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(08/29/13 3:41pm)
Summer is certainly an exciting time for college students throughout the country.
Whether students are taking vacations to exotic locations, studying abroad, getting internships or just spending lazy days with their friends back home, the summer is always a welcome relief from the stresses of the school year.
As a kid, there was no question that the summer was my favorite time of the year. While summer is still great fun, the two years spent at this University have taught me one important thing about the seasons: No other time of the year can compete with the fall in Auburn.
The dreariness of the spring semester and the sweltering summer semesters pale in comparison to the excitement and atmosphere on campus during the fall semester.
It goes without saying that football season brings a lot of energy to Auburn's campus.
But, looking past the football side of it, the atmosphere on football Saturday in Auburn is something a 500-word column just can't do justice. You have to be here to experience it.
What other time of the year does a minimum of 100,000 people descend upon this small town all for the same reason?
Have you ever experienced every sidewalk within a 2-mile radius of campus completely blocked by parked cars other than on a game day?
For those rowdy fans enjoying their pre-game tailgates, authorities are more lenient than usual to our shenanigans on game days.
I mean, when else will you have the opportunity to down a beer in front of the Student Center or enjoy a cigarette on our newly "Smoke-Free" campus?
As last year showed us, Auburn football can have its worst season in 60 years, and we'll still be voted the best tailgating school in the nation by Yahoo.
Tailgating is a major reason why fall is the best season in Auburn, but it's just a start.
Whether you're making that slightly tipsy walk to an 8 a.m., or simply enjoying lunch out on the green, the weather in Auburn is never better than during the fall.
On those days when the temperature lows are in the mid-'50s, and the highs just break into the '70s, the struggle to dress for the temperature becomes irrelevant.
You can dress however you choose and know that you'll be comfortable.
The cool weather also is an excuse to indulge in whatever hot coffee drink you prefer. Auburn's abundance of quality coffee shops makes certain that you'll never run out of new drinks to try.
For those who prefer a night in with friends, the cool weather makes bonfires, camping or hanging out on someone's front porch as a chill way to spend the night.
Then there's partying.
Not that anybody needed an excuse to party, but with Halloween, fall concerts and game days approaching, the fall festivities in Auburn are sure to be excellent as always.
As students get settled into their fall schedules and those dog days of August mercifully pass, one can't help but look ahead to the upcoming fall season with eagerness and excitement.
The best season is upon us yet again.
(08/28/13 3:07am)
A new wave of technology has been introduced to Auburn in the form of Southern Cryotherapy.
The Auburn-based company has been in business for approximately 60 days, covering nine southern states.
Johnny Mann, co-owner of Southern Cryotherapy, originally created the idea.
"Southern Cryotherapy is a device company that sells whole-body cryotherapy units, which is a process that cools your body down and helps rejuvenate, revive and repair your body," said Will Faulkner, director of sales marketing.
Cryotherapy uses extreme cold on the body. At Southern Cryotherapy, the user sits inside the spherical device as it fills up with liquid nitrogen at negative 300 F.
Southern Cryotherapy is trying to be a replacement for ice baths and ice packs.
"It's more effective," said Chad Finnegan, co-owner of Southern Cryotherapy. "The time that you're in there is a lot less and it's less painful."
The treatment lasts about 3 minutes and has been popular among professional athletes.
"If you're an athlete, this is the muscle recovery of the next generation," Finnegan said.
The treatment doesn't just work for athletes; it can help with any sort of overworked, or stressed, muscles from activities such as working out at the gym, or at a normal job.
John Mann, chiropractor at Total Rehab and father of Johnny Mann, said when the cold nitrogen hits the body, blood vessels constrict, pushing on the inflammation or swelling.
When the treatment is over and the body is no longer in contact with the cold, the blood vessels expand and bring fresh oxygenated blood into the region.
John Mann said oxygen is the key healing component the body is looking for. He believes it's more effective than only using ice packs or ice baths because it doesn't just focus on one region of the body.
"With the nitrogen cryotherapy, we're able to do the entire body," John Mann said. "The benefit is that you may be coming in for a neck problem, but you know you may have a chronic ankle or something you don't even think about."
Faulkner recommends users do five treatments in close proximity to each other to get the full effect.
The Auburn community can get one treatment for $30, or buy a package.
John Mann said the treatment was safe if administered by a trained technician who knows what health risks to look for.
