Vol. 9, Issue 2

backdrop magazine

b Joseph Whitefeather’s Native Melodies

...And They Lived Happily Ever Athens

Union Street: Recovering From the Flames

Winter break Countdown: 6 Can’t-Miss Events

Contact Alecia Moquin 740.592.5262 or 740.591.6498 alecia@diversifiedproperties.net

28 N. College St. 18 Blick Ave. AVAILABLE MAY 2015 Like new! 3 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath townhouses featuring spacious open & bright floor plan, onsite parking with garage, deck and much more. Close to everything… bike path, OU, O’Bleness Hospital, easy access to all major highways.

30 Blick Ave.

Providing quality residential rental properties to the Athens Community for over 25 years!

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Floor plans, photos and more information at www.diversifiedproperties.net Fun fact goes here Fun fact goes here Fun fact goes here

80 Mill St. Apts. 1,2,3

3 bedroom, 1 1/2 bath house located at the end of a quiet southside street, central air, washer/dryer, plenty of offstreet parking.

4 bedrooms, central air, onsite parking for all residents, private back patio, close to everything.

77 N. Congress St.

Like new! 2 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath townhouses featuring spacious open & bright floor plan, onsite parking with garage, deck and much more. Close to everything… bike path, OU, O’Bleness Hospital, easy access to all major highways.

19 Herrold Ave.

22 Blick Ave.

16 Blick Ave.

5 Atlantic Ave.

21 Herrold Ave.

Incredible central uptown Athens location!

15 person occupancy, parking included.

4 bedroom, 1 1/2 bath house.

Great uptown location, large front porch, central air, washer/dryer, onsite parking for all residents.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Hey guys! I hope you are all surviving the end of fall semester! Between Thanksgiving and finals coming up, the first half of the academic year flew by all too quickly.

If you’re looking for a few fun events to close out the semester, check out this issue’s On the Bricks (Page 16). This quarterly guide has all you need to know to enjoy Athens before 2015 ends.

One of the most memorable days of 2015 was Nov. 16 — that date marks the anniversary of the morning that rocked the Athens community. The Union Street fire affected multiple local businesses and many people. The aftermath of the flames brought the community together and strengthened it in a new way. Chris Manning delves into the ashes to see how the community is recovering and the effects that day had on Athens (Page 22).

Not only is this community resilient beyond belief, but it also shows support in its own way. Athens sports a distinctive community-sponsored miniature golf course, which brings local business directly to the green and also provides work opportunities for those with developmental disabilities (Page 36).

If you needed any other reason to fall in love with Athens, Alexandra Greenberg tells the stories of three Bobcat couples who returned to the bricks for their green and white weddings (Page 34). Although I know that was an incredibly cheesy description, those love stories are so perfect, they call for all the cheesy-ness.

From diverse local fitness options (Page 40) to a globally recognized graduate program (Page 14), this issue has a little bit of everything and we hope you enjoy it!

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

SEE THE PHOTO STORY

Healing

Rebecca Zook

A member of the Lakota tribe opens up about his Native American flute collection.

MANAGING EDITOR

Emily McIntyre

ASST. MANAGING EDITOR

22 From Ashes

Kaitlyn Pacheco

ASSOCIATE EDITORS

One year later, three business owners are still rebuilding after the fire on Union Street.

Amanda Weisbrod & Andrew Downing COPY CHIEF

Alexandra Greenberg COPY TEAM Madison Eblen, Hayley Harding, Elizabeth Harper, Max Catalano

ON THE COVER

Michelle Jacobson, Jack Hurley, Madeline Keener, Maddie Schroeder

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CREATIVE DIRECTOR

backdrop magazine

Karlee Proctor

ART DIRECTORS

Andie Danesi & Lizzie Settineri Rebecca Zook Editor-in-Chief backdropmag@gmail.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FEATURES » 18 In the Key of

CONTRIBUTORS

Cheers,

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PAGE 30

MARKETING & AD DESIGNER

Natasha Ringnalda

DESIGN TEAM Lindsey Tennent, Meredith Kern, Emily Caruso, Samantha Güt, Danielle Young

PHOTO EDITOR

Jilly Burns

Joseph Whitefeather’s Native Melodies

...And They Lived Happily Ever Athens

Union Street: Recovering From the Flames

Winterbreak Countdown: 6 Can’t-Miss Events

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34

22

16

ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

Brianna Griesinger

Cover photo by Jilly Burns Cover design by Karlee Proctor

Follow us on Twitter @BackdropMag

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FALL 2015 » VOLUME 9 ISSUE 2

Fun fact goes here Fun fact goes here Fun fact goes here

www.backdropmagazine.com

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PUBLISHER

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Q&A »

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Adam McConville ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

Briana Ekanem

DIRECTOR OF MEMBER RELATIONS

Tricia Tighe

DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC RELATIONS

Samantha Pelham EVENT COORDINATOR

Gabby Hollowell

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WEB EDITOR

Alexandra Greenberg VIDEOGRAPHER

A Look Beyond the Shades One man shares how sunglasses inspired him to start his own business.

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Sporting the Best

WEB MANAGING EDITOR ASSOCIATE WEB EDITOR

Music and fashion collide on State Street.

Power Forward

Chris Manning Cheyenne Buckingham

The Complete Ensemble

SPORTS »

SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR

Mackenzie Smith

A student uses yoga and meditation to support domestic abuse victims.

Bobcats women’s basketball is ready to conquer another title this season.

Ohio University’s world-ranked graduate program immerses students into Ohio Athletics as part of the learning experience.

INFOGRAPHIC » 16

Marcus Meston

On the Bricks Cross some activities off your fall semester bucket list before leaving for winter break.

FOOD » Want an advertisement in Backdrop?

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Simply send an email to backdropadvertising@ gmail.com to get started.

Interested in working with us?

Stop by one of our weekly meetings on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. in Scripps 114

FALL 2015 » VOLUME 9 ISSUE 2

PHOTO STORY » 30

West Green Cuisine From healthier options to an upscale atmosphere, West Green Market District brings a fresh approach to campus dining.

RECIPE » 28

Seasonal Sweets Warm up with these easy-tomake treats.

Westside Community Gardens Green thumbs of Athens plant, nurture and care for the several dozen plots that make up the Westside Community Gardens.

THE DROP »

Zachary Berry BRAND STRATEGIST

Breathe and Release

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LEGACY » 34

I Do, OU Read about Bobcats who fell in love at Ohio University and tied the knot in Athens.

ENTERTAINMENT » 36

Putting People First Athens’ only putt-putt course offers help and fun.

SEX & HEALTH » 38

Performance Ready Find out where injured actors, dancers and band members rehab before their next performances.

FITNESS » 40

Strength in Unity Discover the new ways women are working out on campus.

EXHIBIT A » 42

The Color Palate Read about a fellow student’s experience with synesthesia.

PHOTO HUNT » 44

Spot the differences at Backdrop’s production week!

? Q&A

BREATHE and

R EL E ASE

Erin McCloskey uses her role as an Albert Schweitzer Fellow to help victims of domestic abuse through yoga and meditation techniques.

BY KAITLYN PACHECO PHOTO PROVIDED BY ERIN MCCLOSKEY What do you hope to achieve in your work as an Albert Schweitzer Fellow?

Erin McCloskey: Working on this project with the support of the Schweitzer Fellowship has given me the opportunity to connect with other students, as well as receive guidance from previous fellows and local leaders. Upon graduating from the counseling program at Ohio University, I hope to combine two things I love: counseling and yoga. This project could potentially lead to something wonderful I can share with the profession.

How did you develop the concept to integrate yoga and meditation into the counseling of victims of domestic abuse?

EM: The inspiration for this project stemmed from the healing I found through my own yoga practice. This led me to seek out research that has been done about the effectiveness of yoga on stress, anxiety and other symptoms with groups such as veterans and children. I believe in the power of movement and the breath to mend the body, mind and spirit … Survivors of domestic violence or individuals that have experienced trauma can have symptoms that include anxiety, stress, trouble sleeping and a variety of physical concerns. The qualities of a yoga practice can give them control of their bodies and minds – it can be an empowering experience.

How have yoga and meditation impacted your life?

What motivated you to share these teachings with the community?

EM: Yoga has been a beautiful internal practice for me, and it has been a platform in which I have had the opportunity to connect with a community of inspiring practitioners and teachers. My hope is to introduce yoga to others that may not have the financial ability to attend a yoga class at a studio, or may be intimidated by what they think yoga is … You don’t have to be able to touch your toes to do yoga. If you can breathe, you can do yoga.

Please describe what you do at EVE Inc. EM: A class will always include breath work. I believe it is one of the most important components of each class because of the way the breath can impact the mind-body physiology. I’ll share one of my favorites; it is a simple two-to-one breath. In twoto-one breathing, the exhale is twice the length of the inhale.

Slowing the exhale will stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, calming us down. We also practice chair or gentle yoga postures that are accessible to most bodies, movement with the breath, relaxation, meditation and visualization exercises.

What changes or reactions have you seen from victims after learning your techniques?

EM: Participants have enjoyed the meditations that include visualization, progressive relaxation and learning different pranayama or breathing exercises. Sometimes they are surprised by how accessible yoga feels once they give it a try.

I also feel I should clarify regarding the techniques. They are not mine — they are thousands of years old and have been passed down from experienced teachers. They have been practiced this long because individuals have found they work for them on some level. That is why I hope to share them with people in the community. b

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THE DROP

The Complete Ensemble A shop on State Street brings together an unlikely pairing of music and fashion.

BY MICHELLE JACOBSON | PHOTOS BY BRIANNA GRIESINGER

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or Joel Lensch, when it comes to seeking out an aspiration and career move, the attitude is, “why not?”

Because of that, it didn’t take much consideration for him to decide to become the sole owner and operator of his own business. Joel celebrated the grand opening of Fiddle and Bow in December of 2014 and it’s unlike any other store in Athens.

Located on 77 ½ E. State St., the quaint shop is home to an assortment of violins and fashion accessories. It represents a blend of music and fashion, with shelves covered in hats, bowties and a collection of fiddles.

For Joel, opening his own store was the natural thing to do. His background in playing the fiddle led him toward an interest in learning more about the instrument and how it’s constructed.

