In about two weeks, students will throw water balloons to fight breast cancer and break a world record.
The Inter-Residence Housing Association, or IRHA, will host a water-balloon fight Oct. 24 at 4 p.m. on Flavet Field in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month.
"I wanted to do something with a bit of a twist to it," Sheldon Clark, sports co-director of IRHA, said.
"A water balloon fight for charity popped into my mind."
The record was set in 2006 by Microsoft's video game subsidiary Xbox, which hosted a promotional water balloon fight in Australia with 2,849 participants, according to the Xbox Web site.
The University of Kentucky attempted to break the record in April but fell short by roughly 100 participants.
"We need 3,000 to break the record and our goal is to obliterate it with 5,000," Clark said.
IHRA plans to use about 20,000 pink, biodegradable balloons for the event, and Clark is working to acquire an official adjudicator from Guinness World Records.
There will be recycling bins all around the field, IRHA environmental concerns director Michelle Isgut said.
The event's staff, consisting of IRHA members, student organizations and the 12 residence-hall area governments, will take a section of the field and pick up the trash in one giant line, she said.
Isgut, who is also the solicitations director for the event, said she is looking for local businesses to help sponsor the event. All funds donated will go to the American Cancer Society.
Students, alumni and anyone older than 18 is encouraged to participate.