John Mann said some health issues may eliminate people as candidates for Southern Cryotherapy, including heart problems, some forms of diabetes, and people who are overly sensitive to ice.
"This is new science; this is new technology," John Mann said. "How much good can be derived from this, I think the sky is the limit."
For more information and updates about their new location in Auburn, go to facebook.com/SouthernCryotherapy.
(08/28/13 3:01am)
The Auburn men's basketball team played two exhibition games in the Bahamas as part of the Bahamas Basketball Federation Summer of Thunder Tournament in early August.
The tournament attracted 12 NCAA Division I schools, including Ole Miss, Maryland and Bradley University.
The trip was made possible after the NCAA allowed D-I teams to play in a foreign country one time every four years.
This allowed coach Tony Barbee's Tigers to get some competitive practice in preparation for the upcoming season.
Barbee spoke about the Tigers work ethic over the summer.
"These guys have had a very productive summer and they have worked their tails off in the weight room," Barbee said.
The trip and exhibition games were important to the development of the team, according to Barbee.
"Ten extra days of practice are going to be invaluable as we look ahead to the real season," Barbee said.
The Tigers squared off in their first game against the Real Deal Shockers on Aug. 6, winning 99-63. The Shockers are a member of the New Providence Basketball Association, which is a branch of the BBF.
Auburn jumped out to a huge lead, leading 63-31 at halftime, and never looked back.
The Tigers were hot on the perimeter, with junior small forward Chris Griffin knocking down six three-pointers in the game. The transfer from Wabash Valley Community College and former Rutgers commit was the No. 14 JUCO player in America before signing with the Tigers.
"Chris Griffin is a guy that really can shoot the ball from range," Barbee said. "He can really space the floor, if you leave him open it's pretty much a layup."
Senior guard Chris Denson led the Tigers in scoring with 24, with point guards Malcolm Canada and Tahj Shamsid-Deen adding 11 and nine, respectively.
"It was great playing other competition," Denson said. "We got to beat up on someone else instead of each other. We worked on a lot of things like defense, execution and it was good to get out there and play."
Last season, Denson averaged 8.7 points per game and looks to be one of the main leaders on the team this year.
When asked about Denson's game, Barbee responded by saying that Denson is a threat to score 20 on any given night.
The Tigers' second and final exhibition game came against the Bahamas All-Stars on Aug. 9 in Nassau. The Tigers again had an impressive game, winning 88-60.
Junior guard KT Harrell led the Tigers with 21 points.
Harrell, who was named the 2010 Gatorade Alabama Basketball Player of the Year at Montgomery's Brewbaker Technology Magnet High School, redshirted last year after transferring from the University of Virginia.
The Tigers also showed defensive prowess, with senior center Asauhn Dixon-Tatum getting nine rebounds.
The 7-footer averaged 3.3 rebounds per game last season after transferring from Chattahoochee Technical College. During the 2011-12 season at Chattahoochee Tech, Dixon-Tatum was 5th in the NJCAA D-I with 11.8 rebounds per game, while leading the conference with 5.4 blocks per game.
(08/27/13 2:44pm)
Whether the Auburn-Alabama football rivalry will ever fade is unknown, but Deb Hiett is doing what she can to show people it doesn't always have to end with poisoned trees.
Hiett has been on television shows such as "Parks and Recreation," "The Office," "Prison Break," "Desperate Housewives" and "Boston Legal," but she has recently chosen to write a book.
Hiett said the idea for her book, "When Mommy Loves Bama and Daddy Loves Auburn," popped into her head when she was reading a blog post comment where the user said how much college football fans across the country hate the SEC.
Her feelings toward the user's comment triggered the idea of a children's book.
Hiett was raised in a house divided, with her mom being an Alabama alumna and her father, an Auburn alumnus.
She recalled being sent over to the neighbors house the day of the Iron Bowl because her parents didn't want to upset the children with their reactions to the game.
This inspired her to write a story about children living in a household divided by sports teams.
"I wrote it from the kid's perspective of growing up inside of the biggest rivalry in college football. It's important, I think, to be really passionate about sports," Hiett said.
"Last fall, I actually had neighbors here in Los Angeles come over to check on me because of all the screaming that was going on on Saturdays, but it's also important to maintain some perspective and kindness and joy."
Her book follows the ritual of college football game days, from the certain foods that fans like to eat to the clothes and chairs that they choose specifically for that day.
Hiett included references to Toomer's Drugstore, Niffer's Place and popular Tuscaloosa eateries such as The Globe Restaurant and Dreamland Bar-B-Que.
