Lap-sitting record broken at Clarkson

POTSDAM — Clarkson University students and community members gathered Saturday at Cheel Arena and redefined the sit-in.

The purpose was to break the record for people sitting unassisted on each other’s laps and the cause was to fight cancer.

“It’s an endless circle of support, so that’s the metaphor,” said Crista A. Brenner, president of the college’s Leadership Corps, which organized the event. “It’s very successful and we’re reaching our goal.”

Although the national record for the largest lap-sit is 3,387, the event aimed to break the record of 1,968 that Clarkson University and SUNY Potsdam students set in 1977 on the Cheel lawn. With more than 2,000 people registered Saturday and well over $2,000 raised for the American Cancer Society, the event was a success.

Mahamadu L. Trawally, a freshman football player, said he and several other members of his team got up at 5 a.m. to set up for the event.

“We wanted to give back because a lot of people have (cancer),” he said. “Some of it is curable, so a dollar could change someone’s life.”

To break the local record, participants stood heel-to-toe in a circle that snaked twice around the perimeter of the arena.

There was a slow countdown from three and everyone slowly sat on the lap of the person behind him. They held it for one minute before the Clarkson record was set.

“It was a lot of fun,” said James C. Peploski, a Clarkson professor who came with his family. “You don’t feel any weight of the person in front of you. It’s pretty stable and you can wave your arms around.”

According to Gregg J. and Amy M. Gleason Dick, who helped break the record as students 33 years ago, the main difference between the two events was the weather and the cause.

“It was just a ‘let’s break the record’ thing,” Mrs. Dick said about the 1977 attempt. This time “it’s much bigger, too.”

Mr. and Mrs. Dick had traveled about six hours from their home in Beacon for the event. They said it had been about 10 years since they visited the campus where they met as undergraduates.

“I got an e-mail and when Amy saw it, the first thing she said was, ‘We have got to go,’” Mr. Dick said.

The event also featured games and obstacle courses to help raise funds and speeches from cancer survivor Joan Roberts and Jacqueline Dow, director of oncology at Canton-Potsdam Hospital, to raise awareness of the disease.

Clarkson President Anthony G. Collins said there are plans to hold the event next year and he looks forward to seeing the circle grow.