“After I started playing a fiddle, I started reading about it. I

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bought a book about the making of it and that got me a little more interested and I just said, ‘What the heck,’ ” he says.

Displayed on the back wall of the shop are several refurbished violins, including one on the end that is particularly special to the owner. Joel handcrafted this violin himself and it represents the first creation for his business.

In order to string together a good business plan, he knew that his shop had to incorporate a variety of products. Since he couldn’t get away with only selling violins, Joel found other items that sparked his enthusiasm. Noting that fashion and music were deeply intertwined, he decided to sell cabbie hats, fedoras, ties and other accessories as a way to draw in more customers.

When he first opened the store, the back room was used as a workshop to repair and craft violins. After realizing that his setup at home was more ideal, the instruments were

moved and replaced by the handmade bowties and neckties that now take up half the space at Fiddle and Bow. Just as Joel learned to craft and repair violins, he taught himself how to make the ties through researching and watching videos.

“I figured it wouldn’t be that difficult to make.

It’s neat to figure out what goes into all of the things we wear and everything else,” Joel says.

In addition to clothing and instruments, the store also displays some miscellaneous items made from other local community members.

Joel includes art pieces, journals and headbands to add variety to his sales.

“I think what makes it special is Joel’s genuine interest in everything he puts in the shop,” adds Miriam Lensch, his wife. “I think when you go into a place like that, you can get drawn into the owner’s interests and you share something. That might be what’s special about small local businesses in general — they don’t pander, they share.”

Joel admits that the idea to open up his own shop was always in the back of his mind. After moving to Athens when Miriam accepted a job at Ohio University, he decided to put this idea into action. Once he saw a place available for rent, he jumped on the chance to launch his business.

“It was still a lot of work, but once I saw this place and it was pretty affordable, it was just a matter of committing to it,” he says.

Joel focused on making Fiddle and Bow a store that offers a little bit of everything, including the opportunity for students to take violin lessons. Although some people don’t initially know what the store is, curiosity alone draws customers inside.

One of his favorite parts about his work is the opportunity to create custom orders. In one instance, a little girl came into the store excited about the bowties and wanted one of her own. Seeing her enthusiasm, Joel decided he wanted to give the girl her own tie, so he custom fit and fashioned one especially for her.

“That’s what I would like to do more of, is the custom fit type things. It’s just very cool to be able to do that,” Joel says.

As the store continues to grow, he hopes to include a series of handmade hats and a selection for women in the shop.

“For the future, I hope that we can grow it enough to give back a little,” Miriam says. “Something I admire about local businesses in the area is their high level of community involvement.”

Looking back at the process of opening Fiddle and Bow, Joel admits that he still has much to figure out, but is grateful that he took the chance to open his own store.

“A lot of people who want to start a business will just wait,” he says. “And that’s what I did, but there’s never just going to be that right time, so go ahead and try it. That’s a lesson for everybody.” b

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THE DROP

A Look Beyond the

Shades

A local entrepreneur refuses to let his disability hold him back.

including a collection of Schoonover’s sunglasses and T-shirts.

“The idea would be that Dan could volunteer some time and see if that is something that he does want to do and is able to do,” Dennis says.

Wags and Whiskers would give Schoonover an experience similar to that of owning his own store without the stress of keeping up a storefront by himself. Determined to achieve all of his goals, he has encouraged the project since the beginning.

After all, a good businessman never wastes an opportunity.

Since starting Shady Dan’s Sunglasses, Schoonover’s sense of self has flourished.

“His identity, I would say, is incorporated into the business,” Dennis says with a grin. “He is ‘Shady Dan.’ ” b

BY MADELINE KEENER | PHOTOS BY KRYSTINA BEACH

D

an Schoonover sits at a table with his iPad in front of him.

Gazing at all of the faces around him, he smiles warmly.

He presses a button on the tablet and a voice says, “Those sunglasses look great on you.”

Schoonover owns and operates his own wholesale shop, Shady Dan’s Sunglasses. The Athens County native started the business in early 2011 with help from the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD).

Ask Schoonover about his trade and his face lights up immediately, a smile spreading across his lips. “It takes a lot of time to do it. It’s fun,” he says.

Schoonover was born with cerebral palsy, which limits his physical and verbal capabilities. However, it does not hinder his resilience or determination by any means. His mother was told he would be lucky to make it to his 18th birthday, yet at 51 years old, Schoonover refuses to let his disability hold him back as he keeps looking to grow his business.

The nickname “Shady Dan” came from a few radio ads DODD paid for in the early days of his business. A group of people assisting Schoonover helped him make the radio spots and after his signature nickname appeared in the ads, it became part of his identity.

“His mom was the most [resistant], and you can imagine why,” Scott Dennis says with a laugh. “ ‘My son is not shady!’ she said.

But she bought into it without too much harm.”

One of the best examples of Schoonover’s determination is that while he now needs a wheelchair, he still manages to get around on his own by using his feet to scoot himself across a room. Although the going is slow, he never asks for help.

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Dan’s Sunglasses vends to are anything but typical – just like the styles Schoonover sells. Ranging from brightly colored wayfarers to sleek aviators, an array of different kinds of eyewear can be found on his racks.

The newest addition to the Shady Dan business is an original T-shirt. The new shirts sport a design inspired by the Breaking Bad character, Walter White, and are available in various colors.

“That’s been more popular as far as his T-shirt designs go,” Dennis says. “The initial printing of the T-shirts was only 24, and they all sold the first day at Atco.”

Atco Inc. is a corporation focused on employing those with developmental disabilities in the Athens area. For the past 26 years, Schoonover has worked for Atco, where he assembles ballpoint pens and participates in other arts and crafts that contribute to the community. He can also be found working at Passion Works, a branch of Atco on East State Street where he creates artwork for the gift shop.

In the future, Schoonover hopes to achieve his dream of opening his own store. And with the help of the Futures Planning program at Havar Inc., that just may be a possibility. The Futures Planning program focuses on helping those with disabilities achieve their dreams. For example, the program already helped Schoonover achieve both his dreams of flying in an airplane and seeing the ocean.

Although opening a Shady Dan’s Sunglasses shop may not be easy, Havar Inc. already has plans to convert part of its office into a small curiosity shop named Wags and Whiskers. The store would sell whatever odds and ends it could get in stock,

backdrop | Fall 2015

“He’s got this indomitable spirit. You know, he just doesn’t let his disability affect him too much,” says Dennis, a friend of Schoonover’s for 13 years.

The two met in the Athens chapter of People First, a group of selfadvocates promoting awareness for issues and legislation affecting those with disabilities in Ohio. Dennis works at Havar Inc., a local organization that helps those with developmental disabilities with daily tasks, finding jobs and other needed support.

In 2009, when the Athens chapter of People First needed to come up with a fundraiser for a convention, it was Dennis who pitched the idea to sell sunglasses, but it was Schoonover who passionately made the sales.

“Dan was so interested in manning the booth that he chose not to go to any of the sessions or the activities,” Dennis says. “He preferred to sit at the table and sell sunglasses, which was pretty neat. So that led us to the next year, just letting Dan treat it as a business.”

After another year working the sunglasses booth at the conference, Schoonover started his own business. He currently sells his sunglasses to several stores in the Athens area, including So Livi’s, Mother Earth Community Thrift Store, Rocky Boots in Nelsonville and Too Good to be Through in Little Hocking. Shady Dan’s Sunglasses is also looking to expand into various shops in Marietta, Ohio.

“He knows how to operate his business without question,” Dennis says. “I mean, when you go out with him, he’ll tell you what to do.”

Varying from boutiques to thrift shops, the stores that Shady

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SPORTS

POWER

FORWARD Ohio University women’s basketball returns to reach new levels of success for the second year in a row.

BY BRIANA EKANEM PHOTOS PROVIDED BY JEREMY KNAVEL & OHIO ATHLETICS

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s the clock counts down from 10 in Savage Arena in Toledo, Ohio on March 10, 2014, members of the Ohio University women’s basketball team glance up at the scoreboard. They can’t help but think of every loss they’ve suffered during the 2013-14 season as they watch it come to an end.

The Toledo squad screams louder every second that ticks by with the confidence that victory is theirs. As the buzzer sounds, the stadium roars with excitement and the Toledo women’s basketball team secures a 61-44 first-round win in the Mid-American Conference Tournament.

After finishing the 2013-14 season with an underwhelming winning percentage and yielding a 9-21 overall record, the Ohio women’s basketball team only had room to improve. By producing a nearly opposite record in the 2014-15 season and securing the title of MAC champions, the Bobcats did just that.

“We knew we had the talent, we just didn’t work hard enough,” senior guard Kiyanna Black says. “I think our biggest thing going into that summer was getting better at working hard.”

To conclude the 2014-15 season, Ohio garnered a 27-5 overall record and a 16-2 MAC record with a .843 winning percentage. On top of the impressive turnaround in its winning ratio, Ohio also made its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 20 seasons. The 2014-15 squad also secured the school record for most wins in a season while sitting in second in the record books for most consecutive wins with 10.

With the notable improvement the Bobcats pulled off in just one offseason, their success is not expected to stop there. After losing only one senior, Ohio can anticipate a similar perfor-

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mance from the experienced, record-breaking team.

“We’re a little bit more advanced because we have players returning, but I think otherwise, it’s business as usual,” says third-year head coach Bob Boldon. “We also have new players coming into the fold and players taking on new roles.”

Last year’s success came with individual achievements across the board. Black earned a spot in the 1,000-point club after last season when she added 512 points to her career total.

“I practice a lot, whether it’s in practice or in my free time,” Black says. “I shoot a lot of shots, so when I get in the game, I just shoot it until I make it.”

Black currently ranks third in 3-point field goals made with 203 and holds the top spot in 3-point field goals attempted with 648 in her career. Black’s 512 points last season rank seventh all-time in scoring during a single season, and she also broke the record for 3-point field goals after making 100 in one season.

Ohio’s key to success last season was its improvement in shooting, specifically from behind the arch. The Bobcats earned the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Shooting Award for most improved field-goal percentage following the 2014-15 season. The award came after Ohio set the all-time record for 3-pointers in a season, regardless of gender, with 296.