These are things she learned growing up, and these are the things the children in the book see.
The book's illustrator, Amy Lynn Stevenson, said she used special techniques to put the focus on the children.
The illustrations don't show the parents' faces, but instead the story is told through the children's faces and reactions.
This was Stevenson's first time illustrating a book.
She said while she found it challenging, she enjoyed it by the end.
"(Hiett) had in mind kind of a 50s era golden book," Stevenson said. "It was very fun for me to kind of come up with these very kind of perfectly cherubic kind of little kids."
Chad Gibbs, columnist for Opelika-Auburn News, wrote a column about Hiett's book and said it portrayed a serious rivalry from a hilarious perspective that makes it easier for kids to understand.
"If a children's book will prevent someone from poisoning trees 60 years down the road, maybe it's a good thing," Gibbs said.
Gibbs described Hiett's book as clever and funny, but appropriate for all ages.
"The thing I really liked about it is that it tries to be kind of inclusive," Gibbs said. "It's not one side bashing the other side, it's kind of trying to bring people together and not attacking each other."
"Bridesmaids" actress Wendi McLendon-Covey gave the book a positive review.
"This is a frank and honest look at an age old rivalry that has torn families apart," McLendon-Covey said. "Not since the East/West Coast Swing Dancing Wars has an American pastime caused so much grief. Now the healing can begin. Knowledge is power."
Hiett's book is available in the Auburn University bookstore and Amazon.com.
For more information about Deb Hiett, or to order the book, visit DebHiett.com.
(08/30/13 10:31pm)
Some people collect baseball cards or stamps, but Saturday, Aug. 24 Liz Ball collected stories.
Ball, junior psychology, was at Toomer's Corner collecting stories from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday.
The story collection was for International Story Day, an event promoted by The Strangers Project. The Stranger Project is a collection of handwritten, anonymous stories meant to emphasize human connection.
"All I want to do is collect some stories," Ball said.
Ultimately, Ball collected more than 30 anonymous stories from strangers, although the initial going was slow.
"It's not a very busy day," Ball said. "We're not a big party, but I think we're doing pretty well."
The original Strangers Project was New York-based, and Ball said an average day could produce 40-80 stories.
"Auburn is not New York," Ball said. "But I think we're doing very well."
The stories Ball collected will ultimately be uploaded to StoriesOfAuburn.Tumblr.com and be available to the public.
One of the stories collected came courtesy of Vicki Hoehn, sophomore pre-med.
Hoehn heard about the event through Tumblr, and she decided she had a story to share.
Hoehn also said that she felt motivated to contribute a story because she runs the Tumblr 100 Strangers of Auburn, another project that aims to make strangers less strange.
She was not specific about her story's content, but Hoehn did say sharing it was a relief.
"I just told something I wouldn't feel comfortable sharing with my friends," Hoehn said. "I feel better now."
Ball said the anonymity of the project allows people to share things they otherwise would not share.
Ball planned and organized International Story Day herself, but throughout the day Ball was accompanied by friends and volunteers.
Will Scott, sophomore in molecular biology, was on hand helping to collect stories and even went on a lunch run.
"Liz is a friend of mine," Scott said. "So I offered to come sit and help out."
Scott also said that it was fascinating to hear strangers' stories.
"One woman said she lived on Magnolia in the '60s," Scott said. "It was interesting to hear how Auburn's changed."
Ball said the variety of stories received really made International Story Day an interesting undertaking.
"Everyone has a story," Ball said. "Everyone has something to share."
Ball said she felt the event will help underline common experience, and help encourage a sense of community connection.
"I really think sharing stories will help people see similarities in others' experiences," Ball said.
(08/18/13 8:45pm)
The tiring week of Fall 2013 Sorority Recruitment came to an end on August 18, but also was just the beginning for many newly recruited women.
The excitement took over the girls as they were introduced to their new sorority sisters.
"Bid day is a memorable day for those women who join sororities," said Jill Moore, director of Greek Life. "Bid day is when a new sorority member can meet the other members of her new member class and get into being a sorority member, rather than just learning about sororities."
Reflecting over the past week, Emma Fuchs, freshman in nursing said she would not change a thing about her recruitment experience and gives advice to those going through it in the future.
"Just to be yourself because you don't want to be in a sorority where you can't be yourself," Fuchs said. "You have to go through it and be the best that you can be because they want you for who you are."
