Miami Student

Issue date: 4/20/07 Section: Campus

Senior Jamie Eckert bowls in the Bowling for Disabilites tournament. The tournament was held at Oxford Bowling Lanes Wednesday.

A group of Miami University students wanted to get strikes and spares for more than bragging rights, as a chapter of the business fraternity Pi Sigma Epsilon (PSE) hosted a fund-raiser Wednesday evening for Miami alumna Utawna Leap and her 5-year-old daughter, Lianna, who was born with cerebral palsy.

Held at the Oxford Bowling Lanes, PSE's Vice President of Public Relations Kristin Segerson said the fraternity wanted to have something all of Miami could participate in.

"We wanted to find an activity that involved the Oxford community, including Miami students, and bowling did the job," Segerson said.

Admission was $10, and participants could bowl a maximum of three hours. Free food provided by Oxford's Hungry Howie's Pizza was also available.

Gift certificates were also rewarded to the top bowler, worst bowler and best costumes. The money raised went toward helping Leap build a new house for her and her daughter. They currently live with her parents in Middletown, where the house is not wheelchair accessible.

Segerson said the fraternity wanted to help the family because of the extraordinary amount of money it will cost for a new house.

"It will take $9.7 million for Lianna to live a comfortably throughout her life," Segerson said. "As our goal, we want to raise money so Leap can build her new house that will compliment Lianna's special needs."

The new house will be constructed next door to Leap's parents, and will include a $15,000 lifting system to transport Lianna from room to room. In addition, an elevator will help transport Lianna's wheelchair from the basement to ground level.

Miami University's support for the family doesn't just stop with money, according to Leap.

"Miami architecture graduate students are helping me design the new house," Leap said. "They are designing a floor plan to allow Lianna the most freedom and independence as well as being fully accessible."

Leap has currently been extremely involved with disability awareness events by presenting her story and sharing information with Miami students involved in speech pathology, disability studies and special education courses. She also has spoken with students at University of Cincinnati and Wright State.

Continued...

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