Frater Gavin Kurtz will run Spartan Race in Marseilles, Illinois for a cause and for his fraternity.
MERSEILLES, Ill. – Frater Gavin Kurtz (Mu-Upsilon, Illinois State University) enlisted in the U.S Army Reserve back in 2007. He sacrificed his two sport athletic scholarship at Jamestown College in North Dakota, so that he could pay his father's medical bills and support the rest of his family. After two years, Kurtz returned to a Wrestling career, this time at Lakes CC, but after a month he had to sacrifice again; he was deployed to Iraq for a 13 month stand.
After serving in the military, Kurtz enrolled at Illinois State University where he was introduced to TKE. During his time as an undergraduate, Kurtz served many positions for Teke including Recruitment Chair, Histor, and Hegemon. Kurtz pushed his fellow fraters towards community service and today he still shows a passion for putting other people before himself.
In 2013 his intentions are the same, but his mission now is to run a local Spartan Race representing Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity and raising money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. "I wanted to involve St. Jude and TKE because it will give me the extra kick in the butt to give it my all," said Kurtz. "I can't feel what those families feel because honestly… I have been blessed. I want to face adversity in this race. I want to want to quit, and think to myself, those people have never quit, and what they are going through is way worse than a Spartan Race."
Frater Kurtz will race through the almost 9 mile hilly and muddy course on July 20th in Marseilles, Illinois. To support him in his race for St. Jude, please visit Gavin's Support Page and make a donation.
Have a St. Jude Story of Your Own? Contact Kyle Erdman to share it with the TKE Nation at KErdman@tke.org