The long week exhausted Morgan Satterfield, freshman in biomedical science, which made her think of possible changes she would have made if she knew what she was in for.
"I would probably try to get more sleep and be more open-minded," Satterfield said.
Ashley Roberson, sophomore in exercise science and kinesiology thought the recruitment process was a well-rounded experience.
"Day 1 was really exciting and really loud," Roberson said. "Day 2 was fun too because you were learning what the sororities support. Also seeing the different attitudes and personalities in the different sororities on Skit Day was fun, but seeing the serious side of it was fun too."
Although most of the potential new members going through recruitment are freshman, some are sophomores.
Lynley Garner, sophomore in sociology, said the week turned out to be more difficult than she anticipated, but she was able to stay positive throughout the whole experience.
"Rushing as a sophomore was challenging because a lot of sororities don't like to take sophomores, so after the first cut, I got cut by 12 and then I got cut by four more, so I literally had one left the last three rounds of Rush and it was really nerve-wracking, but it all turned out really well," Garner said.
The Pi Chi groups, groups of potential new members that go to sorority parties together, offer support during the rush process.
"Other girls are going to look to you for support because you're rushing with the same group of girls, so you have to be supportive of your friends and your sisters," Garner said.
Although approximately 60 women received bids at each sorority, some women did not receive a bid at all or dropped throughout recruitment for various reasons.
"If someone really wants to join a sorority, I encourage her to learn about the other ways to join during the year, specifically Continuous Open Bidding, in which some sororities will offer a few more bids," Moore said.
(07/21/13 1:00pm)
A 15-minute drive from Auburn's campus is the Food Bank of East Alabama.
According to Feeding America, in 2011, 49 million people, who is more than 15 percent of the population, lived in poverty. Fifty million Americans lived in food insecure households, with 33.5 million being adults and 16.7 million being children.
According to the FBEA, in America, one in six adults and one in four children deal with hunger and food insecurity everyday. Food insecurity means people are unsure of where their next meal comes from or lacks the access to adequate nutrition.
The food bank's work is to resolve that issue by collecting and distributing food to agencies in contact with those in need.
Martha Henk has heroically led the FBEA for the last 18 years. Her daily 6 a.m. routine can be compared to missionary work.
She works with 190 agencies and oversees the distribution of approximately 5 million pounds of food. They average approximately 360,000 pounds per month, which is the equivalent of 14 fully loaded 18-wheelers.
"My food bank basically is involved with feeding people," Henk said. "Our job is to gather together the best supply of food that we can - donated food - and then make that available to churches and nonprofit organizations that have some kind of outreach. We help to supply them with food."
FBEA warehouse consists of 20,000 square feet with three loading docks, a salvage and repackaging center and a shopping area. The 25,000 cubic feet refrigerator houses perishables such as mangos and peppers.
It operates with four trucks and a van for deliveries.
"A lot of times people come in and they walk into the warehouse in the back and they see it's not just a few can goods sitting on a shelf," Henk said. "They have this picture that it's a food pantry where needy people come in, they pick a few little cans and then they leave and not realize it is actually much larger than that."
Henk said more than 60 percent of their agencies rely on the Food Bank of East Alabama for 100 percent of their food supply.
The Food Bank is stocked by local grocery stores such as Kroger, Winn-Dixie and Publix; food and financial donations, food drives like Beat Bama and surpluses from restaurants such as Panera Bread. The "best buy," "best sold by" and "best used by" dates on boxes force establishments to discard their food. In reality, it is still edible and may be donated to the Food Bank.
"[We] get product that is close to its 'use-by date' - it's usually perishable food - and then we bring it back here and sort it, organize it and get it out as quickly as we can," Henk said.
Henk lends the success of FBEA to the staff. They work with 27 people with 20-30 volunteers.
"Most of us are strongly motivated by the idea that we want to make a difference and we want to help people," Henk said.
Tony Laney, salvage director, begins the food processing. The salvage department ensures that food is fit for consumption. He organizes and inspects each donation. He works with the volunteers to box all foods for storage. After the food is inspected it is separated into different categories. Then, the food is put into boxes and recorded.
"We check for expiration dates, check for leakages, make sure there is not damage to the product and then we'll put it in a case," Laney said. "The case is then put on a palate. After we have a full palate of a product, then it's recorded and we take it to the back of the warehouse and it's slotted. Once it's slotted, at the end of the day, it's recorded onto our hard drive and customers can go check our food list online, and they can order the product from there."
