Business fraternity Delta Sigma Pi honored a brother’s father with their annual 36-straight hour Teeter-Totter-Thon fundraiser Wednesday in the Union Oval.

“My father got sick right at the end of December and it was real unexpected,” said brother Adam Koons. “We had no idea; he was fine and then one night he had some stomach pain, went [into the hospital] and a couple days later he had passed away.”

Koons said his family found out his father had died of colon cancer.

“My fraternity supported me all the way through it, and they thought that [the event] is something we always did in the past, and that it would be a nice to start doing it for colon cancer in memory of my father,” he said.

Dana Rybak, Delta Sigma Pi vice president of alumni relations, said the fraternity raised more than $1,000 for the American Cancer Society, specifically colon cancer research.

“We’re basically trying to raise money to help cancer research in any way, shape or form we can,” Rybak said.

The event, which brother Lauren Whitaker said has been held for the past 26 years, changes which charity to raise money for frequently.

“The year before it was the Make-A-Wish Foundation,” she said. “We usually change it up, just depending on what we feel like, but most of the time it’s usually some type of cancer research.”

Rybak said the event is important because cancer affects almost everyone.

“Regardless of who you are, it can affect you some day. So I think helping to raise funds for it is a really great idea,” she said. “Even if it’s a few cents, every penny goes a long way.”

Rybak said the fraternity had also raised money through a website.

“We had donations online from a lot of our parents and family members — even some professors in the college of business donated,” she said.

Mark Wilinski, a brother, said he is trying to help cancer research in any way he can.

“I’ve had a lot of friends that have had cancer,” he said. “If it’s just giving a couple hours of my time, it’s not a big deal to me.”

Wilinski said the brothers signed up for hour shifts and visited between classes to support the cause.

“Right now, I’m not supposed to be working, but I came out here to help out,” he said. “I’m just trying to help out as much as I can.”

Koons said he was very touched by his fraternity’s efforts to honor his father.

“I appreciate it a lot,” he said. “It really shows me how much the people around me care for me.”