Before Saturday’s game between Northwest and Missouri Western, members from the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity chapters at both schools held their 8th annual “Running Past the Rivalry” football run.

Proceeds from the run went to the Ronald Reagan Research Institute for Alzheimer’s Disease. The fraternity adopted the organization as its newest philanthropy in honor of former U.S. President and TKE alumni, Ronald Reagan, who announced his diagnosis with the disease in 1994, and eventually died from complications in 2004. The Institute funds many projects which serve to develop potential treatments for the disease, which affects over four million Americans.

“Ronald Reagan is our most famous alumni, and he also supported, and did a lot for the growth of TKE,” Zach Ramsay, coordinator of the Football Run, said.

The two chapters set a goal of raising $1,000 this year, hoping to reach half their goal with Football Run donations alone. Since 1998, local chapters have raised $4,500 for Alzheimer’s.

“The amount we raise varies year by year, usually we raise a couple thousand per chapter,” Jeremy Funk, president of the MWSU chapter of TKE, said. “It really depends on the generosity of others and the community.”

The two groups gather donations from local businesses and individuals in the St. Joseph and Maryville communities to meet their goals. The money each chapter raises is then presented to the local alumni chapter for donation.

Before the game, members of the Missouri Western chapter ran the football 43 miles (minus seven miles where there was not a legal shoulder to run on) from Spratt Stadium to Rickenbrode Stadium at Northwest, where it was presented to game officials.

“After graduation, we’ll still be alumni of TKE,” Ramsay said of the two chapters putting aside their school rivalries for the run. “Both chapters want to accomplish similar goals within their organizations.”

“It’s a chance for us to get past the rivalry and come together as brothers to have a good time”, Funk said.