February 19, 2009
www.flcindependent.com
Sodexho contract up for renewal
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When the challenge turns into a reward
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Women’s basketball addresses cancer
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C UPCOMING
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EVENTS
Where is the coolest place you’ve been?
Editor in Chief Tirrell O. Thomas “Surfer’s Paradise, Australia”
News Editor Kayla Andersen “Guatemala”
Design Editor Dan Jagaciewski “Fiji”
“An Introduction to Quickbooks” att 8 a.m a a.m., m. College Union Building, Rm. 105 Life-Long Learning Lecture: “A Drone in the House: Adventures in Beekeeping” at 7 p.m., Noble Room 130 Concert: Mike Dillon’s Go-Go Jungle at 8:30 p.m., Rico Theater Cafe, Rico, tickets at the door
Friday, Feb. 20
Photography Editor P Peter Wolf “Greece”
Features Editor Jon Rezabek “Ecuador”
Multimedia Editor Carly Beaudin “Steamboat Springs, Colo.”
Concert: Fort Lewis Music Department Choirs at 7 p.m., Community Concert Hall Mardi Gras Party with the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, doors open at 9:30, show starts at 10:00, Abbey Theatre
Saturday, Feb. 21
Business/ Public Relations Manager Jenny Coddington “Jackson Hole, Wyo.”
Advertising Manager Jordan Baldwin “The Summit of Mt. Everest”
Concert: Teqnyc, the Summit
Chief Copy Editors Avery Perryman and Ansley Shewmaker
Sunday, Feb. 22
“Tanzania” and “Grand Canyon”
Fred Garbo Inflatable Theater at 2 p.m., Community Concert Hall Concert: the Alexander Murray Recital Series presents the Red Shoe Trio at 3 p.m., Roshong Recital Hall in Jones Hall
Web Manager Taylor Kunkel “Disneyworld”
Office Manager Laura Beth Waltz
Monday, Feb. 23
Reporters Jason Michaud, Paige Blankenbeuhler, Chris Parker
Pint Night at Lady Falconburgh’s
Tuesday, Feb. 24
Designers Chelsea Flaming, Blair Bunyard Emily Miller, Siri Austill
Fort Lewis Artist in Residence Program presents the Mike Clark Drum Clinic at 12:30 p.m., Roshong Recital Hall in Jones Hall Fort Lewis Women’s Basketball vs. Adams State College at 6 p.m., Whalen Gym Fort Lewis Men’s Basketball vs. Adams State College at 8 p.m., Whalen Gym
Wednesday, Feb. 25 “Marketing for Smarties Challenge” at 1 p.m., Education Business Hall, Rm. 130 Concert: “One Night of Queen” at 7 p.m., Community Concert Hall Concert: “Bassnectar” at 10 p.m., Abbey Theatre On the cover: A local ski mountaineer approaches the eastern ridge of Engineer Mountain. JON REZABEK | Features Editor
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Photographers Max Hoener, Terran Guardipee Copy Editors Jessica Tso Multimedia William Biga, Amy Brothers, Max Perlstein, Josh Kellogg, Chelena Coulston, Katy Maxwell, Megan Tahquette Advertising/PR Brittany Feyen, Kelly Erskine
Practicum Director Leslie Blood Advisor Faron Scott
Campus
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Sodexho sticking around for another 15 T T
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Fort Lewis College is in the process of renegotiating their food service contract with Sodexho to coincide with the opening of the new College Union Building. What is different about this contract renewal process is that it is not being put out on a bidding process to other food service distributors. “Typically when the contract was up, we would be going out and doing an RFP, Request for Proposals, however, because of wanting to get a commitment sooner than later to help fund the union, Dr. Bartel entered into negotiations with Sodexho six months ago,” Michele Peterson, the director of budgets for Fort Lewis said. The college has worked out the contract so far so that Sodexho would provide food services for 15 years, Peterson said. The current contract is not up yet, but will expire in June of 2010, she said. One of the major factors in Fort Lewis renegotiating their contract with Sodexho was when Sodexho offered to pay the school in capital contributions about $330,000 per year during the time of the 15-year contract, Steve Schwartz, the vice president of finance and administration said. “The longer the duration of the contract the more likely you’re going to get more money because then they have a commitment, then they have a way to recoup their investment,” Schwartz said. The amount totaling about $4.95 million is being used to supplement for the deficit in funds the college wasn’t able to raise or have donated to pay for the new union construction, said Nick Durr, a student representative on the food service commi ee