But the Bobcats won’t be able to secure another noteworthy season by relying on their shooting skills alone. With a competitive schedule including contests with Big Ten and SEC opponents, their head coach says they have a lot to improve before they’re ready to battle other experienced squads.

“There are a thousand things that we need to work on before we’re ready to play,” Boldon says.

For the 2015-16 season, Boldon and his coaching staff made

Statistics provided by ohiobobcats.com

strategic decisions when recruiting for the program. They made sure to add athletes with impressive statistics who also have room to grow and improve.

Athens High School graduate and freshman guard Dominique Doseck didn’t have to travel far to join in on the action.

In her time playing for Athens, Doseck broke the AHS scoring record with 1,777 points for the Bulldogs. Doseck also averaged 22 points per game in her senior season and garnered All-Ohio First Team honors.

“I think the freshman have done a tremendous job of learning,” Boldon says. “I love their skill set and I think they’re shooting well … but there’s a lot more to the game than that and that’s what we as coaches have got to teach.”

With a promising freshman class, Bobcat fans can look forward to Ohio’s success extending past the 2015-16 season.

Next year, the senior class will include eight returning players and the addition of junior point guard Taylor Agler.

Agler started her collegiate athletic career at Indiana University and helped the team earn a 21-13 overall record during her freshman season. The Westerville, Ohio native started in 34 games as a freshman and averaged 7.8 points per game. She also tied for the team lead in steals and finished the season second on the team in assists with 65.

With consistent shooters, experienced personnel and a promising incoming class, the Ohio women’s basketball program has the potential for even more success in the seasons to come.

“We want to try and win every game we play, and we won’t be undefeated at the end of the year, I’m sure, but that doesn’t mean that we’re not going to try to be,” Boldon says. “I don’t think those expectations will ever change.” b

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SPORTS

Sporting

THE BEST Ohio Athletics serves as a learning laboratory for globally recognized graduate students.

BY JACK HURLEY | PHOTOS BY MADDIE SCHROEDER

A

s they hear the sound of the Ohio University Marching 110 playing the fight song off in the distance, many students find themselves in a euphoric sense of excitement about what will unfold at today’s game. When fans arrive at Peden Stadium and get that first look of the hallowed green turf with the famous “Attack Cat” logo on the 50-yard line, they don’t think about what goes on behind the scenes, but only about the action on the field as the Bobcats raise the green and white above the rest. A lot more goes on out of public view than one might think, which raises a good question: what makes an Ohio University athletic event work? Well, the answer is simple: one of the best graduate programs for sports administration in the world.

Ohio University’s Sports Administration program is not only one of the highest-ranked programs in the country, but it’s also one of the highest-ranked programs in the world. The Master of Sports Administration (MSA) program has held the No. 1 spot as the best postgraduate sports course by SportBusiness International for three of the past four years, coming in second to FIFA’s International Centre for Sports Studies in 2014.

Dr. Norm O’Reilly, chair of the MSA program, has an extensive background in the sports industry. He worked for an Olympic bid as well as for the Toronto-based marketing agency, TrojanOne, which partnered with Nike and the Ultimate Fighting Championship. O’Reilly attributes the MSA program’s success to its 50-year history.

“There are thousands of well-placed alumni all around the country strictly based on the fact that this program has been around here for a while,” O’Reilly says. “There is also a great family vibe here with the program. You have those thousands of alumni

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“

There are thousands of well-placed alumni all around the country strictly based on the fact that this program has been around here for a while.”

Dr. Norm O’Reilly Chair of Sports Admministration, 2014

who are giving back as well as hiring fellow Bobcats into their organization, which furthers our reputation as a program.”

Ohio MSA alumni are located all around the American sports industry. Derrick Hall graduated from the MSA program in 1993 and is currently president of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Hall is considered to be among the most influential people in the sport of baseball and was on the shortlist of names to succeed Bud Selig as commissioner of Major League Baseball.

The commissioner of the Atlantic Coast Conference as well as the athletic directors of the University of Kentucky, Florida University and Stanford University can also hang their hats on Ohio University MSA degrees.

“Through the center, we help with the placement of where students go after their degree, and if you look at where these students go, they are high profile places like Notre Dame, like NASCAR [and] the Jacksonville Jaguars,” says Jim Kahler, executive director of the OU Center for Sports Administration.

“What separates us is how we help with job placement.”

Kahler has over 21 years of experience in the sports industry, 10 of which have been with the Cleveland Cavaliers as the vice president of Sales and Marketing. He helps oversee many graduate programs that several MSA students run.

“If you think of the Ohio University MSA program as a med school, Ohio Athletics is the laboratory,” Kahler says. “They are giving our students practical work experience to help prepare them for their careers.”

The program also provides many opportunities for graduate students to help run events that are associated with Ohio Athletics, such as Ohio football’s “Bobcat Blackout” and Ohio basketball’s “Green Fever” T-shirt campaigns. Unlike other projects, those promotions are not just professors telling students what to do, but are entirely student-run. Graduate students organize and execute those campaigns and all of the profits go back to the Sports Administration program.

“Think of me as their faculty advisor,” Kahler says. “I provide guidance and insight and I just let them go … they learn the principles in the classroom and now they use those and apply it to sealing corporate sponsorships with these businesses.”

Among those students is Eric Mayer, a second-year student in the MSA program and on-field host for Ohio Athletics events. Mayer received his undergraduate degree from Ohio State University and spent a year in Athens before he was accepted into the MSA program as a fellow to the College of Business.

“We are very thankful for our partnership with Ohio University Athletics. [It is] certainly a very unique experience in a campus setting compared to those around the country,” Mayer says. “The real hands-on experience is that we set up and tear down Peden

Stadium for football games.”

Graduate assistants from the MSA program also help run the Bobcat Club — the charitable arm of Ohio Athletics — and assist in marketing and ticket sales.

Student involvement, however, is not strictly limited to the operations side of athletics; students can also be a part of the digital side of sports as well. Throughout the past few years, graduate students have run the Ohio Athletics’ Twitter account and have helped with post-game graphics.

“What’s nice is that because our relationship with Ohio Athletics is so pervasive and thorough, if there is someone who wants to try something a little bit more unique, that option is usually available to them,” Mayer says.

Mayer is the perfect example of that, as he is the first MSA student to become the on-field host for Ohio Athletics, something that he enjoys very much.

“It is something that I love and have been very fortunate to find my way into doing,” Mayer says. “I feel very blessed to have the ability to think on my feet, have fun and put smiles on people’s faces as well as help them create memories. That’s what I’m in the business of doing,” he says in his best impression of Chicago Cubs legendary announcer Harry Caray.

One word that’s thrown around quite often regarding the MSA program is “laboratory.” It is a word that one would rarely associate with the world of sports, but no other word could deliver a better description of Ohio University’s MSA program. It provides passionate students with the tools, faculty and opportunities needed to make an impact in the world of sports beyond the city limits of Athens. b

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INFOGRAPHIC

ON THE

BRICKS

Your guide to the upcoming events happening around Athens!

BY CHRIS MANNING AND EMILY MCINTYRE

Historical Walking Tour of the Athens Asylum Sunday, Nov. 22, 2 – 4 p.m.

The two-hour walking tour of the Athens Asylum is the best way to learn about the location’s eerie past. Tours typically fill up fast, so it’s recommended that those who are interested reserve their spots as soon as possible.

Men’s Basketball Marshall (Home) Tuesday, Dec. 1, 7 p.m.

ROOM at The Athena Cinema Friday, Nov. 20 Ditch the blustery cold weather for a lazy afternoon at the movies with a friend and some popcorn. The drama starring Brie Larson makes its debut on Nov. 20 at The Athena.

Marching 110 Varsity Show Saturday, Nov. 21, 8 p.m. at Mem Aud After receiving shoutouts from artists such as Sia and Panic! At The Disco, it’s been quite a successful season for the Ohio University Marching 110. Watch them take the stage (instead of the field) to perform every song from this year, plus the winning piece from their arranger’s competition.

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Marshall is one of Ohio football’s most storied rivals. Basketball’s “The Battle for the Bell” isn’t quite as famed, but expect a heated, tense game when these two teams meet on Dec. 1 at the Convo.

Jackie O’s 10-Year Anniversary Dec. 4 - 5

Jackie O’s is Athens’ premier brewery and is about to celebrate its 10th anniversary with a two-night party at its taproom at 25 Campbell St.

Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol

Tuesday, Dec. 8, 7:30 p.m. at Mem Aud Don’t be a Scrooge and miss out on the holiday cheer! Tickets for the holiday classic are $10 for students, $13 for senior citizens and $15 for general admission. www.backdropmagazine.com

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b FEATURE

IN THE KEY OF HEALING

BY CHEYENNE BUCKINGHAM PHOTOS PROVIDED BY JOSEPH WHITEFEATHER

Joseph Whitefeather reveals the inspiration behind the foundation of his flutes. *Editor’s note: Ashley Balasko is the writer’s roommate.

A

cool autumn breeze rustles the tops of the trees and nudges the current of Lake Snowden, producing a gentle hush on the mountainside of Albany, Ohio. It’s Sept. 11, the first day of the annual Ohio Pawpaw Festival and the atmosphere is serene. Artists are scattered among a sea of green, prepared to show off their craftsmanship to people from all over southeastern Ohio. But one vendor comes to events such as these with an entirely different incentive.

Joseph Whitefeather stands proudly with his vast collection of intricate, handcrafted wooden flutes and plays a tune for those who pass by. He plays not to persuade, but rather to heal, because the sweet sound of the flute healed him and ultimately saved his life.

“I was actually in a depression. My mother and grandmother raised me and when they crossed over, it sent me into a spiraling depression, something like I never even knew existed,” Whitefeather says.

Ten years ago, he was introduced to those Native American– inspired flutes after a friend urged him to reconnect with happiness. Whitefeather had quit his salary-paying job at an engineering company because getting up and leaving the house became too laborious. Between grasping a hold of extra vacation time and taking days off too frequently, Whitefeather lost all motiva-

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tion and confidence. To him, life looked bleak and unworthy of pursuing anything great without the two women who mentored him.

