Hit the Bricks

by Betsy Chapman

Each year, the Wake Forest community comes together in the fight against cancer for Hit the Bricks, an event where teams of students, faculty, and staff run and walk laps around the Quad for a day. Hit the Bricks is one of the most joyous days on campus. This year’s event will take place on Thursday, October 6.

How can your students get involved? They can gather together some friends, student organization members, and/or people on their residence hall/suite and start making a team. Registration is $25 and includes a t-shirt. All proceeds go to the Brian Piccolo Cancer Research Fund. Students can use this website to register for Hit The Bricks. Registration closes Friday, September 30.

Just to give you a sense of what the day looks like, teams of runners make their way around the Quad with a weighted backpack. They scan a code with each lap to get credit for each lap they walk or run. Throughout the day, there is music, motivational speeches, and plenty of fun stuff as well – including what had been called in past years a Wacky Lap where you got extra points for being in costume, a No Feet lap where you have to get around on something other than your feet, etc.

At the end of the event, there is a Silent Lap where participants walk a lap in silence in memory of people who have battled, or are battling, cancer. Then there is a gathering in front of Wait Chapel that is very moving: luminaries with names of loved ones impacted by cancer, speeches, and more.

The Hit the Bricks team has asked me to share that there is a virtual option for parents and families to participate. All you would need to do is register via the virtual registration link and then complete this Google Form.

Here are some pictures from the 2021 Hit the Bricks that I hope will give you a sense of the absolute joy that is this day. It is a Wake Forest Pro Humanitate tradition that makes me very proud to be a Deac.

To close out today’s post, want to mention a few news items:

Members of the Wake Forest community participate in the annual Hit the Bricks for Brian cancer research fundraiser on Hearn Plaza on Thursday, September 30, 2021. More than 1700 people ran and walked around the quad to raise money. Members of the Wake Forest community participate in the annual Hit the Bricks for Brian cancer research fundraiser on Hearn Plaza on Thursday, September 30, 2021. More than 1700 people ran and walked around the quad to raise money. Members of the Wake Forest community participate in the annual Hit the Bricks for Brian cancer research fundraiser on Hearn Plaza on Thursday, September 30, 2021. More than 1700 people ran and walked around the quad to raise money. Members of the Wake Forest community participate in the annual Hit the Bricks for Brian cancer research fundraiser on Hearn Plaza on Thursday, September 30, 2021. More than 1700 people ran and walked around the quad to raise money. Members of the Wake Forest community participate in the annual Hit the Bricks for Brian cancer research fundraiser on Hearn Plaza on Thursday, September 30, 2021. More than 1700 people ran and walked around the quad to raise money. Participants run the “costume” lap. Members of the Wake Forest community participate in the annual Hit the Bricks for Brian cancer research fundraiser on Hearn Plaza on Thursday, September 30, 2021. More than 1700 people ran and walked around the quad to raise money. Teams participate in the “No Feet” lap for extra points. Members of the Wake Forest community participate in the annual Hit the Bricks for Brian cancer research fundraiser on Hearn Plaza on Thursday, September 30, 2021. More than 1700 people ran and walked around the quad to raise money. Teams participate in the “No Feet” lap for extra points. Members of the Wake Forest community participate in the annual Hit the Bricks for Brian cancer research fundraiser on Hearn Plaza on Thursday, September 30, 2021. More than 1700 people ran and walked around the quad to raise money. Participants walk the final, silent lap in honor of those lost to cancer. Members of the Wake Forest community participate in the annual Hit the Bricks for Brian cancer research fundraiser on Hearn Plaza on Thursday, September 30, 2021. More than 1700 people ran and walked around the quad to raise money. Mike Ford, former Director of Student Life and a Wake Forest alumnus, talks about Brian Piccolo and the history of the event.

— by Betsy Chapman, Ph.D. (’92, MA ’94)

September 13, 2022

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