and former student body vice president. Durr was frustrated because the college has to use those funds to pay for the union building when it could have gone to fund student clubs or something else, he said. He was also frustrated with the fact that the college didn’t at least try to have an open bid to mollify students by showing that the college was listening to students’ concerns about the food quality they’ve experienced at Fort Lewis, he said. “I really think it’s a be er situation with them, I think a bid would have just confirmed it,” he said of the Sodexho contract renewal. There are four main food service providers:Aramark, BonAppetit, Chartwells and Sodexho. Fort Lewis used Aramark about 13 years ago and then switched to Sodexho in about 1997, Peterson said. “So, why’ll there’s options and while the normal process, the typical process would have been to go out with an RFP, I don’t think that Pres. Bartel and the board of trustees would be supportive of the road that we’re going down if we didn’t feel that we were still going to be able to provide what the students need and what the students want and what the college needs,” Peterson said. Also, it doesn’t ma er which vendor the school decides to go with—food is food. “I think in the end, whichever vendor you went with it’s going to look the same,” Peterson said. “I don’t know if that’s fair or not to say, but that’s my personal opinion.” The commi ee that Durr and other students and staff are a part of have been evaluating the contract to assess if it addresses what the college needs and wants from its food service provider. “Sodexho is the only food contractor in position to deliver the best food contract for the college in the interest of everybody,”
Durr said. Durr had traveled to schools in Oregon and Washington while doing research on other food service providers and food quality. “Right now Sodexho has a kitchen that isn’t up what I’ve seen at different schools where the food happened to be a lot be er,” he said. The students on the commi ee wanted “a la carte” meals, where students purchase the food like the in the sub CUB, all three meals, but the staff on the food service commi ee worried that students would run out money too fast, Peterson said. They compromised to create a hybrid meal plan with “a la carte” for breakfast and lunch and all-you-care-to-eat at dinner. “And so, when you ask the question about quality, because you’re actually buying with your dollars every day, two meals a day, the food service company—Sodexho—is going to have to make sure that it’s a quality that meets everyone’s satisfaction,” Peterson said. They are going to have guidelines of the expectations Fort Lewis has when it comes to quality and how that will be managed and measured. “We have quality-type measures in place right now, but in some way they were built so they would have as much teeth as maybe they could,” Schwartz said. Some would like to see more local and organic food in the food contract. ZacharyRay, another student, has been the coordinator of the local food team through the Environmental Center in connection with the Sustainability Action Plan and also done research across the nation with colleges who have had or still have Sodexho as their food service provider
student senate elections Associated Students of Fort Lewis College wants you! Nominations open Mar 16th, go to the Information Desk or Senate Office in the CUB to pick up your information packet and required materials. On Monday March 30th nominations will end and there will be a mandatory meeting at 5:30 p.m. in the Senate Chambers where you will turn in your information packet. If you have any questions please contact Senator Meg Book at MEBOOK@fortlewis.edu The Independent Newspaper © 2008
with an emphasis on incorporating the use of local food in the contract. “One of the things that we’ve found out a big hurdle for ge ing more local food in the contract is the insurance policy that businesses have to have in place to work with Sodexho,” he said. Many of the local farmers or food producers don’t have the necessary insurance for Sodexho to be able to purchase from them, ZacharyRay said. So, ZacharyRay and others have been trying to get the farm on campus to become USDA certified and have students trained to keep the farm at nUSDA standards, he said. “We want to be able to, within our own system, we want to make it so the college reserves the right to set up its own commi ee to be able to determine for itself, ‘Okay, this is safe food,’” he said. There also needs to be enough local food to provide for the needs of the kitchen. But that still doesn’t get us over the insurance hurdle. Sodexho has been working with the Environmental Center, despite the hurdles that the company has set in place, like the insurance, ZacharyRay said. “As far as like, if you were to have your dream, I would like to go to another provider,” ZacharyRay said. Bon Appetit is another food service provider that incorporates about 80 percent organic food in their service, which is what ZacharyRay would ideally like to see happen at Fort Lewis, he said. But he knows it’s not practical.
