The holiday season is a popular time to donate to charity.  Many UW-Whitewater students have chosen to help by taking off their clothes.

The Nearly Naked Mile is a run/walk hosted by the Event Planning Organization, or EPO.  Participants arrive at the race fully clothed, and then they remove the clothes they want to donate so they can run or walk in just their swimsuits.

EPO President Kiara Kasten, a senior, said all clothes go to the Clothes Closet located at the Whitewater Congregational United Church of Christ.  She said this event is important because it gives back to the community of Whitewater.

Kasten has been working with Kay Robers, who is in charge of the Clothes Closet.  Kasten learned how valuable the Clothes Closet is for local families.

“You would be surprised how many people come on a Saturday from eight to noon,” Kasten said.

Kasten said more than 600 people show up at that time.

People can donate their clothes at the start of the race and during the week at the Nearly Naked Mile table in the University Center.  EPO will take donations and register participants until Wednesday, Nov. 28.

Junior and EPO Vice President Stephanie Higgins said they will also register people for an hour before the event starts.

Higgins thought of having a Nearly Naked Mile in Whitewater after hearing about it at other UW schools like LaCrosse, Eau Claire and Oshkosh.  She said it was a huge hit at those schools.

“Since we’re such a new organization, we wanted something that was really hard-hitting,” Higgins said.

EPO plans on having 100 people participate in the Nearly Naked Mile.

Kasten wants people to know that although the event is swimsuit appropriate, they don’t have to get nearly naked to participate.

“You can wear a fun costume or just goofy clothes,” she said.

Every participant must bring at least one new or gently used article of clothing to donate.  For every item donated, the participant will receive a raffle ticket for a chance to win a prize at the end of the race.

EPO has been planning this event since school started in September and has spent most of November promoting it.

Freshman Kali Stelse found out about it on Facebook.  She hasn’t done anything like the Nearly Naked Mile before but decided to do it with two of her friends.

“I signed up to do it because it’s a good cause, and with me being a runner, I like to do events like this,” Stelse said.

The route is just over one mile long and will start and end at the UC.  The entry fee is $5 per person but only $4 per person for groups of 15 or more.  Kasten hopes the group rate will attract participants.

She also plans on having special days this week where those who sign up may pay a discounted entry fee.

“The more people you get, the better for us and the Clothes Closet,” Kasten said.

EPO is a campus organization that plans events and helps other clubs and organizations create events.

“We want to help other organizations have successful events,” Kasten said.

Higgins hopes the Nearly Naked Mile will be a successful event for the organization.

“I think it’s fun.  It’s something different,” she said.

Check-in and registration is on Dec. 1 at 5:45 p.m., and the race will start at 7 p.m. at the south end of the UC.