As published in the East Valley Tribune on April 1, 2008:

Arizona State University students are planning to donate the clothes off their backs – literally. Student Rubin Green is planning ASU’s first Undie Run for Charity, and more than 2,000 students have already signed up.

The late-night run is to begin at 11:55 p.m. April 29, the night before finals begin. Green said students are planning to meet at Parking Structure 5 on the north side of campus near the Fulton Center.

“You show up in clothes you want to donate,” Green said. “You donate the clothes off your back and then you’re in whatever you want to wear under that. People get pretty creative.”

All of the clothes will be donated to the Valley Christian Center, Green said.

“There is no religious purpose,” Green said. “It happened to be the only place that gives the clothes away instead of selling it and I didn’t want the clothes to be sold.”

Green got students to get involved by opening a Facebook group that catered to the run and started asking the biggest groups on campus to participate.

It “blew up quick,” Green said, and even people from the community started to ask if they could participate.

Student Kristin Knapp decided to participate because she said the event sounded like a fun tradition to get off the ground at ASU.

“It’s an awesome opportunity to let loose and have a good time before the stress of finals hits,” she said. “Plus, it’s a good cause since all the clothes are being donated to charity.”

The idea came from a friend of Green in San Diego who organized a similar event. Green said he participated and had so much fun that he decided to share the experience at ASU.

A Red Bull energy drink truck will give out free drinks, and local restaurants have already asked if they could give out prizes as well, Green said.

ASU police spokesman Jim Hardina said the police have been informed of the event and as long as there is no nudity, everything should be fine.

“I just hope to have a really awesome event and raise a whole bunch of clothes and money for charity,” Green said.

“I want people to know that ASU doesn’t only care about themselves. We care about helping our community and we can have a great time doing it.”

Written by Ilse Inzunza

Originally published in The Arizona Republic on February 26th 2008

One Arizona State University student has found a way to benefit the community while hanging out in his underwear with his friends.

Rubin Green, 21, is organizing ASU’s first Undie Run for Charity.

On April 29, the last day of classes before finals begin, students will meet at Parking Structure 5 by the Fulton Center dressed in clothes they will donate to the Valley Christian Center.

All of the students will then take off the clothes, donate them on the spot and then run through campus in their undergarments.

“It shows that all the students are united, to donate clothes off their backs,” Green said.

So far, Green said, he is expecting about 1,500 students to participate. The event will also include performances by local bands.

Green said he has informed the Tempe Police Department of the event and was told that there should be no legal problem with it as long as there is no nudity.

He said he got the idea from a friend who held a similar event at a college in San Diego. He said he’d like to see it become a nationwide college event and is helping to organize a similar event in Colorado.