If you like chicken wings, then this is the event for you! This will be the 8th year for Battle of the Buffalo, an ATO event held in honor of a brother, Paul “Fish” Salmon that passed away in 2007. Salmon was diagnosed with leukemia in 2006; he underwent treatment at the Clearview Cancer Institute in Huntsville, AL. He was a brother of the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity, and a senior at The University of Alabama in Huntsville when he suddenly passed away. In 2009, the brothers of ATO began to build a festival around buffalo wings as this was Salmon’s favorite snack. Battle of the Buffalo has taken a group of young men to come together for the unfortunate death of a brother (even though most of the active brothers have never met him) and to help raise money for a cause that is much bigger than themselves. Alumni of ATO, Fredric Bass, says, “I was personally amazed at the size and scope of this event when I first heard about it. Participating in the event as a brother was an amazing experience and seeing a younger group of people carry out this event with passion and pride is a fantastic feeling.” The event raised a total of $120,000 within the first seven years. The fraternity continues to support local cancer patients undergoing treatment through the Russel Hill Cancer Foundation. Last year they raised and donated $20,000 in full to Russel Hill Cancer Foundation. Their goal this year is $25,000. Justin Fuller, an active brother, was excited to be the coordinator for the event this year because, “I wanted to be a part of something that helps others out in the community. Helping others has always been my passion, and I saw this to be the perfect avenue to take in order to do that.” Fuller is also interested in the position because of the growth from the Battle of the Buffalo event in the past seven years and their success raising money, “It is really cool to be part of something that is bigger than myself and will continue to grow and do great things.” In order to purchase a ticket anyone can go online or speak to an ATO member around campus. Each brother has a promotional code so students can buy through them (I.e. if his name is Bob use promo code BSMITH). The tickets are $10 and this includes a pound of wings and one drink. There will be a wing eating competition, live music, tug-of-war competition, and many other activities to enjoy. The Russel Hill Cancer Foundation and the brothers of ATO wish to invite you to Battle of the Buffalo, April 9th from 12-7PM at Big Spring Park Downtown Huntsville, AL. If you have a great idea or would like to help out, message them on their Facebook Page! To stay updated, follow their Twitter Account. – See more at: http://www.chargertimes.com/3097/greek-life/battle-of-the-buffalo/#sthash.Z88VgVQG.dpuf
