ODDLY ENOUGH

ODDLY ENOUGH

Gilda’s laughter festival has FUNderwear Run 5K

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.

Organizers of an annual festival of laughter have conducted a 5K race with a unique dress code.

As part of the 3.1-mile FUNderwear Run on Sunday morning, runners were encouraged by Gilda’s LaughFest to wear undies on the outside, over their clothes. Organizers say about 300 people participated, with misty conditions and a 21-degree temperature at the 10 a.m. start.

The FUNderwear Run supports Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids, a free emotional health support community where people can find laughter in the midst of a cancer or grief journey.

The race began on the Grand Rapids Community College campus.

Laughfest runs through next Sunday. Headliners include Jay Leno, Lily Tomlin, Sinbad and Chris Tucker.

Event challenges eaters with 20-foot bratwursts

YPSILANTI, Mich.

A fundraising event in Michigan plans to pit participants with big appetites against 20-foot-long bratwursts that weigh close to 6 pounds.

The Ann Arbor News reported that the Wurst Challenge to benefit the FLY Children’s Art Center is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. next Thursday.

Nine participants are registered so far, including Ypsilanti Mayor Paul Schreiber. The event is hosted by Ypsilanti’s Wurst Bar, the New Holland Brewing Co., blogger Mark Maynard and others. It’s a fundraiser for nonprofit FLY’s Creativity Lab in Ypsilanti.

The bar will donate 10 cents an inch for the sausage consumed. Participants also are raising money separately.

Maynard says they’ll be “competing against their own pride.” Awards will be given to the biggest eater as well as the one with the best bratwurst-eating style.

Campus leader uses YouTube to show a boring break

ALLENDALE, Mich.

What did the president of a Michigan university do on spring break? He made a snow angel, napped on an empty bus and read a book in a greenhouse.

Tom Haas apparently has a sense of humor. Grand Valley State University posted a video on YouTube that portrays him as a lonely guy stuck on the snow-covered campus in Allendale while students likely dashed to warmer destinations.

At the end of the video, Haas welcomes students back to campus and says, “Let’s finish out this semester in grand fashion.” Classes resumed Monday.

Associated Press