“I went home and I locked the doors; I locked myself in the house. This lasted for five years,” Whitefeather says. “I knew I was in trouble, I just didn’t know how to come out of it.”

The only friend who came to visit him during that ominous time was Tatanka, which means buffalo in Cherokee, who set Whitefeather free from his prolonged depressive state. As a third-generation rocking chair maker, Tatanka grew up mastering the art of woodworking. So when Tatanka constructed his very own version of the Native American flute, Whitefeather knew he was going to witness something beautiful. What he didn’t know was how powerful of an impact it would have on his own life. Once Tatanka pursed his lips and let his fingers fly across the keyholes, Whitefeather was left speechless.

“I was humbled,” Whitefeather says. “He let me hold it. First thing I did was sit up in my chair, and I could feel the energy coming into me. ‘This is my salvation,’ I thought. ‘This is what is going to bring me out of this.’ ” The very next day, Whitefeather stepped foot outside for the first time in five years. He jumped in his truck, drove the 10 miles to Tatanka’s house and enthusiastically asked Tatanka to

show him how to make his own. Moved and inspired, Whitefeather left restored with empowerment.

“I knew the change was coming; I could feel it,” Whitefeather says.

For three months, he sat in front of a computer screen at the library, conducting research on the flute and watching countless tutorials until he felt comfortable making his own. He brought his first creation to Tatanka, distressed because it was not working properly. Tatanka peeped through the mouthpiece and said, “You can see right through it!”

Whitefeather was missing an essential block that needed to be inserted in the heart of the flute. Additionally, the keyholes were carved a bit too large. Improvement was needed, but instead of letting the setback discourage him, his desire to construct a functioning flute strengthened. After five more months of diligently learning this tedious process, he mastered it. He actually began tuning Tatanka’s own flutes. To Whitefeather’s own astonishment, he successfully surpassed Tatanka’s skills in less than one year. The driving force was Whitefeather’s desire to heal people the same way the flute healed him.

“I didn’t just want to make flutes, I wanted to spread this [happiness]. I always say by healing one, you are healing two, because you are healing yourself just as well,” Whitefeather says.

Still in utter disbelief of the impact this instrument had on his own mentality, Whitefeather felt an impulse to share the instrument’s healing powers with those who also felt like their lives were slipping out of their reach. One of these people happened to be his father. After spending years in a nursing home, his father’s age caught up with him and he was transferred to a hospice where Whitefeather went every other day for the last two weeks of his father’s life. He played the melodic notes to him until he passed.

“I used to go to hospice to play to my dad. I called him the Last Eagle,” Whitefeather says.

He wrote a song for his father and dedicated it to his departure from the physical world. He titled it “The Cry of the Last Eagle.” As he played in the hospice, the soft meditative tune circulated throughout the confines of the building and shortly after his first visit, all of the elders were wheeled into the same room to enjoy the sweet sound up close.

The person who was most notably influenced by the flute was

“

I didn’t just want to make flutes, I wanted to spread this [happiness]. I always say by healing one, you are healing two, because you are healing yourself just as well.”

JOSEPH WHITEFEATHER FLUTE MAKER

a 90-year-old man who hung his head low and struggled to move a muscle. Whitefeather wanted him to actually feel the vibrations from the music, so he propped his base flute on the top of the man’s frail shoulder and played “Amazing Grace.”

The result was astounding — the man shakily began to wag his index finger up and down.

“I was in his heart where I needed to be,” Whitefeather says.

“That’s the message the Native American flute delivers. It delivers a calm, healing sound that doesn’t lead your mind by words. It doesn’t tell your mind where to go; rather, it lets you drift off to where you need to be.”

As a member of the Lakota tribe, Whitefeather honors his culture and accredits certain aspects of it to the creation of the flute. Before he can even begin cracking the wood, he must burn sage in his workshop because doing so asks the bad spirits floating around to leave. He then proceeds to light sweet grass in order to invite the good spirits back in. The most important part of this ritual, however, is making a conscious effort to create a positive environment. Negativity is forbidden during this process because of its destructive nature; the flute will simply

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19

“

It’s a process, you just cannot rush it. You learn from your ancestors and then you pass it down to your children. After 10 years of flute making, there is still opportunity to learn.”

JOSEPH WHITEFEATHER FLUTE MAKER

not produce a sincere, harmonious sound without the presence of positive thoughts. To ensure the flute will be assembled properly, Whitefeather relies on someone greater than himself to guide him through the motions of that careful process.

“We ask the Creator to come in and guide us. We work under that pretense, and we give credit to the Creator,” Whitefeather says.

It takes anywhere from 16–18 hours to piece together and polish just one flute, and if at any time something does not feel right, the process must come to a halt. Whitefeather says he may resume once confidence and positivity have been restored in the heart.

Because the flutes take so long to make, the long hours give him time to truly think about what’s going into the flute in regard to energy and thought.

“It’s a process, you just cannot rush it,” Whitefeather says.

“You learn from your ancestors, and then you pass it down to your children. After 10 years of flute making, there is still opportunity to learn.”

Whitefeather created his business with the intention of passing the flute-making legacy down to the next generation, which is why he named the flutes after his eldest grandson, Dancing Bird.

His real name is Dylan Joseph, but Whitefeather calls all of his grandsons by their Native American names. The 17 year old is currently studying at Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio, but Whitefeather is training him to one day take his place in the business. However, there is another person who is an integral part

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of Dancing Bird Flutes: Sage Mato, Whitefeather’s wife of almost 40 years.

“She is my driving horse; she puts the spirit into the flute,” Whitefeather says. According to Tatanka, it’s Mato’s contribution that separates their flutes from any other traditional Native American ones. Mato gives the flute life through her art and burnings.

She not only executes all of the sanding, polishing and retouching of the flutes, but she also inscribes authentic illustrations that wrap along the sides. She does not trace a single sketch; rather, she depicts scenes from her memory as a child, immersed in the mountainous terrains of California.

“I am from the mountains in the Sierra. A lot of the places [where I was raised] are still in my head,” Mato says.

Beautiful landscapes are engraved onto the sides of the flute, most of them portray a body of sparkling water in the midst of a deep green valley with teepees scattered across the region. When Mato receives the flute it is raw wood, so all of her tasks require eight to 10 hours to complete. Her job is quite thorough; she burns the wood, carves the drawings, colors them in with acrylic paint and applies a glaze on top to give the instrument a glossy shine.

Although no two flutes are identical, each one will always display two insignias: a “W” for Whitefeather and the symbol for Dancing Bird. Her hand in the process is vital to the flute’s image. Similar to Whitefeather, Mato also integrates the Native American culture into her work and looks to “the Creator” for guidance as she

watches her visions come alive on the wood. As a descendant of the Cherokee tribe, she and Whitefeather share the same beliefs in “the Creator.”

“The Creator is a vessel coming through me, telling me what to put on these flutes. I ask the Creator to guide me through this work because it is very intense,” Mato says.

“It’s our labor of love,” Whitefeather adds.

The relentless teamwork the couple demonstrates would not be as copacetic if it were not for the genuine bond they share; their innate friendship is what makes the business operate smoothly.

Whitefeather met Mato in her home state of California nearly four decades ago when he was exploring out West.

“I ran into Sage and it was like an instant friendship,” Whitefeather says, recalling the day he met her in Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Mountains. Both of them incorporate their passion for their Native American heritage into the production of the Dancing Bird Flutes, but they stress that one does not need to be of that descent to receive the benefits the flute naturally provides.

“You don’t have to be Native American. It’s not in the blood; it’s in the heart. We believe it’s the color of the heart that matters,” Whitefeather says. “We try to make our flutes the best we can, and I have never had one come back.”

For the past 10 years, Mato and Whitefeather’s business grew from the comforts of their in-home workshop in Eaton, Ohio.

They have maintained an eclectic business selling roughly 50

flutes each year at 12 Native American events. Dancing Bird Flutes debuted at the Pawpaw Festival just five years ago after members of the Shawnee Adobe Nation adopted Mato and Whitefeather into their tribe, enabling the couple to participate in their events.

This year at the Pawpaw Festival, junior Ashley Balasko was overwhelmed by the restorative powers she experienced while listening to Whitefeather play.

“Listening to him play the flute and [hearing] his story, I just really connected with him,” Balasko says. “He mentioned that he had depression, and I have actually had a past with depression, so hearing that really touched me. After hearing him play the flute, I felt relaxed and soothed; it made me feel calm and better about everything.”

Not long ago, Whitefeather was entrapped in a limitless pit of despair. Now, he shares his experience and wisdom with everyone he encounters. His goal is to put two flutes in every household; that way, the opportunity to heal will always be accessible.

“You are the master of your own universe, so everything starts with you and your world,” Whitefeather says. “They say if they find you are in a happy place, then there you are. Some people spend their lives searching for it.”

Whitefeather most certainly found his happiness within Dancing Bird Flutes. b

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b FEATURE

within a few days. The Public House, on other hand, was shut down for a month.

The Public House’s kitchen, located inside The Union, was rendered completely useless by the fire.

“You could see the sky standing in the middle of our kitchen,” Oestrike says.

After the fire, the kitchen was deemed unusable, boarded up and still hasn’t re-opened. As a result, a key part of Jackie O’s’ uptown presence was squeezed into the BrewPub. To offset the loss of the Public House’s kitchen, a much smaller kitchen was opened up in the BrewPub. The BrewPub’s kitchen was previously open from 2006 to 2009, but closed when the Public House kitchen opened.

Jackie O’s had to change where, how and what food it served.

When the smaller kitchen opened a few weeks after the fire, the menu was slightly reduced and there was no longer a need for a large wait staff like there was in the Public House. Even now, food is ordered at the bar in the Taproom and when it’s ready, patrons pick it up just outside the kitchen.

For Oestrike, that was frustrating on two fronts.

“I made terrible decisions I hope I never have to make again in regards to personnel and systems,” he says. “You’re used to systems and we had to reinvent all of it. It took a lot of time and effort and money to get to the point we’re at right now.”

The Public House reopened, without its kitchen, in December of last year. Reopening the bigger kitchen would require completely rebuilding The Union’s inside and it’s not yet clear when Jackie O’s next-door neighbor will finish redoing its inside.

