On Tuesday, Nov. 19, a crowd gathered at the campus skate park to watch Lawrence Cappelli, a senior arts major, eat an entire ShopRite rotisserie chicken for charity.

Cappelli’s goal was to raise money to go to the PUSO foundation, a charity which provides service work to the Philippines, Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, and others.

Sat at a folding table, with a phone livestreaming to Instagram, Cappelli readied himself to take on the task. A crowd of over 50 people chanted and counted down the seconds until 3 p.m. when he started to eat the chicken.

Grace Carey, a senior engineering major who left class early to watch the spectacle, said she “couldn’t miss it.”

“Saw the posters, I had to come see it,” she said, referring to the flyers left around campus in the days leading up to the event.

Cappelli took his shirt and shoes off as he kept eating the chicken. His roommate Alex McFarland used his shoes to collect donations, as well as Venmo.

McFarland commented on the idea and how eating a whole chicken came to life for Cappelli.

“He came back from the student center and said, ‘I have an idea,’” McFarland said. “I’m feeling proud.”

He felt the turnout was “insane,” and credited Rowan Barstool’s post on Instagram for spreading the word. The post was a picture of the flier with the caption “Godspeed.”

People in the crowd filtered in and out as time passed, but there was no sign of him stopping the feast.

“I was more or less curious if the guy would hold up his end of the bargain with the chicken,” senior Zachary Geada said.

As Cappelli started finishing the chicken, the cheering and yells from the crowd became more intense, including calls to “Take your pants off.”

As Cappelli put the last piece of chicken in the air, cheers of “Eat it” and “Take them off” filled the skate park.

“I did believe he could do it,” Dominic Cruz, another of Cappelli’s roommates said.

After 30 minutes, Cappelli ate the last piece and pumped his fists into the air, then gave a short speech to dismiss the crowd.

“I ate the chicken,” he said. “That is the whole event.”

After the event concluded and people left the skate park, Cappelli revealed why he undertook the challenge.

“I got inspired by the Philly chicken guy,” he said. “And just for fun.”

Cappelli felt good after eating the chicken, crediting his big appetite.

“I definitely hit my protein today,” he said.

Also, though prompted by the crowd, Cappelli said he would “keep my pants on.”

Freshman radio, television & film major, and “certified Caniac” Bryce Corcoran, felt this moment encapsulated Rowan.

“The real Rowan University identity shined through today,” Corcoran said.

Freshman music industry major Jess MacMaster agreed with that claim.

“This is going into the history books,” MacMaster said. “Or at least The Whit.”

Cappelli raised a little over $300 during the course of the event. 

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