Each case's content is gauged by weight, and weights vary by product. Laney said on a slow day he packages approximately 60,000 pounds of food.
"Our hands touch everything that's donated," Laney said.
Food that doesn't pass is taken to the compost. The Food Bank stays true that nothing should ever go to waste.
Kevin Thomas, distribution manager, is the next step. He packages and distributes each order and is the last stop before the truck.
Thomas's area comprises six rows, three-tiers high of cases and pallets. This area is the main source of noise in the warehouse. At any moment a machine is sorting, stacking or loading a delivery.
"The main thing we do is get the food out to the people," Thomas said. "Everyday we come in and we're pretty much pulling orders for that day and the next day and the rest of the week."
Thomas keeps everything tidy and follows strict regulations for stocking. Thomas interacts with the customers firsthand. He said meat and bread are always highest in demand.\0x2028 His favorite part is customer interaction. He said he makes a point to get to know everyone that comes through.\0x2028The food bank is a facet of Feeding America, a national organization founded in 1967 by John van Hengel.
When van Hengel struck up a conversation with a mother of seven living on the streets of Phoenix, Ariz., he was inspired to create the first food bank. In more than 50 years, it has grown to more than 200 food banks across the United States.
FBEA is one of eight in the Alabama Food Bank Association. Altogether, the state's food banks deliver more than 30 million pounds of food per year to those in need. FBEA services the populations of east and central Alabama.
After the food is loaded on to the trucks, it is taken to 190 churches, nonprofits and markets around eastern Alabama to be distributed to the food insecure. Henk said the level of need has only risen in the last few years due to hard economic times, but remains faithful that one day food insecurity could be cured.
(07/07/13 6:12pm)
The International Senior Softball Association (ISSA), along with the City of Auburn, is set to host the U.S. Southern Championships at the Auburn Softball Complex July 12-14.
There are 23 senior teams in eight divisions that will compete in the tournament, and the winners will earn a chance to compete in the ISF/ISSA World Tournament of Champions January 24-26 in Tampa, Fla.
Tournament play will begin at 11 a.m. Friday, July 12, and will conclude with a game Sunday, July 14, that is set to begin at 10:30 a.m.
The teams consist of players in the 50+, 55+, 60+, 65+, 70+ and 75 and older age groups.
Admission is free all three days, and more information about the ISSA can be found at seniorsoftball.org.
(06/20/13 9:00pm)
Unless you are a professor, a member of the administrative staff, or have a building named after you or your family, parking on campus is a task best left to fools and madmen.
Parking services has no qualms about issuing tickets with inflated values. They'll even put a wheel lock on your car if you have more than two tickets, despite the fact it keeps your vehicle in the forbidden space longer. Sure, the people who work for parking services, the ones who give out the tickets, are only doing their jobs. It's not their fault parking on campus is an atrocity. They need to work like everybody else.
Don Andrae, manager of parking services and member of the Traffic and Safety Committee, said, "We've lost 3,000 spaces in five years... There are only 10,000 spaces for 26,000 students and 6,000 faculty."
The Traffic and Parking Committee, comprised of students, faculty and staff, definitely deserves some of the blame. They started the process of change claiming they wanted to make things better, and they came out giving us the metaphorical finger.
Yet, we bought it, and we're still buying it. We've allowed parking enforcement and regulation to become a big business. So we deserve the rest of the blame.
"I would be the first to admit that we have a problem. But we have to work together to satisfy student requirements," said Andrae.
Perhaps it's complacency, perhaps most of us just like giving money to the University, the answer isn't clear. What is clear is the current parking system is a quagmire of arbitrary space designations and unfair policing of those spaces. Do we need so many A and B lots? What's wrong with driving on Mell Street. between 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m.? Why can A and B permit holders park in C lots?
Registration for 2013-2014 permits begins July 1. You could pay the $60 for a C or $160 to be put in the lottery for a PC permit, or you could send the Traffic and Parking Committee an email demanding change. You could even say you won't purchase a pass until the cost for a permit is lowered to its 2010 price of $30 for a C permit. If you feel like it, remind them tuition has been increased, and there is less money to go around. After all, that's what this all about: money.
"We don't make any money from tickets," Andrae said.
According to Andrae, the current parking system has caused a reduction in the amount of money brought in by tickets, money which is put into the University's general fund, and that is a sign of the systems effectiveness.