For more information please contact Tirrell Thomas at independent@fortlewis.edu.
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Campus
Start networking now, it will pay off Jennifer Martin S T I
Students have several options when it comes to preparing for the working world, predominantly mentoring and networking. Mentoring and networking o en overlap, as mentors can arise from network connections and can in turn introduce new network connections, said Allyn Talg, the director of Career Services at Fort Lewis College. A mentor can be a friend, a teacher, a counselor, a career sounding board, an advisor or all of the above, Talg said. “The mentor shouldn’t own, and the mentee shouldn’t be co-dependent,” she said. “Open communication is always the most important thing in a mentoring relationship.” Mentoring is a relationship wherein an experienced person advises and supports a less experienced person, which is not age-determinate, Talg said. “I’m mentoring someone two levels above me in how to network,” said Leah Rosenburg, who is in her late twenties and works as a so ware engineer at
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Lockheed Martin. An official mentoring system has been in place at the company for the five years she has worked there, Rosenburg said. It can be intimidating to ask someone for help, Rosenburg said. Approaching a more experienced individual is usually about simply asking for help, and being up front about desires and expectations, Talg said. The relationship needs to be honest, with both parties maintaining their integrity and not ge ing enmeshed in each other, Talg said. Mentoring is an open process where the relationship can change with the development of the mentee, Talg said. The hope is that the relationship will move from that of a mentor and mentee to that of equals who use each other as resources, said Cheryl Carson, a doctor of counseling psychology who helped establish a mentoring program in 1996 to train pre-doctoral psychology interns in Albuquerque, N.M. The students supported each other through their internships, but they lacked professional contacts, Carson said. One caveat was that the relationship
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could be artificial since the students were required as part of the program to find a mentor, she said. However, sometimes very supportive relationships developed, she said. If the mentee simply wants the mentor to remove major obstacles along the career path, a supportive relationship is unlikely to develop, Carson said. The main distinctions in mentoring are formal mentoring versus informal mentoring, Talg said. For informal mentoring, the mentee usually has to find and approach a more experienced person and together they establish their own guidelines, Talg said. Formal mentoring is through an organization, with strict guidelines a ached as to the purpose and duration of the relationship, as well as an official code of ethics, Talg said. With the psychology interns, the formal relationship would last for a year, as per the program, Carson said. The relationship might continue for years, though, Carson said. An individual can have a different mentor for different things, Talg said. Professional associations will o en
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have mentoring programs and will host their own networking events, Talg said. Young Professionals of Durango is one networking organization that reaches out workers in the La Plata County, said Travis Craig, the vice president of commercial banking at Vectra Bank, YPOD’s president-elect and co-chair of its education commi ee. “I knew I had peers out there in other fields, I just didn’t know where,” he said. There’s a lot of overlap between social networking and business networking, Craig said. Social networking can lead to business networking, he said. Also, many professional associations will offer student rates, which will allow students to network while in school, Talg said. Fort Lewis College has a Career Day, job fair and an Etique e Dinner as major networking events, Talg said. “Employers pay several hundred dollars for a table, and the point is to meet students who are interested in their field,” Talg said. For more information please contact Jennifer Martin at independent@fortlewis.edu.
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Photos courtesy Jonas Grushkin
Fort Lewis College hosts theater conference C P R
The annual Rocky Mountain Theater Association conference proved to be an experience to remember for students. This year’s conference, hosted by Fort Lewis College from Feb. 4-7, attracted students from more than seven states and included various workshops and performances. Fort Lewis theater students worked hard to make the event successful, Amelia Charter, a senior theater major at Fort Lewis said. “Students did everything from being door monitors outside of the workshops to being ushers for the performances,” she said. “Theater students who participated in the event easily put in 30 to 40 hours of work during the four days of the conference.”
