A sacrifice of dignity

So, yesterday I had one of those low moments in life when you're really glad that at least your parents didn't see it. In accordance with the Jar Wars contest rules, I ran the Oval at MSSU three times in three hours. Of course, students being students, they called all of the local television and print media, most of which was on hand for the event. Wonderful. Anyway, joplindaily.com was one of those outlets on hand and here's their take on the story. (I can't believe I made the news this way. What would my High School guidance counselor have to say...) The story is by Kaylea Hutson and ran under the banner "BSU Director accepts students' challenge."

NOTE: The picture also ran on joplindaily.com's Sunday print edition, taking up nearly a quarter of the front page. Front page on Super Bowl Sunday? Why me?

It's not everyday students at Missouri Southern can watch as a grown man runs around the campus oval wearing only a pair of red shorts and a red cape. But three times on Friday morning, students watched as Jon Smith, the director of the Baptist Student Union, did just that.Smith painted his chest
green and gold, donned the cape and shorts, and then ran around the oval to the encouragement of students.

It was all because BSU students raised more than $500 for the organizations' mission fund. Last fall, Smith challenged the students to collect at least $500 through a "guys vs. girls" pocket change drive. If the drive was a success, Smith promised to do something embarrassing of the students choosing. After students collected $700 in change, and an additional $1,300 from other sources, Smith accepted his fate. He would, as he put it, "sacrifice his dignity" and run around the campus oval, all because his students met their goal of raising money for missions.

Mandi Smith was on hand to watch as her husband completed his challenge. "I think it's great," she said. "It's goofy, but it shows integrity. He's keeping his word to the students. Students need to see role models, even though it's goofy."

After the run, Smith said he was thankful that it was an unseasonably warm February day. "I'm eternally grateful it's close to 50 degrees," he said, with a grin.

In addition to his wife and students, Smith's children were part of his cheering section. Six-year-old Alyssa said she was proud of her dad. "I think it's cool, because he's running around campus," she said.

Approximately 30 students will travel to three different sites during spring break. One group will help plant a church in Denver, Colo. A second group will journey to Arlington, Texas, to work with children, while a third group will conduct disaster relief efforts in New Orleans, La. Approximately 100 students took part in the fund-raising efforts during the fall semester. The girls beat the guys in the change drive by $2.