As a whole, Oestrike isn’t dwelling on the fire. Although he doesn’t know when the kitchen will be ready to reopen, he says that in a sense, Jackie O’s was given the opportunity to finetune its business during a time when it might not have had the chance to do so.

“In the end, we’ll come out with a better facility, but that’s because we’ve had time to think about what [the kitchen] can do,” Oestrike says.

“It’s forever a learning process,” he adds. “It’s the nature of what happened. Throughout life, you have all of these different things happen and you live and you learn from them.”

From

ASHES One year after the fire on West Union Street, the aftermath of the flames is still present in the community.

UPTOWN DOG

BY CHRIS MANNING | PHOTOS BY JILLY BURNS

A

large portion of Union Street still bears the scars it received last November. A sizable section of the street — from where Jack Neal Floral used to be down to Jackie O’s Public House — is hidden behind a chain link fence and amidst construction; apartments are still burnt and blackened. It’s been just over a year since a fire devastated half of the street while most of Athens was asleep around 4 a.m. on Nov. 16, 2014.

“It’s going to be great when there’s not a fence there anymore and you don’t have to look up and see burnt out buildings,” says

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Eric Gunn, who co-owns The Union Bar and Grill. “In the span of a year or two, that’ll be the new normal.”

The current normal consists of confusion, change and uncertainty. The fire caused six businesses to temporarily, if not permanently, close up shop. The rest of the street’s occupants are trying to further distance themselves from the fire while still trying to fully recover from the flames of that fateful morning.

JACKIE O’S

Art Oestrike, the owner of Jackie O’s, was asleep when the fire

started. If it weren’t for a phone call from Jason Koplewitz, who co-owns Fluff Bakery and the West Side Wingery with his wife Jessica, he may not have found out about the fire until waking up the next morning.

“He said, ‘Get uptown, shit’s on fire,’ ” Oestrike says.

The next day, Oestrike was able to go inside and begin assessing the damage. Unlike most of the other businesses affected by the fire, Jackie O’s didn’t have to shut down completely. The BrewPub, which has roughly half the seating of the Public House, was largely untouched aside from smoke residue that was fully cleaned

When the fire broke out, Mary Cheadle was home in Albany, Ohio, a 20-minute drive from campus. After her sister, Colleen Phillips, called her about the fire, her mind turned not to Uptown Dog, the T-shirt shop founded by her brother Kevin Morgan in 1988, but to her family.

“It’s 6 in the morning and I’m wondering if I’m losing everything or nothing,” Cheadle says.

Cheadle’s sisters — Kathy Morgan and Colleen Phillips — work at Uptown Dog along with her two daughters — Emma and Abigail Swintek — who sometimes studied late at the store. Unsure of where everyone was, Cheadle began frantically calling and texting her sisters and daughters. She located everyone but her daughter Emma. Even worse, the firefighters on-site said they couldn’t check the upstairs because there weren’t apartments there and the smoke was too thick to see through.

Soon, however, Cheadle located Emma, who had been asleep at a friend’s house and nowhere near the fire.

“There were a few hours there where I was fearful,” she says.

“When I finally located her and had that relief knowing that

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23

Provided by Union Bar and Grill

she wasn’t in the fire, everything else faded away. That was what was important. Obviously, I didn’t want my business to burn, but the worst of it was going to be okay.”

In a sense, Cheadle came out unscathed. Her family was safe and Uptown Dog didn’t burn down, but the building’s interior was too damaged to use. Debris from neighboring buildings, however, fell into Uptown Dog and destroyed a large amount of the store’s inventory.

But unlike other businesses such as Smoke Zone, Uptown Dog was open again in February after moving across the street next to Follett’s Bookstore. The store reopened at 10 W. Union St. just before last year’s Sibs Weekend.

“We survive, really, on four to five big weekends of the year,” Cheadle says. “To miss one of those was going to [be a] make or break for us most likely.”

Cheadle says her business isn’t as successful as it was at the old location. Although big weekends such as Homecoming and Parents Weekend are still profitable, daily sales are much lower. Foot traffic on Union Street is down, and the outside of the store is no longer visible from College Gate.

“It’s definitely been a challenge not only because there is less foot traffic and that means less sales, but it also affects our parking and how many people drive past us,” she says. “We’re finding that a lot of people don’t even know that we re-opened.

People on our Instagram and Facebook [are] asking when we are reopening, not knowing that we’re here.”

Cheadle has yet to receive a penny from her insurance company while losing income and kicking in her own money to reboot Uptown Dog. Cheadle is still haggling with the company over compensation for damage caused by the fire, partly because her store didn’t burn and partly because there was no definite way to determine the value of the inventory that was lost in the fire.

“I’m still having to work with my insurance company to prove what was there, considering most of it’s under rubble,” Cheadle says.

The fire also affected Cheadle’s plans for the future. Before the fire, she had plans to turn the alley behind the old location into a café and then possibly move Uptown Dog somewhere on Court Street where the store would be among the other T-shirt shops.

With no locations available for rent on Court Street, the fire forced Cheadle to a new location without a back alley. Once the old location is restored, she will be given the first opportunity to rent back the space and may follow her original plan for expansion where Uptown Dog used to be.

“That was my home,” she says. “I feel compelled to go back there in some way.”

THE UNION

On Nov. 16 of last year, Eric Gunn received a call from Jason Koplewitz about the fire on Union Street. Gunn, the co-owner of The Union, worked the night before and was in bed for just a few hours when Koplewitz called him about the fire around 5 a.m.

Gunn, who has worked at The Union for the last 25 years, quickly drove uptown and stood among a growing crowd to watch the fire unfold for a few hours, unsure of what was to come next. When he first arrived, The Union wasn’t on fire.

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But after a few hours, the roof of The Union went ablaze.

Gunn watched the building he spent several hours a day in burn right in front of his eyes.

“It was an experience that I didn’t completely digest for a while,” he says. “I spent a lot of hours at that place. I started working there when I was 21.”

After roughly a week passed, Gunn and co-owner Andy Studinarz were able to go inside the building and evaluate the damage. What they saw were guitars that had their necks scorched down to the bodies of the instruments and the burntaway top layer of wallpaper revealing original coverings placed back in the 1860s.

The fire destroyed the entire inside of the building; everything, from the screws in the table to the speakers surrounding the stage, needs to be replaced.

“Everything in the building is, or will be, brand new,” Gunn says. “But we have no intentions of altering anything. It’ll be new for a semester, and then it’ll have the battle scars that all uptown bars have, and it’ll feel like it always has.”

Gunn is also part owner of Haffa’s Records on Union Street, but the bar was his main source of income. While he was happy to have some time off, the amount of time he had was a little too much for his liking.

“If I went off and started a new venture, I wasn’t coming back,” Gunn says. “And I’ve questioned my sanity and my decision to come back during the year. But I’m looking forward to being open again and I’m sure my credit cards are looking forward to not being beat up as much as they have in the past year.”

The Union does not have a set date for its official reopening. Pete Couladis, who owns the building the Union operates out of, says it’s possible for the building to be ready for a December start. However, Gunn won’t commit to a firm date since he doesn’t own the building nor have a say in the reconstruction, which has already been delayed by weather.

What Gunn does know is that The Union will be The Union once again — it’s just a matter of time.

“I don’t know when that is,” he says. “But it’s going to happen.”

UNION STREET

Union Street, as it stands, is continuing its revival. The building where Uptown Dog was located was demolished on Oct. 26 and other buildings are sure to follow in the near future.

Oestrike, Cheadle and Gunn all crave some form of normalcy amidst the change. Oestrike wants his big kitchen back open, but also simply wants to be able to park in front of The Union again. Cheadle just wants people to know Uptown Dog is open and Gunn wants The Union to be crammed with college kids again.

“Maybe I’d feel differently if the building had to be torn down,” he says. “I don’t want it to cease to exist on my watch.”

In time, Union Street will return to normal, or at least some similar form. The new normal probably won’t be the same old status quo, as the businesses that return will transform and others won’t return at all. In time, the scars will fade away but won’t be forgotten.

“There are six damaged buildings [and] six different insurance companies. None of that makes things easy,” Oestrike says. “It’s so close, but we’re not that close.” b

“

Throughout life, you have all of these different things happen and you live and you learn from them.”

ART OESTRIKE OWNER OF JACKIE O’S

More Businesses Affected by the Fire JACK NEAL FLORAL Now located at 80 E. State St., it isn’t yet known if the shop will return to Union Street.

SMOKE ZONE The pipe shop has yet to reopen, and it’s unknown whether or not the store will return.

BOBCAT RENTALS Located in The Plains, where Campus Sundry once was, the rental company no longer has an uptown presence.

APARTMENTS Forty students were displaced by the fire and the apartments are still months away from being reopened. www.backdropmagazine.com

25

FOOD

WEST GREEN

Cuisine

Boyd’s redesign adds a healthy twist and sets the standard for on-campus dining.

BY MACKENZIE SMITH PHOTOS PROVIDED BY CULINARY SERVICES

F

rom a cafeteria-esque, outdated building to a modern eatery complete with glass walls and water fountains, the former Boyd Dining Hall has unquestionably moved from being perceived as the worst dining hall on campus to, possibly, the best.

Though the extreme interior makeover has qualities that would impress even HGTV’s Property Brothers, it’s the kitchen improvements that have the campus buzzing. Keeping student recruitment and retention in mind, Culinary Services recognized that the Boyd renovations needed to expand far beyond a new paint job.

Mac Connor, a junior at Ohio University, describes the previous Boyd Dining Hall as “being stuck in the 1980s.” Its taupe tile flooring and outdated, tactless wall scarves were all scarily parallel to the quality of old Boyd’s food options.

The dining hall food was notoriously classified as only being edible following a night of severe drinking.

Meandering through the twists and turns of the wooden tables and cushioned chairs at West Green Market District, it is almost impossible to imagine the empty, beige cafeteria it once was. When Culinary Services gutted the ’60s-style dining hall, the unhealthy, greasy food went with it. Pizza, burgers and fries were traded for six different kinds of hum-

mus, tofu, vegetables and freshly cooked white, lean meats. Complete with a juice and smoothie bar, fire-baked pita bread and allergy-conscious food alternatives, the food choices at West Green Market District are unparalleled by any other dining hall and students are pretty happy with the results.

