Students showed their Gator pride by swinging a sledgehammer toward a garnet-and-gold car painted with the words "Beat FSU" on Tuesday afternoon.
The UF Pi chapter of Sigma Beta Rho Fraternity held the first multicultural Greek car-smashing event on the Plaza of the Americas. It charged about 150 students to swing sledgehammers at a sedan donated by LKQ Self Service, located at 8910 NW 13th St.
Students paid $2 for one hit and $5 for three, and the group raised about $400 for SOS Children’s Villages, a nonprofit that focuses on helping children who require family based child care.
The fraternity spent the last two months getting permits, insurance and approval for the event, said the fraternity’s president, Mausam Trivedi.
To keep students safe as they climbed on the car and dented its doors, the fraternity was required to get approval through UF Student Activities and Involvement, said Trivedi, a UF tourism and hospitality management junior. The national fraternity provided full insurance coverage for the event to cover any injury and liability concerns.
The car-smashing was roped off from bystanders, who hollered as their classmates smashed the car one at a time. The car’s glass was taped to prevent injuries, and participants were required to wear protective gloves and goggles.
"No one is hurt," Trivedi, 21, said about an hour after the event started. He smiled. "Knock on wood."
Tristan Ahlquist, a UF plant science junior, said although he thought the event could be dangerous, "It’s safe enough."
The 20-year-old paid $2, climbed onto the hood, swung a sledgehammer and hit the top of the car. He jumped off the hood smiling.
"I saw ‘Beat FSU’ and it got me riled up, so I had to see what it was about," he said.
Meagan Bunnell, a UF mathematics sophomore, said it was fun to watch people hit the car, but she didn’t participate because she was scared to get hit by flying debris.
But she said she still liked the idea.
"I think every week is FSU hate week," the 19-year-old said.
Mausam Trivedi, a 21-year-old UF hospitality junior and president of the Sigma Beta Rho Fraternity, takes a swing at an FSU-colored car during the SOS Smash fundraiser.
A car donated by LKQ Self Service, a Gainesville junkyard, waits to be smashed for charity on the Plaza of the Americas. UF's multicultural fraternity Sigma Beta Rho held the fundraiser, charging students to hit the vehicle with a sledgehammer and giving the proceeds to SOS Children's Villages.
Mitchell Wydetic's safety goggles fly off as he pounds a junkyard car Nov. 17, 2015, on the Plaza of the Americas. He said it felt really good to hit the car. "Those colors really make me want to take a hammer to something," he laughed.
