April 24, 2017

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April 24, 2017

COLLEGIATETIMES

BILLY CLARKE / COLLEGIATE TIMES Head coach Justin Fuente gives a speech to the players to instruct them on how to prepare to give signatures after the game to their many fans, April 22, 2017.

Trio of freshmen impress crowd at Spring Game Newcomers Hendon Hooker, Caleb Farley and Dalton Keene gave electrifying offensive performances in Saturday’s rainy Spring Game.

CHASE PARKER football beat reporter

When Virginia Tech’s 2017 recruiting class was finalized on Feb. 1, expectations for the future of the program shot up. The Hokies had brought in their first top 25 class since 2013.

At the team’s annual Spr ing G a m e, the newcomers showed exactly why its class was so celebrated, as three of the most impressive players on the field were early enrollees.

The sharpest of the quarterbacks on Saturday was 18-year-old Hendon Hooker.

While most of his reps came against the second-team defense, his stellar play can’t be dismissed. The 6-foot-2-inch signal caller completed 10 of 11 passes for 113 yards.

Out of the three quarterbacks competing for the starting job, Hooker was the only one to throw a touchdown pass, which came at the end of an 88-yard drive.

AHMED MUSTAFA / COLLEGIATE TIMES Teddy Henderson, a homeless man who died in 2008, frequently stayed in the Blacksburg mosque for shelter.

‘To Our House’ assists Blackburg’s homeless with dine-out fundraiser FAIZAN HASNANY sports editor

Living in a college town like Blacksburg, it’s easy to feel immune to several worldly issues, simply due to lack of exposure. Among these issues is homelessness, and while we don’t see a lot of it in the Virginia Tech area, it does exist.

To Our House (TOH) is an organization that is bringing light to this issue and working at a solution by giving homeless people in the community a place to stay. In October of 2008, Teddy Owen Henderson, a former veteran and homeless man passed away in Blacksburg, sparking discussions about how to help the homeless in the area.

“At the place that is now Cook Out, it used to be a Hardee’s there, and I’d take my boys there and that’s actually where they learned

to read. Anyway, there was a homeless man who would come in and hang out outside there,” said Loren Rees, professor of business information technology at Virginia Tech.

“My wife every once in a while would give him something or talk to him. So, she got to know his name, and consequently, some of our neighbors got to know his name. We didn’t really do anything significant for him to be honest, but we knew who he was and helped him occasionally. Then, because of his lifestyle and not having anywhere to stay, he died.”

Henderson was known by several others in the community as well, and was especially liked by some of the staff at the Blacksburg Library. After Henderson’s death, Rees’ wife, Rebecca, was able to contact his family in North Carolina, who was unaware of his whereabouts at the time. A memorial service

was held at the library, and afterward, monthly discussions took place at the library about how to combat homelessness in the community.

These discussions ultimately led to Rebecca Rees founding To Our House, which would be named with Teddy in mind, using his initials, “TOH.” “(Henderson) would attend both mosques, and Blacksburg Baptist helped put him up,” Loren Rees said. “When we say the organization is faith-based, it’s lots of different faiths working together and helping out.”

Since the time it was founded, To Our House has gained an outpouring of support from numerous faith communities and service organizations. This year has seen the involvement of over 50 faith communities and around 1,000 volunteers.

Spring service project boosts leadership skills Students of the Residential Leadership Community campaign to implement service initiatives in Blacksburg.

ANDREW YOUNG news staff writer

Every spring in Virginia Tech’s Residential Leadership Com mun it y, f resh ma n students are assigned a spring semester course project to apply their leadership skills to the real world. Whether it’s working with local schools, philanthropy or infrastructure projects, students are required to be hands-on and to network with local organizations to accomplish their goals.

Freshmen Mary Callihan and Robert Shelton are part of a group focused on the effort to bring Amtrak service to the New River Valley, based on the idea of “industry, innovation and infrastructure.”

Their focus is on the idea of a future Amtrak station in Christiansburg.