“Having lived on all the greens but West, I was never really inspired to go to old Boyd before it was renovated. To me, it was just like all the rest of the dining halls,” sophomore Abby West says. “But now, I will make the trip over to West Green to know I am eating food that is healthier and at a place that wants me to be healthy. I think new Boyd is a good influence for future dining halls and experiences to come.”

Where did the motivation to totally revamp the menu derive from? According to Mark Brunton, Culinary Services’ marketing specialist, the students of Ohio University were the inspiration.

Fulfilling the goal to extend and expand the variety of offerings and services in the dining hall, Culinary Services tapped into insights using a pupil focus group, the Culinary Services Development Committee (CSDC), Ohio Athletics and the students themselves.

“Student feedback showed they were interested in healthier options with a focus on specialized and high-performance diets,” Brunton says.

Keeping a sharp eye on food trends leaning toward healthier eating and sustainable choices, a wide variety of nutritious food alternatives and the utiliza-

tion of local products suddenly became a top priority in the renovation. With a registered dietitian on staff, smaller plates and a compost bin, OU is setting a higher standard for health awareness of dining halls around the country.

While some schools are starting to offer healthier dining options, nutritious delicacies such as tofu and hummus are obviously not the campus dining norm.

OU is one of the few schools in the nation to take healthy eating and awareness to such a high level.

“Not only do we benchmark peer institutions, we are continually researching restaurant industry trends and soliciting customer feedback for continuous improvement strategies,” Brunton says.

With the renovation of Jefferson Market scheduled to finish in January of 2017, OU has the same hopes of incorporating diverse, unprocessed food choices in yet another Culinary Services venue.

What does this mean for the future of dining halls? Should OU students expect more menu modifications in the future? Brunton responds with an enthusiastic “yes,” emphasizing the university’s goal of improving the food choices in dining halls around campus.

“Culinary Services is always looking at menu trends and gathering feedback from CSDC and our student meal plan holders,” Brunton says. “Our plan moving forward is to maintain each of our venues as vibrant and trendy and inviting to meet and exceed the expectations of our customers.” b

Statistics provided by Rich Neumann, director of Culinary Services.

By the

Numbers

109,787 Amount of meals sold in Fall ’14 (First nine weeks)

130,249 Amount of meals sold in Fall ’15 (First nine weeks)

19%

0 1

Deep Fat Fryers

Pop Machine

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RECIPE

SNICKERDOODLES INGREDIENTS: Cookie: 1 cup of butter, 1 1/3 cups of sugar, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, 3 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, 1 teaspoon of cream of tartar, 1/4 teaspoon of salt Cinnamon-sugar coating: 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon, 3 tablespoons of sugar

TIME TO MAKE: 20 minutes | 4 1/2 dozen cookies DIRECTIONS: First, beat butter and 1 1/3 cups of sugar to-

Seasonal Sweets

Stuck inside this winter? Whip up a batch of these easy-to-make desserts!

BY ZACHARY BERRY | PHOTOS BY BRIANNA GRIESINGER

W

ith winter break approaching, classes are finishing up and the weather’s cooling down. Backdrop discovered the perfect cookie recipes for the chilly temperatures.

Whether you have a fully functioning kitchen or just an hour to spare between studying for finals in your dorm, there are a variety of seasonal sweets that you can make for yourself or your loved ones.

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backdrop | Fall 2015

Snickerdoodles are as fun to say as they are to eat and have been a winter staple for years. By following our simple recipe, you’ll discover that they are fun to bake as well. If you don’t have access to an oven or just prefer a simpler snack, try our hockey pucks. Made with only three ingredients, these dorm-friendly treats are easy to make and perfect for the cold weather. b

gether with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add in eggs and vanilla, and mix together slowly. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt. Gradually add dry ingredients into the batter mixture. Combine cinnamon and 3 tablespoons of sugar in a bowl. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and coat them in the cinnamon-sugar blend. Place the balls of dough at least 2 inches apart on a greased baking sheet. Place the cookies in an oven set at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and store them in an airtight container.

HOCKEY PUCKS DORM-FRIENDLY INGREDIENTS: Ritz Crackers (or similar crackers), creamy peanut butter, 12 ounces chocolate (We recommend dark chocolate, but any kind will do.)

TIME TO MAKE: 10 minutes | As many as you’d like!

DIRECTIONS: First, create miniature peanut butter sandwiches by spreading the peanut butter between two crackers and pressing them together. Proportions don’t have to be exact, so feel free to use as much or as little peanut butter as you’d like. Melt the chocolate in a microwavable bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds, stir and repeat until creamy. Once the chocolate is fully melted, dip the peanut butter cracker sandwiches in it until they’re covered.

Place in fridge or freezer and chill. Once the chocolate coat hardens, take out and enjoy!

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Westside

Community Gardens WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY JILLY BURNS

W

hat was once an empty field nestled between the Hockhocking Adena Bikeway and the West State Street Park in Athens, Ohio, slowly blossomed into a sprawling garden bursting at the seams with vegetation.

Green thumbs of the community flock to the space on a daily basis to put their knees in the dirt and grow anything from simple tomatoes and flowers to exotic squashes and vegetables.

Several dozen plots make up the Westside Community Gardens. Each plot is surrounded by protective, sometimes makeshift fences to keep out unwanted pests.

Being the oldest community garden in Athens, it was originally under the management of Community Food Initiatives, but now stands as an independent entity.

“There are as many ways of gardening and grades of experience as there are gardeners, but I think we’d all agree that it’s always a wonderful experiment each year,” plot coordinator Kathy White says. “It’s the best hobby there is: fresh air, exercise, problem solving, commune with nature and then you get to eat the best food that can be got!”

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PHOTO STORY LEFT

A tomato plant hangs off of a bamboo stock in Martin Dikis’ garden, just a few yards away from the bigger community gardens. “The gardens have helped me learn to appreciate people a little bit more,” Dikis says. “It has allowed me to access a variety of vegetables and products that I otherwise would not be familiar with.”

ABOVE

Longtime community gardener Shoko Igarashi digs a shovel into the ground during a workday at the Westside Community Gardens on Oct. 15, 2015.

Igarashi was one of the first to plant her roots in the garden approximately 13 years ago. “Gardeners are asked also to contribute community work time to maintain and improve the grounds and resources,” Kathy White says. “Tools, water and other materials are provided.”

LEFT

Dikis waters a sunflower in his garden. He previously used the space the community gardens currently sits on to hit golf balls, so Dikis had to adapt to the growing vegetation. “[The development of the gardens] was sort of a bittersweet experience.

I would get frustrated, but I have learned to deal with frustrations,” Dikis says. “In fact, as time passed, I started gardening myself out there.”

RIGHT

As the sun sets on the garden, flowers tower over the wide variety of plots at around 7 feet tall.

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33

Their wedding was, in a word, “magical,” according to Sarah.

All of the surprise events and omens on their wedding day only made it more special for the pair.

“It just helped to reassure us that we were doing the right thing, and not to sound cheesy, but it made me realize that I have found my soul mate,” Sarah says. “Oh, and he just rolled his eyes at that.”

LEGACY

I do,

OU

BY ALEXANDRA GREENBERG | PHOTOS PROVIDED BY BFLICK PHOTOGRAPHY

Read the love stories of six OU alumni who brought their weddings back to the bricks.

T

he week of their wedding in October 2014, Sarah and Bryan Cassell found themselves driving under the gleam of a double rainbow on their way into Athens from Boston. When the Ohio University alumni took their wedding photos a few days later, a bald eagle flew by a few feet in front of them. Just after that, a stray puppy interrupted the photo session and captured the heart of one of the groomsmen, who ended up adopting it.

No one can plan for such events to happen, but they certainly make a wedding day extraordinary. It also doesn’t hurt that they all happened in the small town where the young couple met and fell in love: Athens, Ohio.

Because young adults who meet at Ohio University often like to come back and get married where their relationships started, it’s pretty common to see the weddings of alumni on campus. Heather Thomas, assistant director of Event Management at OU, is one person who helps those couples create their perfect wedding days.

“My favorite part is sitting down and working with them from the very beginning,” Thomas says. “Just figuring out how they want their setup and then actually coming in and … seeing it all kind of come together, that’s kind of fun.”

Thomas says an average of 25 to 30 couples hold their weddings or receptions at OU each year. Three pairs of OU alumni share the stories of what made their wedding days in Athens, and their relationships, so special.

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SARAH & BRYAN Sarah and Bryan Cassell met when Sarah started a job in the former Jefferson Dining Hall during her freshman year. Bryan taught her how to change the soda in the machines before she later became his manager — and his girlfriend.

“It was sort of a dining services love story, I guess,” Sarah says with a laugh.

The pair dated until Bryan proposed in a Boston park one rainy weekend in 2013.

“He held out the ring box, but he didn’t open it,” Sarah says. “I didn’t see a ring; all I was thinking was, ‘If that’s a bracelet, I’m going to be really mad.’ ” Luckily for Sarah — and Bryan, too — it wasn’t a bracelet, and the couple wed just over a year later on Oct. 18, 2014, in Burr Oak State Park. They wanted to get married on campus, but couldn’t schedule far enough ahead of time. Thomas says couples normally book their wedding venues approximately a year in advance, which wasn’t enough time for the Cassells to plan their special day before they moved to Boston. Nevertheless, getting married where they fell in love was a pretty easy decision for the pair.

“We’ve always just loved the Athens area,” Sarah says. “It’s so beautiful, and I think it just symbolizes a lot of things for our relationship.”

“It was also like a mutual home,” Bryan adds. “It was the one place where we … both had a connection to.”

BEKAH & MATT Hundreds of students eat in Nelson Dining Hall every day without a second thought. For Bekah and Matt Ashcraft, Nelson is much more than a dining hall; it’s the place where they used to enjoy casual lunch dates and later celebrated becoming husband and wife.

“Nelson is where we always went to go eat for dinner or lunch because I lived over there,” Bekah says. “So it just seems funny … to have our reception there.”

