Neither rain nor lighting could stop the power of giving — or stripping.
About 40 people stripped down to bikinis and boardshorts at the third annual “Taking It Off For Charity” strip poker tournament at University Commons on Saturday.
The tournament was organized by the Pledge 5 Foundation, which coordinates charity drives for other nonprofit organizations. Proceeds benefit the St. Francis House and Goodwill.
Participants traded bags of clothes for poker chips or bought them for $2 each to play Texas Hold ’Em or blackjack.
“I think people should want to give back to their community, and what better way to give back to your community than to have fun and do a crazy, exciting event like taking your clothes off?” said Jason Bowman, director and co-founder of Pledge 5.
Pledge 5 promoter Jamie Metcalf, 26, said the foundation held a clothing drive all week leading up to the tournament.
Last year, participants donated about 3 tons of clothing, but Bowman said it would be a few days until he knows how much clothing was donated this year.
A thunderstorm moved the tournament indoors at about 1:30 p.m., but nobody seemed discouraged.
“We’re already in our bathing suits,” Metcalf said, “so why stop because of some rain?”