Shelton said that having one would be significant, but “what it does the most is connect us (Virginia Tech) to other universities and provides another option.”

The group’s project mostly focuses on making students more aware of the opportunities presented by building a nearby train station.

“We’re kind of running a marketing campaign to bring this idea to the student

population,” Callihan said.

This campaign has been spearheaded by an original documentary made by the group, where they filmed their experience riding the train from Blacksburg back to their hometowns in order to demonstrate that students rely on rail service.

“We need to start getting students to take the train home, to show the state government that, ‘Yeah, this is something people would utilize if they knew about it,’” Callihan said.

According to Shelton, the idea to create a railway documentary was both enjoyable and effective. Pertaining to their project, Shelton said, “We were thinking, what can we do that’s (A) fun for us and (B) is an honest campaign.

We’re basically lobbying for something. We’re marketing for something.”

Both Shelton and Callihan recognized that having a nearby Christiansburg station would be beneficial.

The group had to wake up at 4:30 a.m. to take the bus from Squires Student Center in Blacksburg to Lynchburg where they would get on the train.

“Our video also shows some of the downside (of

BASEBALL WEEKEND RECAP Check out how the Virginia Tech baseball team did against the Yellow Jackets at home. page 7

taking the train),” Shelton said. “What we’re trying to do is say, ‘Well, this isn’t a perfect solution — there is no perfect solution to doing it, but it’s viable.’ It’s adding an option.”

Along with focusing on infrastructure projects, students could also focus on numerous categories to conduct their projects, all of which align with the United Nations’ goals of sustainable development that is to “end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all.”

One topic was called “No Poverty,” which focused on combating homelessness.

Freshman Claire Lee’s group worked with “To Our House,” a local organization that’s mission is “providing thermal shelter and compassionate care to homeless men in the New River Valley, and to make available any resources that could help the men reintegrate into society.”

Lee’s group focused on promoting benefit events that assisted the organization, including one called “Dining Out,” where local restaurants host percentage nights for the organization.

“Basically for our project, see RLC / page 8

see HOME/ page 8

“I felt pretty com for t able,” Hooker said. “I felt like the whole quarterback room really prepared me for today, so shout out to my fellow quarterbacks for really assisting me and pushing me to be the best quarterback I can be.”

Hooker’s only misfire came in the second half when he threw an interception to senior cornerback Brandon Facyson.

“It was an in-and-out route, and I don’t know if he didn’t get the signal or what, but Hendon threw it inside and Phil (Patterson) was doing what he was supposed to be doing,” said Justin Fuente, head coach.

W hile Fuente isn’t expected to make a decision on the starting quarterback any time soon, it seems as if Hooker took a major step forward in the competition.

True-freshman Dalton Keene was on the receiving end of the game’s only touchdown pass. The see SPRING GAME / page 6

IN DEFENSE OF ADAM SANDLER With Sandler’s newest Netflix specials not living up to his previous glory, the comedy legend has hit a dry spell.

BRADY TICKLE movie columnist

Oh, Adam Sandler — what happened? The man who I idolized as a comedic legend as a kid has, to put it lightly, not aged like a fine wine.

With the release of his latest Netflix atrocity, “Sandy Wexler,” it seems that Mr. Sandler is determined to stay on this downward path that he’s been on for quite some time now.

Sure, “Sandy Wexler” is easily his funniest Netflix outing to date (although admittedly, the competition isn’t that stiff), with three or four good laughs in its two-hour plus running time.

I had a bit of hope from the trailers that the film would be funnier, perhaps even a modest comeback for the veteran funnyman.

Alas, I was disappointed.

What went wrong? Starting from the early Sandler flicks, let’s work our way through his filmography and see where the degradation begins (please note that this list is not comprehensive, but rather just the films of his that I have seen and deem as

significant).

1. “Billy Madison” (1995) This is probably my favorite goof ball Adam Sandler movie. I watch it at least once each year, and it still holds up as an over-thetop gem of pure buffoonery.

