arboretum and the little brother who chopped firewood to keep the house warm. In all his wide-ranging work, G managed to combine a thriving wit with an infectious love for small details, equally enthused by pursuits in the library, in the lab, or in the garden.

A brother of Sigma Phi Epsilon, he studied three years at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. In October 2013, G suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury, initiating a long-term battle with mental illness. In the final years of his life, he found joy in hiking, spending time with family and friends, and especially playing with his nephews. His selfless courage fueled his struggle, making possible the immeasurable gift to his family and friends of the last two and a half years of his life. 

These years remain an unspeakable expression of his devotion to service, sacrifice, and care for those he loved.

NATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL ILLNESS

We are reaching out to you to ask your help in sponsoring a philanthropy event dedicated to Jeremy's life and memory. The National Alliance on Mental Illness has over 1000 local chapters dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness. 

Specifically, we will be working to raise money for the Ithaca chapter of NAMI. 

We could see no better way to appreciate Jeremy’s love for running and the outdoors than by sharing it with the participants and spectators. We encourage anyone interested in fundraising for the National Alliance to create their own fundraising campaign on the site or contribute through donations to the cause on this page. 



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