For the 2011-12 academic year, Parking Services had a revenue of $611,000 from tickets. As opposed to the current 2012-13 academic year in which they only received $426,729.
"If anything, I should be hearing from the upper administration for losing money," Andrae said.
There are most certainly not enough spaces to go around. But controlling those spaces with a bureaucratic enforcement agency only serves to demean those of us who have to commute because they can't wait on a bus that takes thirty minutes to go just a few miles. We are more than willing to work with the Traffic and Parking Committee, but it has to show initiative too.
Having five students on your committee does not accurately represent the larger student voice. Asking us to rely more on Tiger Transit when the busses are anything but reliable is not right. They say they are always working to improve, so let's keep them on task.
(05/31/13 5:00pm)
Inspiration hit author Brian Anderson for a young adult fantasy novel series, The Godling Chronicles, when his then 7-year-old son approached him with a story idea.
(04/29/13 5:12am)
The Auburn University Medical Clinic has recently added the Patient Portal, a secure Internet link to the clinic that allows students to access their lab reports, refill their medication, make appointments, send questions to their doctor or nurse, check to see what medications they are taking and pay their bill.
(04/13/13 6:40am)
Auburn UPC's most recent Tiger Nights event, Cirque d' Auburn, entranced audiences and raised the standard for student events to new heights. The Cirque du Soleil inspired circus and carnival event took place Friday, April 12 at the student center from 7:00 p.m.-midnight.
(02/24/13 3:46pm)
Auburn's men's track and field team ranked sixth at the SEC indoor championship meet the weekend of Feb. 22-24 at the Randal Tyson Track Center in the University of Arkansas.
(04/05/13 6:59pm)
As players ran suicides in the team's indoor training facility Friday morning, Gus Malzahn paced around the middle of the field repeating two points as players got within earshot.
(03/25/13 1:21am)
After Tyrese Tanner scored a career-high 29 points in Auburn's first-round WNIT victory over UAB, it was now Hasina Muhammad's turn.
(03/22/13 3:07am)
An upcoming race in Opelika is giving participants a new, unique way to connect with others.The annual Two by Two Unity Run/Walk/Wheel Event is sponsored by Envision Opelika and will take place Saturday, April 6.
(03/22/13 1:57am)
The 14th annual Flapjack Fest and Silent Auction took place Thursday, March 7 at the Foy Hall Food Court from 6-8 p.m.
Tickets were $5 and all proceeds went toward the Ryan F. Chandler Memorial Scholarship Endowment Fund. Five dollars provided attendees with all you can eat pancakes, bacon and sausage.
The purpose of the fundraiser was to ensure that the scholarship is self-sustaining for years to come.
Sodexo and Chartwells, a private food company, donated all of the food for the event.
Ryan Chandler was an Auburn University camp counselor in 1995, the first year that Camp War Eagle was the orientation program on campus. Chandler died four years later in the summer of 1999. His family set up the endowment fund in his honor after his death.
The scholarship fund is awarded to a student in the college of science and mathematics.
"We are here to raise money for the scholarships, and keep Ryan's name and his memory alive," said Mark Armstrong, director of First Year Experience. "We kind of tagged on and said we need to do something as a program to honor his memory."
First Year Experience is involved in many areas of orientation including Camp War Eagle, SOS, first year university seminar courses and the learning community program.
In the spring of 2000, First Year Experience created the Flapjack Fest and Silent Auction. Over the last 14 years, the event has raised more than $60,000 toward the scholarship fund.
Armstrong said the goal was to keep growing the endowment fund so that more students can receive scholarships.
The Foy Hall Food Court was so full that people were standing and eating their food because no more seats were available.
"More than 600 tickets were pre-sold, or sold at the door," said Melissa Dunn, assistant director of First Year Experience, exceeding the original expectation of 400 tickets.
Josh Huggins, head camp counselor and senior in music education, said that three rotations of staff were used during the event.
"We've actually had counselors cooking the pancakes, bacon and sausage in the arena all afternoon," Huggins said.
Sixty-two counselors participated in the preparation and management of the event, including 36 camp counselors, 20 parent counselors and six head counselors.
"That's our whole staff that we'll use throughout the whole entire summer," Huggins said.
George Merriam, junior in public relations, was the first student through the line to get pancakes.
"I'm thinking of going back and getting some more flappies," Merriam said. "I've only had 10."