Mr. and Mrs. Ashcraft were married on May 30, 2015, in Christ Community Wesleyan Church, the place where they met, and held their reception on campus. Their wedding decorations incorporated characteristics of their first date, relationship and something they shared a love for: shooting at a gun range.

“Because we kind of started our relationship and proposal with shooting, I focused a lot of the arrangements on gun themes,” Bekah says. “Our table names were different gun names, and the boutonnieres were made out of brass casings from bullets. It was just like little, tiny pieces were everywhere, but it just felt like us.”

The wedding day went by quickly, but that didn’t stop the couple from enjoying every minute of it.

“It was just awesome to have everyone who we have crossed paths with in our lives there with us, and it just kind of seemed a little bit surreal,” Bekah says.

“

It made me realize that I have found my soul mate,” Sarah says. “Oh, and he just rolled his eyes at that.”

SARAH CASSELL

Sarah & Bryan

COLLEEN & KEVIN It was hard for Colleen and Kevin O’Hare to be optimistic when there was a chance of rain on their wedding day, but their mutual interest in weather definitely lessened the blow.

“It’s ironic because the conversation where we originally clicked, when we met in 2011, was about weather,” Kevin says. “I’ve always been fascinated by weather, and Colleen was like, ‘Oh, my dad’s a meteorologist,’ so she was fascinated by weather as well. And on our wedding day, we were like, ‘Oh, a thunderstorm is coming. I hope we get our wedding in.’ ” Aside from the rain, Colleen and Kevin’s wedding day, according to Kevin, was “picture perfect.” They wed on July 26, 2014, at Wilhelm Amphitheater behind Scripps Hall and held their reception in Baker Ballroom. The on-campus reception was so beautiful that friends of the couple wanted more.

“We did have one of our friends ask us to get married every year so we could have the reception at Baker Ballroom because they had that much fun,” Kevin says with a laugh.

The couple is happily married now, but there was a chance they wouldn’t have that favorable ending.

“We met at the end of my fifth year, so … if I didn’t stay for my fifth year, we probably wouldn’t have met,” Colleen says.

Thanks to Ohio University, the O’Hares, Ashcrafts and Cassells were able to live “Happily Ever Athens.” b Read the love stories of two other Bobcat couples online!

Bekah & Matt

Colleen & Kevin www.backdropmagazine.com

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ENTERTAINMENT

Putting

People First

BY SAMANTHA PELHAM PHOTOS BY REBECCA ZOOK

Athens’ own community-oriented miniature golf course gives back in more ways than one.

A

s the wilting red and yellow leaves fall onto the turf of the Putt People First miniature golf course, Danny Burton gets out a broom to clear off the greens in time for the next round of people to play. With each diligent sweep of the broom, Burton’s labor contributes to the only miniature golf course in Athens — a course that offers a fun time along with support for people with disabilities in the region.

“I actually like to play a little golf myself,” says Burton, a third-year employee of Putt People First. “It’s really fun seeing the squirrels and I like setting the whole golf course up.”

The small, three-member staff of Putt People First, which includes Burton, is entirely composed of people with developmental disabilities. Unlike other community employment, there is no competition at the course due to the fact that only those with a physical or mental disability may be hired.

“The self-esteem that comes with having a job is really what people get out of it,” says Scott Dennis, community employment manager for Havar Inc., a nonprofit focused on assisting and finding employment opportunities for persons with disabilities in the area. “Even without a job in a typical business, they can say they work here. They take pride in that.”

Putt People First provides its employees with more than just the confidence of holding a paid position; it also provides them

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as a therapeutic outlet for the patients of The Ridges Mental Health Center. It helped them better develop skills while providing a fun hobby outside of the walls of the center.

“I knew there was this old golf course that had once been part of the mental health center, but I didn’t know much about it,” Schmieding says. “I actually had a friend visiting that’s kind of a miniature golf fanatic, so I thought, ‘What the heck, we’ll go play.’”

After grabbing an old 3-iron club and scrounging up a golf ball, Schmieding headed up to the worn-down course for a round of miniature golf with his friend. After arriving at Southside Park, it was evident that the course was neglected ever since the closing of mental health center.

“The course was a disaster; most of it didn’t have carpet at all. The carpet that was there was in horrible condition and actually four holes were gone. [It had] 14 holes instead of 18,” Schmieding says.

After playing a round on the beat-up, waterlogged greens, Schmieding’s friend mentioned a miniature golf course in Portland where 18 architects competed to see who could create the best hole and suggested Schmieding try something similar for the course.

“At first [I] thought, that’s a crazy idea. But my wife and I each direct nonprofit organizations … [and] I guess the idea just grew on us,” he says.

The couple, Havar Inc. and Athens Area Mediation Services collaborated on the initiative to restore the deteriorated course with a new twist: a focus on assisting those with developmental disabilities in the Athens area.

Not only is the staff completely comprised of people with mental or physical disabilities, but also all of the proceeds from the course benefit those with disabilities in area through the

two founding nonprofits. However, in order to fund the restoration project and maintain the course, the Schmiedings needed to look to sources outside of the two nonprofits.

“We put together this idea of trying to get local businesses to sponsor holes,” Schmieding says. “We got quite a variety of businesses that were interested and some have stuck with it the whole time.”

Each of the 18 holes of the community-oriented course is themed around the business sponsoring it. Players can find anything from a giant Donkey Coffee cup to a red barn sponsored by Athens AM Rotary. Each hole provides putters with a different obstacle standing in their way. Even the turf carpet changes color to bright red on the O’Betty’s Red Hot hole to align with the fiery brand of the business. Due to the distinct local elements of the course, it was recently named one of the most unique courses in the United States by USA Today.

“Athens is very supportive of the disability community,” Dennis says. “I think the public enjoys interacting with people with disabilities … It’s like we’re giving them a chance to work together and not see these people as having a disability.”

Although the Southside Park’s miniature golf course has a history of giving back to the community, the restoration creating Putt People First gives a new meaning to community service.

The joint effort of Havar Inc. and the Athens Area Mediation Service — and more specifically, the Schmiedings — brought together local businesses and provided the disability community with employment opportunities and fundraising.

“It’s a little weird cause we never had the idea that we were going to be in the miniature golf course business,” Schmieding says with a laugh. “It’s just sweet to be part of a thing like this, … to have this collaboration. It’s a neat thing about Athens is that if there’s a good idea, there are usually people who will support it.” b

with important business skills that can be translated to other employment opportunities. Employees learn how to set up the props, clear off the greens, close up the course and handle equipment.

One of the most important aspects of the job is working directly with the customers. Between providing players with everything they may need for a game and learning to handle and exchange money, employees have the chance to further their communication skills. “My favorite part of the job is talking to people. It’s wonderful,” Burton says.

Burton finds the job to be beneficial because it allows him to form relationships within the community and provides him with the work experience needed to build his resume. “[It] turned out to be a really good entry point for them [into] the world of employment,” says John Schmieding, director of the Athens Area Mediation Service, a nonprofit focused on helping resolve conflicts. “It’s a nice thing for them to have on their resumes and a [chance] to learn about some of the things they need if they’re going to have other kinds of employment.”

Schmieding, along with his wife Debbie, the executive director of Havar Inc., were the driving forces behind the creation — well, restoration — of the Putt People First course. Just a few hundred feet away from The Ridges, the course started

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37

SEX & HEALTH

e c n a m r Perfo

Y D A E R

BY KAITLYN PACHECO PHOTOS BY OLIVER HAMLIN

The show must go on, and the SHAPe Clinic makes it happen.

G

abrielle Frecier, wearing her Marching 110 practice uniform, hobbles as fast as her crutches can take her down the third floor of Putnam Hall. She turns into The Clinic for Science and Health in Artistic Performance (SHAPe Clinic) and is greeted with a warm smile and concerned look from Moegi Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi, lead athletic trainer for the Marching 110, leads Frecier over to a treatment table and begins methodically examining the girl’s torn meniscus. Frecier rates her pain level as a six and sits with her hands clasped as Yamaguchi gently tells her she has to continue using the crutches for a while longer.

It wasn’t the news Frecier hoped for, but she is smiling as she and Yamaguchi leave for band practice together — Frecier with her trumpet and Yamaguchi with a cooler full of ice packs and adhesive bandages.

“I had never heard of the SHAPe Clinic until marching band this year,” Fercier says. “But I’m very thankful that they’re with the band, because if not, I’d be out for the rest of the season.”

The SHAPe Clinic is designed for injured performance artists at Ohio University. The clinic is where performers can be evaluated, treated and given health and wellness advice by licensed athletic trainers who have the specialized equipment and knowledge to treat the performers’ injuries. The facility is a collaborative effort between the College of Fine Arts and the College of Health Sciences and Professions that services the university’s dancers, musicians, theater performers and technicians, as well as members of the Marching 110.

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Jeff Russell, assistant professor of athletic training, founded the SHAPe Clinic in August 2013 as a way to address the specific physical needs of student performers.

“The performers work just as hard and have just as many injuries as the athletes, but they don’t get the care,” Russell says. “They’re not thought of as athletes, even though they really are.”

With the help of faculty from both colleges and $81,083 from Ohio University’s 1804 Fund, Russell turned a small room tucked into the corner of Putnam Hall into a fully equipped performance therapy center. The SHAPe Clinic has essential athletic training equipment such as an ultrasound machine, a whirlpool tub and an elliptical trainer, but there is also equipment related to the performing arts to care for patients in their specialized environments.

Digital keyboards are utilized to help a pianist with sore fingers master a pain-reducing playing technique. A marley dance floor with ballet barre and mirror allows injured dancers to stretch their tender muscles the same way they do in ballet class.

“It’s all about accommodating the work to the needs of the patient population,” Russell says.

Within two years, the program has grown bigger than Russell ever envisioned. During the 2014-15 academic year, the SHAPe Clinic saw over 2,000 patient visits, which equates to more than 65 students each week. The sudden increase in patients might seem overwhelming to a new program and a relatively small staff, but Russell holds that the talent of the athletic trainers keeps the SHAPe Clinic running smoothly.

Yamaguchi, Megan Bane and Emily Griswold are the three licensed athletic trainers and graduate students that Russell compares to gold. They help care for each patient who walks through the door and develop meaningful relationships with the students as they stretch, massage and advise them back to health.