The job that the students and faculty did this year at Fort Lewis was impressive, Sarah Yeakel, a junior in high school who traveled from Helena High School in Montana to attend the event said in an e-mail. Kari Margolis, a keynote speaker during the conference and for the method master class, was a great part of the success, she said. “She was so full of life and just filled the concert hall with excitement when she came onstage,” she said. The RMTA conference is a really empowering experience to be involved in as artists through learning and teaching, Charter said. The workshops provided students with a very supportive and conducive environment for learning, she said. “I have attended previous RMTA conferences but this year I had the wonderful opportunity to actually teach my own
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workshop,” Charter said. “Teaching is totally learning and that’s what RMTA is about.” RMTA is also helpful for actors and actresses trying to network with other people in the same field that one could end up working with, Alyse Neubert, a junior theater major said. Although Neubert wasn’t able to attend many of the workshops, she was still able to make it to all of the four major performances, she said. “Adams State’s performance of ‘Rabbit Hole’ made me cry and Aurora Community College put on an amazing performance called ‘Glimpses…Portraits of the Soul,’” Neubert said. “At one point during their performance everyone pulled out lighters and sang ‘We are the Champions.’” While the entire conference was great, the only downfall of the whole thing was working for the conference and not being
able to attend all of the workshops, Neubert said. The conference could have been spread out over a week so it could have been less intense and students could have spent more time with each other, Charter said. The conference went really well but there are a few minor things that could have been done better, Scott Kadera, the media coordinator for the theater department , said. “There were some scheduling conflicts on campus and there were some things that we spent time and money on that we probably wouldn’t do again,” he said. Overall the whole experience was really fun, Neubert said. “I will definitely attend future RMTA conferences wherever they are held,” she said. For more information please contact Chris Parker at independent@fortlewis.edu
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B
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For a human being, endeavors outside of the comfort zone are inevitable. However, some people ďŹ nd joy and peace of mind in being somewhere, or doing something, unusual. As these pursuits get more reďŹ ned and grander many times the risk of ge ing hurt goes up but, some say so does the reward. “I think, plain and simple, that most people like to be challenged, whether it be school, work, or play,â€? Dan Steaves, an avid outdoor activity pursuer and Durango area ďŹ reďŹ ghter, said. In ďŹ re ďŹ ghting, mitigating risk is high in priority for the job, he said. “Basically in a nutshell, we will risk a lot to save a lot. We will risk our lives if there is a high possibility of saving lives,â€? he said. FireďŹ ghters also take reasonable risks to preserve property value; however, they take no risk to save what is already lost, he said. On a dierent but, equally consequential note, Steaves said that he thinks complacency among outdoor pursuers does happen. Sometimes the best climbers will make terminal mistakes because their risk perception isn’t on a healthy level, he said. The risks are always going to be there—people’s perception of risks is the variable, he said. “It’s kind of unfortunate; the people who like to really push themselves in their athletic endeavors are inevitably going to ďŹ nd themselves in more dangerous places,â€? Steaves said. David Farkas, an Outward Bound instructor and Fort Lewis College senior said that he had multiple falls when learning how to lead climb on rock and ice. “But these falls occurred when I was just starting out, not knowing my limits, or having the adequate mentality, and on climbing terrain that was mostly too advanced for me at the time,â€? he said. “I was in no sense arrogant, but I didn’t have enough experience to know my limits.â€? In climbing, there is a big potential risk, but no real danger, Farkas said. Anything that one can do in life, can be an adventure and present a challenge, he said.
JON REZABEK | Features Editor MAX HOENER | Photographer A myriad of local risk-takers reap the reward of their respective activities. Upper left climber and bottom right snowboarder photos by Max Hoener. Mountaineer on bottom left, rappeler on upper right, red-shirted climber in middle right, and kayaker on bottom photos by Jon Rezabek.