The story follows the titular Billy Madison as he has to go back through school (from first grade through high school) to prove to his father that he is not too stupid to run the family business.

This was back when Adam Sandler did weird voices and

SUMMER JOBS No summer internship? Read on to find out which places are most likely to hire students. page 3

it was actually funny instead of grating, and his interactions with the kids in this movie are priceless. Also, you are absolutely lying if you don’t think that Chris Farley sensually making out with a giant penguin is hysterical. Rating: five out of five stars.

2. “Happy Gilmore” (1996) One of the few Sandler flcks to have a fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes (just barely qualifying at 60 percent), see SANDLER / page 5

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GROUP RALLIES AGAINST RADFORD ARSENAL Students bring awareness to allocation of tax dollars. page 8

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column

A divisive decade: 2020 census alienates minorities In attempting to collect information that is representative of the entire U.S. population, the upcoming census leaves out key groups.

In

MEHHER HASNANY / COLLEGIATE TIMES Susan Anderson from the National Organization for Women speaks at the 27th annual Take Back the Night rally and march which raises awareness for gender-based violence, March 30, 2017.

column

Sexual assault prevention efforts go beyond campus boundaries While conquering sexual assault on campus leaves a ripple effect, combatting this issue at a national level is key to making waves.

“C

rime Alert” — these words headl i ne emails from the Virginia Tech Police Department (VTPD), alerting the campus community of reported crimes.

From March 18 to April 9, the campus community received a total of five reported sexual assault or battery cases. Twenty-three days may seem like a long time, but with the release of five similar reports in that span, the campus community was shaken.

Sexual assaults are quite prevalent on college and university campuses. The organization Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN), which is the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization, stated that women aged 18–24 in college are three times more likely to be victims of sexual violence than all women.

In addition, RAINN pointed out that sexual violence is the most common type of crime committed on college campuses.

In light of the sheer amount of sex crimes committed at Tech during the aforementioned timeframe, I decided to look into the measures and departments that the university has in place to investigate reported incidents, support those affected and educate the greater campus community about sex-related crimes and how to potentially prevent them.

“

Nobody ever asks to be raped. Nobody ever asks to be dehumanized, tormented and humiliated.”

One of the first people I contacted was Virginia Tech Police Chief Kevin Foust, whom I asked to comment on the perceived recent uptick in sexual assaults on campus. In response, he said, “I don’t believe there has necessarily been an uptick in the number of sexual assaults, I believe that people are beginning to feel more empowered and comfortable coming forward to report.”

I also inquired about any tips he had for concerned or fearful students, to which he said, “There

are many tips. I would highlight the notion behind No Hokie Left Behind: Go with friends, stay with friends, leave with friends. Watch out for each other, leave no one behind, and do not allow anyone (to) separate members away from your group.” Foust also referred me to the safety tips that are a part of each “Timely Warning” email that the police department sends for such incidents.

When it comes to sexual assaults, one of the big points of concern is the issue of consent.

Sea rching for a concrete university-used definition, I made my way to the Virginia Tech Women’s Center, where I spoke with Christine Smith, the co-director of services. We spoke about a number of different topics, including how the Women’s Center supports victims as well as any educational outreach programs — such as the “It’s On Us” initiative to educate the greater campus community, especially men, about consent and sex-related crimes.

Two initiatives that we talked about were Sexual Assault and Violence Education by Students (SAVES) and the Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP) program. SAVES is a group that “facilitates interactive and educational programs that address sexual assault, healthy relationships, stalking and the effects of media on gender-based violence.”

The MVP program uses two of Virginia Tech’s Aspirations for Student Learning in its workshop, and the program is intended “to educate, inspire and empower members of our community to utilize self-understanding, integrity and courageous leadership to prevent, interrupt and respond to sexist abuse in order to create a civil and just community.”

The workshop is geared toward empowering students to be more than just bystanders, especially when witnessing an abusive situation, and it is open to both men and women. When we talked about consent, Smith advised me that the Women’s Center abides by the university definition from the Office of Student Conduct found within the Hokie Handbook. As I left, I also asked her about any tips that she had for women to feel safer, to which she replied, “We have to focus on what people need

to do as a community, and not so much on telling women what to do to feel safe.”

