In memory of Orrange

On Jan. 14, Nicholas Orrange, a senior University at Buffalo student and the special interest service and hobbies coordinator for the Student Association, was tragically killed in a one-car accident at the intersection of Harlem Road and Sheridan Drive.
On Sunday at 9:30 a.m., friends, family, students and community members will gather together at Baird Point to honor him during the first Nick Orrange Memorial Scholarship 5K Run.
"Nick was the SISH coordinator and he was someone we worked with very closely. He was known as very happy and very active and we thought that this would be a great way to honor him and raise funds for the scholarship that his parents set up," said Katherine Ruiz Meneses, assistant sports club coordinator for the SA.
Sports clubs and the SA have joined together to sponsor the event during Sports Club Weekend. Meneses explains that it is a time for the 31 recognized clubs and four temporary clubs to recruit new members and explain to the student body who they are and what they do.
"We thought it'd be great to introduce this now because it's a weekend associated with Sports Week…and we thought it'd be a great [tribute to] Nick," Meneses said.
Shervin Stoney, SA sports club coordinator and vice president elect, explains that normally an event of this size takes a year to plan. However with the help of other SA members, he and Meneses have been able to put together the event in only a few weeks.
"It's coming together fairly well, which is probably due to the Linda Yalem run because with [the previous event], I had a model to go off of," Stoney said.
Stoney will act as the race director on Sunday. He explains that he wanted to create a 5K run in respect of Nick and the great friend and student that he was.
"We lived together and we were pretty good friends. We [also] worked next to each other," Stoney said. "I know he wouldn't have run in [the 5K] because he hated running. He was a swimmer…but I'm sure he would have appreciated it."
According to Meneses, 70 volunteers have registered to help with the event from security to clean-up. However, only 40 runners are currently registered to participate on Sunday.
"The turn-out is not as big as we've expected, but it's the first year that we're doing it…we hope in future years that it will grow bigger and be repeated," Meneses said.
Stoney is confidant that more students and community members will sign up to run as the event gets closer.
However, Meneses feels that students may not register for the event because of the cost.
According to the event's Facebook page, students can purchase tickets for $20 at the SBI ticket office until Friday, or they can pay $22 on the day of the race.
"It's a little bit expensive and it's something that not a lot of people want to do…I'd like to lower the price [for next year] and get incentives," Meneses said.
For those who choose to participate, Stoney explains that the course will begin at Baird Point and will go around Alumni Arena, loop around the Academic Spine and will finish back at Baird Point. Medals will be awarded to the top three male and female runners in the seven age categories.
The event will take place until 12:30 p.m. where there will be a post-race party at Baird Point for all runners. Those who did not participate may pay $5 for food, beverages and raffle tickets for door prizes.
After registering, students will receive a packet of coupons from businesses that have donated to the event, a bracelet and a T-shirt. The packets can be picked up on Friday at 350 Student Union from 12 p.m. until 5 p.m. For those registering the day of the race, they will need to arrive at Baird Point between 8 a.m. and 9:20 a.m. to receive their packet.
"[As the] sports coordinator for next year…I plan on having this event again…and hopefully we'll get more people [to participate] and start advertising sooner than we did this year," Meneses said.
Stoney hopes that the run will be a success and will become an annual event to honor Orrange and the free spirit that he was.
"All proceeds go to the Nick Orrange Scholarship Memorial Fund that his parents set up at [St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute]…whether we raise $100 or $500, it will be a success because it's for charity," Meneses said.

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