Photos courtesy of Caleb Sharp

Members of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity at Virginia Tech present Blacksburg Fire Chief Keith Bolte with a check worth more than $12,000. They raised the money through their annual fundraiser, the "Fireman's Challenge." Pictured (from left) are Travis Dalrymple, Ben Atwell, Bolte, John Brodie and John Kappeler.

| Mary Hardbarger

mary.hardbarger@roanoke.com, 381-1679

BLACKSBURG -- Ben Atwell's hands are full.

From fighting fires to participating in the largest fraternity at Virginia Tech, he's a multi-tasker, juggling school and work and squeezing in just enough time to give back to his community.

Just recently, Atwell added another task to his list -- raising money for the Blacksburg Fire Department with his fraternity, the Epsilon Chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha at Virginia Tech.

Atwell is a senior majoring in construction, and said he plans to make a career of firefighting. He's been volunteering at the Blacksburg Fire Department since he was a freshman and has been traveling back and forth between Blacksburg and Charlotte, N.C., to volunteer with the fire and rescue team there.

Every year for the past seven years, the fraternity has held the "Fireman's Challenge" fundraiser to raise money for the department.

Two years ago, the group raised about $9,000, followed by $10,500 in 2008. This year, more than $12,000 was raised -- the largest amount ever.

Jon Kappeler, president of the Tech chapter, contributes this year's success to the involvement of the local community.

"We exhausted all of our options," Kappeler said. "We went out to local businesses -- Sharkey's and Gumby's, to name a few -- and asked for their support."

In the past, the president said the organization relied mostly on sorority involvement and donations.

The fundraiser is part of the fraternity's philanthropy to the Blacksburg community.

With help from Tech sororities, the men hosted several events starting Oct. 11, including a concert at the Pike house, a car wash and an auction at Awful Arthur's.

The sorority with the most participation in the fundraiser, Zeta Tau Alpha, was presented a plaque and recognized for its contributions.

"Everyone's involvement is important to the cause," Atwell said. "We try to be as creative as we can."

The creativity paid off.

The money raised will go toward many projects at the fire department, including help in completing the newest fire station, Station Three, located on Airport Road.

Construction on Station Three began in 2008 and, to date, Atwell said the building is fully enclosed and the bays are complete. The money would help furnish the station and aid in the completion of the administrative offices that Atwell said are currently nonexistent.

"The floors are still covered in gravel," he said.

There is no estimated time of completion for the station, according to the fire department's Web site.

Atwell said the rest of the money will be used for fire equipment safety.

Aside from raising money for an important cause, Kappeler said the fundraiser aids in strengthening the fraternity's image as a community-service organization as opposed to a party group.

"It's a big thing for us to show people we are involved in the community," he said.

Kappeler said the fundraising efforts are proof the fraternity is out to make a difference.

"Hopefully this will help people change their minds about what they think a fraternity is all about," he said.

He said next year the organization hopes to raise even more money by planning further in advance and continuing partnerships with local businesses.