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Beyond
The Independent Newspaper Š 2008
“For me that connection happens in climbing. How much would you do to experience, to know, to grow?â€? he said. “We risk learning in the pursuit of that activity.â€? Farkas isn’t alone when choosing to make calculated risks. “We have so many risks in daily life,â€? Maryl Winterscheid, an adventure education student and former X-Games athlete, said. “It’s almost to where I ask myself, ‘Why do I cross the street? I could get hurt.’ But you have to live.â€? Winterscheid said that her challenges and consequential injuries have all been worth it. “When you push yourself to the edge it helps you realize that it’s all about living,â€? she said. Lee Frazer, an instructor with the adventure education department, said that he thinks there is a natural, drive for some people to want to go somewhere where they haven’t been before. One thing that drives people to push the limits of risk versus reward to Frazer is to achieve a state of ow, he said. According to the social psychologist MihĂĄly CsĂkszentmihĂĄlyi, the creator of â€œďŹ‚ow theory,â€? people who engage in activities which are neither too hard nor too diďŹƒcult can ďŹ nd themselves losing selfconsciousness and living 100 percent in the moment, Frazer said. “I think that certain outdoor activities and deeply meditative experiences can allow people to go into this state,â€? he said. Furthermore, we know from research that frequent ow experiences can lead to a decrease in stress, he said. Whether striving for an enlightened state or having a perilous educational experience, there seems to be many motives for pushing the limits. “I love adventure,â€? Farkas said. Climbing, to him, challenges the entire person, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, he said. If someone were call what Farkas does, “reckless,â€? he said he would answer by citing Socrates’ aphorism that an unexamined life is not worth living, although he would like to add that the unlived life is not worth examining. For more information please contact Jon Rezabek at independent@fortlewis.edu.
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Beyond
Photo courtesy | Jeffery Horvat Bumping off of a poof of fluffy, fresh powder the tobagganers continue their bumpy ride down the slopes of the basin. The experience brought the group together after a long day of excitement and thrills.
For the love of a toboggan About five weeks a er I brought my trusty partner in crime Andy to the hospital, four passionate gentlemen and their three loyal canines set out on a mission to conquer the greatest toboggan hill ever known to anyone stupid enough to a empt it. It was another magnificent, blue bird powder day in the mountains northeast of Silverton, as the foolhardy gents and their pack of voracious beasts trekked in three miles to a destination that has since become infamous amongst the crew of bachelors.
Upon reaching the top of the highly anticipated run, emotions of excitement, unease, and fear ran rampant through our bodies just as the fervent animals in the three feet of freshies. With Justin commanding the noble steed, and Andy, Alexi, and Jefe following, the four sat on the 12 foot, 30-yearold beast of a sleigh. Our emotions were only exaggerated as we prepared, but our previous experience on the rickety monster invited some confidence. The time of pure joy, satisfaction, and intensity was upon us as we yelled a loud “Soiiiiii!” and stared down the long, forty degree slope. With nothing to do but hold on and scream for our lives, we put in our legs and were off. Quickly reaching speeds near 40 miles per hour, we le the dogs behind on our powdery trail to glory town.
Screams and laughter filled the massive basin and our greatest passions were fulfilled as we gained more and more speed towards the end. A er hi ing a small poof of powder, we were thrown wildly into a bounce, gapping 20 or so feet each time on our now rodeo style descent. The deep snow had soon had enough of our stupidity as the front of the toboggan dug straight under, brought us to an immediate stop and bodies slammed each other. The enormous spray cleared and after barely comprehending what had just happened and laughing a li le, phrases that should not ever be repeated spewed from Andy’s mouth. The torturous pain and loud pop he heard from his knee meant only one thing, suffering for him and the three idiots that would soon carry him back to the car.
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A er riding the beast the final eighth of the run, we were back to the floor of the basin with three miles, one pair of snowshoes and an angry Andy to lug through the snow. A er two hours of cussing, laughing at Andy, and pulling, we made it back to the car where well deserved beers awaited us. The experience brought us nearly every emotion the human body is capable of, and looking back, it has led me to revere the toboggan so much more. What is commonly known within our crew as “Andy luck,” saved him from a completely torn MCL and he will be back on his snowboard soon. With slightly less ambition and an increased sense of respect, his love of the toboggan will again seize his a ention and bring to even greater runs. --Jeffrey “Jefe” Horvat
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Features
Staff Profile:
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What is your position here at Fort Lewis College? Bilinski: Position: Director, Native American Center Purpose: With my staff, the NAC’s purpose is to provide academic, social and cultural support to Fort Lewis Native American students. In addition we have fun doing a number of extracurricular activities and eat plenty of delicious foods, while enlightening ourselves and others about being Native American. Where are you from? Bilinski: Originally I am from Aztec and Farmington, N.M. but spent the last 26 years of my adult life in upstate New York. What/who brought you to Durango? Bilinksi: The job as Director of the Native American Center. This was my opportunity to come home and give back to my community of Native learners far and wide, but at Fort Lewis. How long have you have you been involved with Fort Lewis? Bilinksi: I’m in the middle of my third year. Wahoo!! What is the most significant accomplishment in your life thus far? Bilinksi: Coming home to be with my family after lengthy stopovers at UCLA, Univ. of Rochester and Cornell University, raising three fine children who are independent and selfsufficient and helping the Native American Center thrive and grow. What is something you would like to see changed at Fort Lewis? Bilinksi: Seriously, more awareness and understanding of what our Native American students undergo to earn their undergraduate degree—academically, socially and culturally. They make tremendous sacrifices.
