KINGSTON, R.I. — October 23, 2012 – At least one of Rhody the Ram’s arms better be in top condition this weekend when the University of Rhode Island mascot attempts to break the record for the most high fives given by a mascot in one hour.
He’ll have help from more than 2,500 students and alumni as they try to break the Guinness World Record. Gina Mainella, a Habitat for Humanity intern working under URI’s Greek Affairs Department and a member of Alpha Phi, said she believes the record is about 2,300 high fives set within the last few weeks by a high school.
The event is part of URI’s Homecoming Weekend and will be held Saturday, Oct. 27 from 10:45 to 11:45 a.m. in Keaney Gymnasium. URI’s fraternities and sororities, as well as other student groups, are seeking $5 donations, which will benefit the URI/South County Habitat for Humanity Partnership and will earn the donor a Rhody foam finger. The Mews Tavern and President David M. Dooley and the Rev. Lynn Baker-Dooley provided financial support for the foam fingers. Donations of any amount will be gratefully accepted.
Those who wish to participate must register at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/URIHighFivesforHabitat
“We thought about doing a hula hoop contest, but when we started looking up records, the high five record looked most feasible,” Mainella said.
Mainella said each sorority is bringing 60 members to the event and each fraternity is bringing 30, and there will be strong participation by several URI athletic teams.
“We’ll have 1,000 participants from the Greek Houses alone,” Mainella said.
“We’ll have a countdown clock and music inside Keaney to get everyone rolling,” Mianella said. “We need at least 2,500 to set the record.
“Our eventual goal is $75,000 to have a house named in honor of the URI Greek system in the Habitat North Road project just off campus,” said Mainella, a public relations major from Dighton, Mass.
“We hope it moves fast, but just in case, we might have someone ready to hold Rhody’s arm if he gets tired,” Mainella said.