Merriam said he stayed away from the sausage because it would take up too much space in his stomach and attributes his consumption quantity to his friends helping him keep pace.
The silent auction offered an alternative way for participants to show their support of the event.
"The silent auction is going on and it's all stuff that has either been made or donated, ranging from personal paintings to a football signed by Pat Dye," Huggins said.
The camp counselors were responsible for getting together most of the items that would be auctioned off.
Some of this year's contributions included a panorama photograph of Jordan-Hare Stadium, paintings done by faculty, hand-made jewelry and numerous Auburn memorabilia items.
The photograph of Jordan-Hare Stadium was the highest-grossing item at $70.
Dunn estimated that more than $3,000 was raised by the Flapjack Fest and Silent Auction in support of the scholarship fund.
"I'm grateful for anyone who comes out and takes part in it," Armstrong said.
(03/22/13 1:53am)
Cameron Doody and Stephen Vlahos, two Auburn alumni, have put an end to every college students' moving day hassle. The duo co-founded Campus Bellhops, a moving service for students.
(03/21/13 10:30pm)
The learning experience is as life altering for the professors as it is for the pupils when the classrooms are set in prisons across central and northern Alabama.
(03/08/13 5:05am)
The 14th annual Flapjack Fest and Silent Auction took place Thursday, March 7 at the Foy Hall Food Court from 6-8 p.m.
Tickets were $5, and all proceeds went toward the Ryan Chandler Memorial Scholarship Endowment Fund. Five dollars provided attendees with all-you-can-eat pancakes, bacon and sausage.
Sodexo and Chartwells, a private food company, donated all of the food for the event.
Ryan Chandler was an Auburn University camp counselor during the first Camp War Eagle orientation program in 1995, but died four years later in the summer of 1999. Chandler's family set up the endowment fund in his honor after his death.
"We are here to raise money for the scholarships and keep Ryan's name and his memory alive," said Mark Armstrong, director of the First Year Experience. "We kind of tagged on and said, 'We need to do something as a program to honor his memory.'"
First Year Experience is involved in many areas of orientation, including Camp War Eagle, SOS, first year University seminar courses and the learning community program.
In the spring of 2000, the First Year Experience created the Flapjack Fest and Silent Auction. During the last 14 years, the event has raised more than $60,000 toward the scholarship fund.
Armstrong anticipated selling approximately 400 tickets for the Flapjack Fest event.He said the goal was to keep growing the endowment fund so more and more students can receive scholarships.
Josh Huggins, head camp counselor and senior in music education, said three rotations of staff were used during the event.
"We've actually had counselors cooking the pancakes, bacon and sausage in the arena all afternoon," Huggins said.
Sixty-two counselors participated in the preparation and management of the event, including 36 camp counselors, 20 parent counselors and six head counselors.
"That's our whole staff that we'll use throughout the whole entire summer," Huggins said.
George Merriam, junior in public relations, was the first student through the line to get pancakes.
"I'm thinking of going back and getting some more flappies," Merriam said. "I've only had 10."
Merriam said he stayed away from the sausage because it would take up too much space in his stomach and attributes his consumption quantity to his friends helping him keep pace.
The silent auction offered an alternative way for participants to show their support of the event.
"The silent auction is going on, and it's all stuff that has either been made or donated, ranging from personal paintings to a football signed by Pat Dye," Huggins said.
In addition, a panorama picture of Jordan-Hare Stadium was one of the items being auctioned off. The counselors hoped the picture would fetch more than $100.
It's important to note that camp counselors are different than student recruiters; however, both groups work together to make students and parents feel at ease.
"For the parents, it's about giving them a lot of comfort," said Meagan Campbell, parent counselor and sophomore in business.
Safety was cited as the biggest concern of all parents, who want to be reassured that their children are safe at Auburn University.
In addition, the camp counselors ensure that parents have a level of familiarity with Auburn's campus.
"They're introduced to some of the offices around campus and things that they need to know," said Brett Findley, head parent counselor and sophomore in organismal biology.
Camp counselors have similar goals for incoming freshmen.
"Our main goal is to make sure students come here their freshman year completely prepared and not lost," said Taylor Akers, camp counselor and sophomore in pre-communication. "They know where they should be going and hopefully where some of their classes will be located."
The camp counselors said they enjoyed what they do, and loved being able to give back by supporting a great cause.
"I'm grateful for anyone who comes out and takes part in it," Armstrong said. "We're happy to feed part of the Auburn family."