Speedy Staff Stats What do you do with your personal time? Cooking, cleaning, and darning my socks. Must also include piano playing, plinking on my guitar, bicycling, reading and checking out the thrift shop wares.
What is your favorite local restaurant? Rubio’s (in Aztec); Lota Burger (green chile burger); Francisco’s
What is your ancestry? Navajo (Kinlecheene and Bitaahni)
What is your favorite type of music and band?
What is something that you have seen change for the better at Fort Lewis during your time here? Bilinksi: Well, new faculty in Native American and Indigenous Studies for a start. Unlike Professor Huggins, not a chance of me getting better looking. Was it Popeye who used to always say “I yam what I yam?” Where do you see yourself in seven years?
Bilinksi: Paddling around the Galapagos Islands, while I work on a degree in Astrophysics. The Independent Newspaper © 2008
I love New Age music, plus I have found I like music by Apocalyptica, and lots of guitar music.
If you had one day to live, how would you spend it? Celebrate with my children in Atlanta, Ga.
What is your educational background? B.S. in Education (concentrations in History and English literature) from New Mexico State University M.A. in US History and Latin American History from New Mexico State University ½ Ph.D. Yeah—I know—but 3 years coursework toward the Ph.D. in US History at UCLA might count for something.
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10 ports Skyhawks ball for breast cancer J M
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Fort Lewis College’s Whalen Gymnasium was transformed into a pink zone on Saturday, Feb. 14, as a fundraising event for breast cancer research and awareness was taking place. The Skyhawk women’s basketball team, ranked second nationally, defeated New Mexico Highlands University, 9136, but the focus on the night was on winning the ba le against breast cancer. Many of the fans in a endance wore pink clothing and both teams wore pink shoelaces and socks. The Skyhawks had planned on wearing pink jerseys, but they did not arrive in time for the game, Whitney Rochford, a student assistant, said. “It was really disappointing because
we were really excited to wear them, but they arrived on Feb. 16, so we will be able to wear them for another game,” Audrey George, a junior, said. The Women’s Basketball Coaches Association began the WBCA Pink Zone in 2007, Kristen Ma io, the assistant women’s basketball coach, said. Fort Lewis has participated since the inaugural year, she said. According to the WBCA’s Web site, 120 schools participated in 2007. Last year, that number rose to 1,200 schools and organizations, reaching over 830,000 fans, and raising $930,000 for breast cancer awareness and research, Ma io said. The initiative began with the late Kay Yow, the former head women’s basketball coach at North Carolina State University, she said. Yow was a past president and founding member of the WBCA, Ma io said. She was first diagnosed with breast
cancer in 1987, and passed away on Jan. 24, 2009, a er facing her third bought with the disease, she said. “Here at Fort Lewis College women’s basketball, we have a big vision” Ma io said. “We want people to know that the coaches of Skyhawk Women’s Basketball are stepping forward to commit to making a difference in people’s lives.” There are 15 women on the Fort Lewis basketball team, and some of them may be faced with this disease later on in life, Ma io said. “We want our girls to understand and grasp the fact that life is not only about ba ling on the court, but off the court as well,” she said. Coach Ma io’s family and close friends covered the majority of the cost for the pink Adidas jerseys, with some additional help from Don Ricedorff and the Wells Group, she said. “I have had two grandmothers and an aunt survive through this tragic sickness,
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which makes it a li le more personal for me to raise awareness and support,” Ma io said. When the jerseys arrive they will be autographed by the players and sold for a minimum of $150, with proceeds going towards the development of a new breast cancer research center at Mercy Regional Medical Center, Rochford said. At the time of the game, almost all of the jerseys had a buyer already, she said. “Pink Zone was a great honor to be able to participate in,” Erin Kerr, a senior said. “What it stands for means a great deal, and I was happy to be a part of it.” A er the game, all breast cancer survivors and those currently diagnosed with cancer were invited onto the court, where they took a picture with the team, and were given pink carnations by the players. For more information please contact Jason Michaud at independent@fortlewis.edu
O
pinion 11
Don’t be in a hurry to label, just let it be So I started talking to this guy a few weeks ago, we went on a few dates; he met my parents and my brother. The first question my friend asked me a er I told her was, “so you two are dating right?” Before I even had a chance to respond my other friend said “of course they are, they been on more than one date and they kissed, that means they are dating.” Not two days later another friend of mine asked if we were an item yet. All of these friends are girls.
