The strong values within Rose-Hulman’s Greek system that contribute to an engaged and involved college experience–a sense of community, strong support system, personal development, and giving back to the community–came together earlier this spring as Alpha Tau Omega Gamma Gamma chapter members organized and completed a grueling service project supporting neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) services at Riley Hospital for Children.

The Carmine’s Convoy event raised $42,000 from a 66-mile walk over the course of two days, starting at the ATO chapter house on the college’s campus in Terre Haute and ending in front of the hospital in downtown Indianapolis. This effort was a personal one in many ways for fraternity members and one of its alumni, Thomas Reives, whose Rook’s Resources Inc. charity recognizes Thomas and Shecara Reives’ late son Rook William. (Carmine Convoy is named for the couple’s other son, 7-year-old Carmine Acie, who required extensive NICU services after being born in the spring of 2017 with his twin brother, Rook.) 

Rook’s Resources has been providing children’s books, Mother’s/Father’s Day gift baskets, holiday toys, and dinners at Ronald McDonald House Charities for several years to families with preterm babies in NICUs at Indianapolis children’s hospitals. 

Now, with support from the ATO chapter and other community donors, Rook’s Resources will be sharing nourishment supplies (including sports drinks, lactation cookies, and meals) with families in Riley Hospital for Children’s NICU Quiet Lounges. And the Reives’ future goal is to make Welcome to the NICU (or Beinvenidos a la NICU) books available free to any family entering a NICU at all major children’s hospitals across the United States. 

“I had no idea what relationship I would have with the chapter almost 20 years after graduating from Rose,” said Thomas Reives, who earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 2008 and added a master’s degree in engineering management in 2010. “The fact that [ATO chapter members] were willing to partner with us for this cause is a testament to the relationships forged over two decades in ATO. I am forever thankful and grateful for what we have started and even more proud of the fraternity and the brotherhood within ATO. It is indeed something special, filled with love and respect for one another.”

The fraternity got involved through the efforts of its philanthropy chair/event organizer Logan Faulkenberg. He eventually got nearly 60 members involved in event fundraising and planning over the course of six months and was among seven members that completed the entire Terre Haute-to-Indianapolis journey along U.S. 40.

“When our walk began at 7 a.m. on March 14, witnessing six months of dedication finally coming to fruition brought an overwhelming sense of accomplishment. In that moment, I knew that I needed to complete the entire journey to Riley,” said the junior biomedical engineering student. “My goal was to test my limits and see if I could actually go the distance. The toughest part was fighting through the pain. My body kept telling me to rest, but I knew (personal) growth only happens when we push past our comfort zone.

The first day part of Carmine’s Convoy was a 14-hour, 43-mile trek—in sporadic rainy weather and cool temperatures—from campus to the Freije & Freije Auctioneering Barn in Clayton, Indiana. The next day’s remaining 23-mile walk ended with ATO members presenting a check to Thomas, Shecara, and Carmine Reives outside hospital in Indianapolis.

“Finishing was a huge relief and a proud moment, proving that I could do more than I thought,” said Faulkenberg.

Carmine’s Convoy helped elevate the ATO chapter’s philanthropic impact and got members more actively involved in meaningful service opportunities.

“I wanted the chapter to think bigger and organize something that could truly reflect the values of Alpha Tau Omega. That’s exactly what we did,” said past chapter president Braden Blackburn, a senior mechanical engineering major. “When Carmine’s Convoy came to life, I knew I had no option but to commit fully and walk every step of the journey. I’ve run half marathons and have taken on challenging hikes, but nothing compared to this experience—not just because of the difficulty, but because of the purpose behind it. We weren’t walking for ourselves, we were walking for kids, for their families, and for a cause greater than any one person. And we did it together.”

Chapter vice president Matteo Calviello, a junior computer science and data science major, added, “It was awesome to see how motivated everyone was, knowing we were doing it for such a great cause and supporting the kids at the NICU. The walk definitely wasn’t easy, but knowing we were all in it together made it easier to push through and it brought us all a lot closer.”

ATO member Paul Sofineti, an Army ROTC cadet and mechanical engineering senior, carried a 30-pound military ruck sack for the entire walk. “I knew walking it wouldn’t be too difficult for me, so I decided to go the extra mile, no pun intended, and carry a ruck the entire way to make it more challenging.”

Plans are already underway to make Carmine’s Convoy an even bigger event in the future.

“We cheered. We celebrated. We committed to something more than ourselves,” said Thomas Reives. “This year showed us that it was all possible and set the groundwork for what we hope to be something amazing in the future years to come.”