UpDate - Vol. 11, No. 27, Page 3
April 16, 1992
Run remembers MIAs/POWs

     The Army ROTC's Scabbard and Blade Honor Society sponsored its
second annual, 24-hour MIA/POW run April 9 and 10 on campus.
     The primary purpose of the event is to raise awareness about
service personnel missing in action or prisoners of war, according to
Doug Hopler, vice president of Scabbard and Blade and the run's
coordinator.
     He said the run's other objective is to raise money for the
Newark chapter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). The organization
plans to donate the proceeds to a local family of a POW or MIA.
     Two runners carrying a U.S. flag and a POW flag continually
circled a 2-mile course around campus, Hopler explained. After
completing their lap, the runners passed the flags off to the next
pair, in relay fashion.
     Army ROTC cadets and some instructors ran the majority of the
laps, but Air Force ROTC members and Marine officer candidates donated
their time as well.
     Hopler estimated that the runners would complete 200 miles in the
24-hour period. He said he hoped the event would raise $1,000 for the
VFW.
     After finishing her fifth lap of seven, sophomore cadet Sue
Scheppele said people were being really supportive of the runners.
They would drive by and honk and wave, she explained.
     Hopler added that while he was running, a driver rolled down his
window and encouraged him to keep running, saying that he was a
veteran himself.
     Keeping someone running every lap took a lot of dedication,
Hopler said. The runners had to make personal adjustments to their
free and class time to participate. Some of the runners stayed awake
for more than 30 consecutive hours.
     On Thursday night, some slept in sleeping bags at the relay
point, so there would always be someone ready to run if a scheduled
participant was unable to show.
     Hopler planned the POW/MIA run to partially take place on April
10--Army ROTC Awareness Day.
     -Laura Reisinger