Being a girl myself, I confronted him and wanted to know what his thoughts were. His response wasn’t what I was looking for. His said he didn’t know, he was just planning on having a lot of fun and seeing what happened. I wanted to hear that we were dating or an item for that ma er. I really like this guy; I couldn’t help but wonder what was holding him back. Then it hit me, why does it ma er
what we are? We were hanging out and having a great time. We both know that we like each other, so how is adding the title of boyfriend/ girlfriend going to change that? We are so focused in our society of labeling our relationship that we lose focus of what really ma ers. If you are happy with the other person and that you are having a good time, why do you need a label? If you just sit back and listen to your
heart you will know when it’s right and who cares if other people know what you are or aren’t. I’m not saying that labels are all bad because with any label comes obligations and expectations. I am just saying that we need to stop prematurely stressing over labels and just let what going to happen, happen.
--Jenny Coddington
Everything makes you mad when you’re sick Everywhere I go I see tissues. I am starting to recognize brands and types of tissues based on the so ness they feel on my nose. When is this everlasting sickness going away? For me, it started a er a fun filled week of turning 21 the Monday of Snowdown, and then continuing the celebrations by properly perusing the Durango night life throughout the week. The week was then topped off by a crazy Superbowl Sunday event, and by Monday morning, the health center was looking like a great idea. That was what—three weeks ago— and the madness continues. Every time there is a chance I am starting to feel be er, some new virus or epidemic breaks out. I have been amped up on cold meds
for the last four days straight, you would think I would just be zonked out, but no, apparently only Kryptonite is going to stop this bad boy. Granted the first sickness was partly induced by yours truly, I would like to think I have been taking care of myself since then. And what is the deal with the bloody pot holes? I am just humming away to my music, and whenever I hit one of these outlandish holes in the ground my c.d. skips, and I can just feel the days get closer until my car decides to give out. Yes, I said c.d. I get the whole idea of a “free speed trap,” but come on, when is the government just going to admit they are lazy and don’t really care about the well being of our cars, and our wonderful 10 minute
jam sessions where we can sing as loud as possible and no one can judge. Well, maybe the person next to me at the stoplight, but really, when are you going to see them again. Oh yeah, probably in class on Monday since I’m convinced anyone in this town can play six degrees of separation and get back to square one in no time. Sorry, I am just sick. I have a lot of time on my hands to drive over pot holes, analyze tissue thread count and obsess about the illusory pills they are handing out at our health center. I went to this Web site called WedMD, just so I could track exactly what I was taking because at this point I really am not sure. It gives you this section where you can describe the shape; enter in the num-
bers labeled on the pill and then describe the color composition. What kind of world do we live in where this information is available, and for that ma er, necessary? This pill is supposed to make your throat numb so you lose the urge to cough, which would be great if that is what it was actually doing. Instead, I feel relaxed all over like I just took Codeine. I wouldn’t go as far to say that I am outright complaining about this, but in terms of this ridiculous virus, I’m not sure what has been accomplished. Hopefully you all are experiencing be er luck. Remember to keep hydrated, and please don’t analyze tissue thread count, it only makes things worse. --Avery Perryman
Living green to keep your green With the economy down the drain, living green has become more and more difficult. Even with the dollar being more worthless than usual, we can still find ways to stretch it a li le farther by being conscious of what we are buying and how we are living. You’ve all heard that we need to turn down our thermostats and stop driving our cars. Most people have either taken to following these rules or decided that they cost too much to follow.