Griswold, the lead trainer for the theater division, knew in high school that she wanted to pursue athletic training for the purpose of becoming a trainer in the performing arts. After only three months of working at the SHAPe Clinic, she says she can already recognize a difference in how thankful students in the theater department are to have her help.

“I think it’s almost an expectation for more of a traditional athlete; they expect the athletic trainer to be there to help them,” Griswold says. “But I think in the performing arts especially, they don’t have that expectation because they don’t always get that care. So when they come here and see that they’ve got this care here for them, they’re so grateful.”

The grant money from the 1804 Fund allows the SHAPe Clinic to offer all-encompassing care at no cost to student performers. As the funding comes to an end, Russell is rais-

ing money to maintain the long-term program. To continue meeting the needs of OU’s performers, Russell says the SHAPe Clinic needs to move to a space at least four times the size of the current room.

“Part of the big plan is to find a spot that we can put the expanded version of our idea,” Russell says. “The problem is that there’s not any space in the College of Fine Arts, and this is where we need to be, in the middle of the action.”

No matter where the program is located, the gratitude and loyalty of the student performers will follow. Cards, cookies, cupcakes and an infinite number of thank you notes have been sent to the SHAPe Clinic from students and parents grateful for the free, on-site care from the program’s devoted trainers. For injured students such as Frecier, help from the SHAPe Clinic is the difference between sitting on the sidelines and playing the trumpet at halftime.

“The artist athletes realize they’re being cared for at the same level and high standards as the intercollegiate athletes,” Russell says. “And they go, ‘Wow, someone is respecting me enough to treat me at this high standard,’ and they appreciate that.” b

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39

W.O.W. HOUR

FITNESS

STRENGTH IN UNITY New fitness groups give women the opportunity to find a workout that accommodates them.

OU’s Multicultural Center reached out to Ping last spring looking for a solution for females from different religions who are unable to work out in front of the opposite gender. Soon after discussing what would work best, the Women of the World (W.O.W.) Hour group fitness class was born.

Ping staff approached group fitness instructor Emily Free because they thought she would be a perfect fit as she has taught a wide repertoire of fitness classes for three years, including PiYo (a fusion of Pilates and yoga), Turbokick, Zumba and Cardio Dance.

At the beginning of class, Free always sets up thick, black curtains that cover the windows and entrance of the Group fitness room in order to create a completely private and comfortable environment for participants. Whereas other popular classes such as Cardio Dance and Zumba are held more than once a week, this small class only meets on Thursdays from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

“When they were in the process of planning this class, they found out that specific group’s availability, so they could put it on a day where a lot of them could come,” Free says.

Free uses the same choreography and music in W.O.W. Hour that she does in her other classes. Giving the participants the same experience as she would other students is very important to her.

Free picks a different exercise format every week, but Zumba and yoga are the group’s favorites because they can really let loose and enjoy themselves.

After one Zumba-themed W.O.W. Hour last year, some of the participants came up to Free and asked if they could play some music and show her one of their culture’s dances.

“I thought that was really special that they wanted to share that with me. They were really appreciative of the fact that they have a class and they’re really excited to be there,” Free says with a smile. “You’re still making a difference, no matter how many people show up.”

CROSSFIT SEO

For women who are looking for a tougher, more competitive workout, there’s CrossFit SEO, which is the only CrossFit affiliate in Athens. Its mission is to develop mental toughness and improve the growth and confidence of the participants.

Associate Professor for Sports Administration Dr. Heather Lawrence-Benedict joined CrossFit SEO a year after having her second child and now holds a CrossFit Level I Certificate. Lawrence-Benedict explains that women (including female OU students) come to CrossFit SEO to get one-on-one coaching that they might not find elsewhere, or simply to fulfill a healthy drive for competition.

“I think a lot of people do think that [CrossFit SEO] is really maledominated, but the reality is, I think ... like 70 percent of the members are women,” she says.

Beyond the local perspective, Lawrence-Benedict says the CrossFit Games — which is basically a world championship competition sponsored by CrossFit Inc. — awards equal prize money to both men and women.

“It’s never been unequal. The amount of TV coverage is the same for men and women, brands are endorsing men and women at the same top level,” she says. “You look at other sports and there’s still a pretty big gap in pay for winning.”

For about 10 years, Lawrence-Benedict has been the adviser for Women in Sports, which is an organization aimed at female students who want to work in the business side of the sports industry.

“We needed to do a better job of letting them know everything from barriers they might face with salary negotiation to helping each other throughout their career,” Lawrence-Benedict says.

Even if a career in sports or CrossFit doesn’t exactly match the preferences of all college women, Lawrence-Benedict — who has tried just about every exercise option in the community — has something to say to her active ladies out there.

“I would say that [in] Athens overall, on campus and off, women should be able to find something ... I think we’re really, really lucky.” b

BY EMILY MCINTYRE | PHOTOS BY ALEX CENCI

W

hen it comes to fitness, Athens is a melting pot of possibilities. Between the bike path along the Hocking River, Ping Center, intramurals and more, students can choose a workout that best suits them. If that isn’t enough of a variety, Athens and Ohio University developed a few new programs and fitness opportunities for women who are looking to step away from the treadmill or elliptical and find a new pace.

BOBCAT BARBELLES

The crowd of men that typically takes up the weight rooms in Ping may intimidate a female student and cause her to shy away from the idea of stepping foot in there for weightlifting. This is where the Bobcat BarBelles Women’s Strength Training program comes in.

Joe Schillero, the assistant director of Campus Recreation, created the Bobcat BarBelles using the model of a similar program he directed at Ohio State University. The eight-week, barbell-focused program kicked off Sept. 21 and quickly sold out all 35 slots. Each week of the program consists of a lecture day and a small group day. The small group day is where participants go to Ping and go

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through the barbell movement they learned about in the lecture earlier that week.

“This program is very much not trying to tell them how to exercise, more so giving them all the tools to build it to how they would like to do it,” Schillero explains. “I’m kind of taking what I’ve done in the past and making some tweaks to it, and expanding upon that with my graduate assistants.”

The biggest thing that Schillero wants to focus on is educating and empowering women to properly take advantage of the weight room landscape at Ping. With the overwhelming amount of interest in the program, he and his graduate assistants are planning on making Bobcat BarBelles a progressive program that will continue in the future.

“I think it’s been good for us to see that the need is absolutely there for programs like this,” Schillero says. “So if there’s students — especially the male students — who use the weight room that maybe … they start to see like, ‘Oh man, it’s really cool there’s a lot of women in here lifting.’ I think it’s kind of opening everybody’s perceptions up.”

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41

EXHIBIT A

THE

COLOR PALATE

F

or most people, food is just food. It feeds and nourishes you, and if you’re particularly lucky, it even tastes good.

However, for some people, including me, eating is more than a savory experience. Every meal has the potential to be a new chromatic adventure.

It’s called synesthesia and it has many forms. There’s grapheme-color, where one associates letters and numbers with a particular color. That is the most studied form, but there are also dozens of other variations where a person experiences one sensation (hearing a drum, for example) and will in turn feel like they are experiencing another, such as tasting blueberries.

Some people even have emotions triggered by certain senses.

My experience with synesthesia is one of colors. Every time I eat anything with more flavor than plain water, I see almost a block of color. It doesn’t disturb my vision, but just somewhere deep in my brain, I know there’s a color there. It happens with a few other senses, too. Certain smells and textures can produce colors, but they aren’t nearly as strong. According the Encyclopaedia Britannica, that could be caused by genetics or even simply having more pathways in my brain than the average person.

I didn’t realize that was unusual until my freshman year at Ohio University. As my best friend and I walked by Morton Hill, I commented that the greenhouses smelled particularly green.

My friend asked what that meant, and I couldn’t explain. I remember getting mad at him — why couldn’t he just understand that it smelled green? Certain plants just smell green, just like others are blue or orange or purple.

We ended up having an extended conversation about something I had never heard of: synesthesia. The conversation was a little strange, but helped me to make sense of something I didn’t even know I was confused by. I’ve had those associations for as long as I can remember, and if I don’t think about it, I don’t even really notice them. I sampled every single thing at Shively’s salad bar to test its color. Some of them were pretty colors that made me want more of whatever I was eating. Other foods? Not so much. An already slightly gross food can be made disgusting if the color is bad and good foods can become so much better.

People might think they have synesthesia as well because they’ll taste pumpkin and associate it with the color orange.

However, that’s not true synesthesia. It might just be a general color association, which is pretty common. Synesthesia is a constant experience that changes with each new taste and often doesn’t make logical sense. For instance, I see cranberry juice as a pure white, while most sorts of macaroni and cheese have a pleasant blue color. There’s no real explanation as to why I see those specific colors; it just happens.

It makes any meal pretty cool. The colors I see change from food to food and from texture to texture. I often find that foods

For some foods, it feels like there are two colored ‘films’ overlapping each other. I know that each individual color is there, but they appear translucent, so what I see is the overlapping color.

For other foods, I see two blocks of color right next to each other, almost touching. This is pretty uncommon for me, but some foods just evoke two distinct colors instead of the ‘film’ effect or some sort of gradient.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY HAYLEY HARDING DESIGNED BY ADAM MCCONVILLE aren’t just one color. As evidenced by spaghetti, it can be two colors independently or two colors stacked as if they are both made of some sort of translucent film – for example, macaroni and cheese with tomatoes.

While it’s typically not a problem, mentioning synesthesia can make things less than enjoyable. Too often, people who don’t know me well treat my senses like a party trick, encouraging me to try strange combinations “just to see what color it makes.” That brand of uncomfortable prodding makes me feel like some kind of freak. I also occasionally have to go against pop culture’s apparent conviction that synesthesia will somehow cause me to develop mental illness. (Who even brings that up at the dinner table?!)

Typically, though, I’m pretty happy to experience life a little differently than everyone else.

Even the blandest of meals is still a little exciting.

It’s almost like a superpower or, at the very least, it allows me to tell if my water is flavored. b

LUNCHTIME SPECTRUM Any food can have any color, and I can’t always predict what it will be. On this day, the foods on the right are what I ate, and these are the colors most closely associated with what I experienced.

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backdrop | Fall 2015

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