These rules, however, will not only save the world but it could also save your wallet. To keep your wallet fat in a time like this, it is important to remember all of the li le things that you can do. Gas may cost less than it did a couple months ago, but it is still more expensive than walking, riding the bus, or biking. While it is colder outside and walking may not seem like that great of a thing right now, it could save you $20, or more, per week on gas. If it gets too cold to walk, then carpool
with your friends; that way you can split the cost and lessen the impact of having everyone drive. Not to mention there would be more parking spaces on campus if more people did this. Keeping your thermostat down, while may not make for the warmest apartment, will allow you to save some money. If you drop your temperature just three degrees, then you can save about $70 per year, according to Atmos Energy. The biggest problem people have with
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this is that it might be uncomfortable. If you are cold, put on another layer and you should warm right up. Follow these tips to stop burning your money in your furnace and your engine. --Ben Rodgers
To comment on this article go to ecgreengfreedom.blogspot.com or e-mail us at ec_communications@fortlewis.edu.
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ootnotes
Horoscopes
What is your favorite movie quote?
Born this week:
You’re not fooling anyone by walking away from your farts. Aquarius (Jan. 23 – Feb. 22) Try three times, and if it doesn’t flush, wait 30 minutes and try again.
Stacey Bierman Sophomore, English Communications Parker, Colo. “’Just keep swimming, just keep swimming’ from ‘Finding Nemo.’”
Pisces (Feb. 23 – March 22) Playing baseball with a wiffle ball bat and a regular baseball... not so smart.
Aries (March 23 – April 22) Yellow snow only means that some unfortunate hiker dropped his mustard.
Taurus (April 23 – May 22) Stop telling people that it was Michael Jackson in that Barney costume all along.
Trevor Ragsdale Freshman, Physics Engineering Redvail, Colo. “The dollar song from the ‘Li le Rascals.’”
Jon Jackson Freshman, Business Administration Dallas “’Ezekiel 25-17… And you will know my name is the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon thee’” from ‘Pulp Fiction.’”
Gemini (May 23 – June 22) Being drunk is no excuse for who you ran over last weekend. We know what you did... Cancer (June 23 – July 22) If you’ve been with your lover for more than two months, I advise you don’t go to Vegas for spring break.
Recipe of the Week - Thai Curry Chicken Ingredients: Thai Kitchen red curry paste
Leo (July 23 – Aug. 22) Doing two twins at once is totally incest. Virgo (Aug. 23 – Sept. 22) To enter adulthood, build a fire using only your backpack, tweezers, chewing gum and your protractor. Libra (Sept. 23 – Oct. 22) Streakers Beware! It’s cold out there so watch for frostbite.
Scorpio (Oct. 23 – Nov. 22) Make a toast to whoever invented Ramen and cream cheese. Sagi arius (Nov. 23 – Dec. 22) You will come to an amazing revelation a er pooping in the snow.
Capricorn (Dec. 23 – Jan. 22) Announcement: porcupines and car tires will soon mend their relationship.
by Chris Parker
Thai Kitchen fish sauce Jasmine Rice Brown sugar 1 lime Cooking oil 1 pound of Chicken Breast 1 can of Coconut milk Directions: Start the rice process by bringing one cup of water to a boil using a small pot. Add 1 1/2 cups of rice to the water, and then reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cover the rice and let it cook for 20 minutes. While the rice is boiling, get a skillet out to begin cooking the chicken. Use a large skillet or a wok and put a tablespoon of cooking oil in the skillet and heat over medium. Put three tablespoons of red curry paste into the skillet and sauté with the oil. After this, add cube- sliced chicken breast into the skillet. Cook the chicken until the outside is browned, but the inside is still slightly raw. Add the entire can of coconut milk to the chicken and curry paste. Let this cook for at least five minutes then add two tablespoons of fish sauce to the mixture. Then, squeeze half of the lime and put 1 tablespoon of brown sugar into the mixture. Finally, add curry paste for flavor, and stir mixture occasionally until the chicken is done. To serve: Place curry chicken over steamed rice. Enjoy!
If you have a recipe you would like to share, e-mail us at independent@fortlewis.edu.
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