According to the Hokie Handbook, consent is defined as, “Knowing, voluntary, and clear permission by word or action, to engage in mutually agreed upon sexual activity.” The handbook goes on to state that “consent can be withdrawn at any time.”

It is vital that all of us understand that consent can be changed.

Someone’s answer 20 minutes before can be changed at his or her discretion, and his or her wish must be respected. In addition, victims are never to blame for the actions of the offender. It doesn’t matter if a girl is wearing sexually provocative clothing, is intoxicated or is “asking for it.” Nobody ever asks to be raped. Nobody asks to be dehumanized, tormented and humiliated. Predators need to be held more accountable for their actions.

The root of the problem can be traced to the current legal system in place. The Brock Turner case demonstrates the leniency given to offenders, even when the victim decides to do the brave thing and come forward. This type of mentality tells victims that their rapists get a slap on the wrist, and that the victims don’t matter and won’t get justice if and when they report, causing them to keep these traumatizing experiences to themselves.

More action needs to be taken to address the penalties given to those who choose to violate another human being. Stiffer prison sentences need to be handed out even to first-time offenders, irrespective of their status in their communities. The judicial system plays a huge role in making sure that these criminals are made to pay for their actions.

By handing out light sentences, we as a society are telling the world that committing sexual assaults is an accepted practice and that offenders won’t get any serious sanctions for doing so, and that is the wrong message.

Let us all remember that, “It’s On Us.”

three years, the U.S. Census Bureau will p er for m a nationwide survey of the population: the 2020 census.

However, with the date quickly approaching, the Bureau has released a list of questions that it intends to ask respondents. Additionally, the entity is charged with reporting the procedure of the survey to Congress, and some of that information has a great number of people concerned.

The census is taken every 10 years, as required by the Constitution, and has been since the year 1790. The U.S. Census Bureau is a part of the Department of Commerce, one of the many cabinet departments facing the possibility of substantial budget cuts under the new administration.

While modern means of monitoring the population make the census less important than it once was, this official survey detailing the demographics of American citizens still remains relevant. The most recent census was used to determine the number of representatives each state sends to the House of Representatives. Population shifts are critical to redrawing state districts and for determining which areas require the most federal aid.

Various minority communities have expressed concern over the 2020 census. Illegal immigrants, for example, have exhibited great distress over the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration and threats of mass deportations.

The census attempts to account for this, sending representatives to nonrespondent households, which requires a great deal of resources.

The U.S. Census Bureau has strict guidelines as to who can access the information and for what purpose, but it is worth noting that the 1940 census was used by the government to identify people of Japanese descent. Additionally, ArabAmerican neighborhoods were singled out to the U.S.

MOUSTAPHA OUATTARA • regular columnist • senior/international studies

Department of Homeland Security, though this was not followed up by any actions. It is unlikely that this would occur again, as privacy laws have progressed, but in this political era, anything is possible.

“

Accurate statistics on various minority groups are essential to discovering ways to help these groups.”

One demographic that would not be included in this latest census is the LGBT community.

This was seen by activists and lawmakers as a means of delegitimizing the LGBT population in the United States. Failing to include numbers of LGBT citizens would also make data pertaining to the community much more difficult to obtain, a prospect that is a source of trepidation for researchers, advocacy groups, aid workers and concerned citizens.

Accurate statistics on various minority groups are essential to discovering ways to help these groups, as well as identifying the needs of these groups.

These identifiers are important for recognizing the legitimacy of the LGBT community while providing information for those who seek to help them.

Another cause for concern is the means of collecting the data in 20w20. This will be the first census to gather the majority of its data online, and with this comes concerns over potential hacks. With investigations into the Russian influence in the presidential election still ongoing, it is critical for the government to restore confidence in the cyber security of the nation’s core functions.

SALLY DUKES • opinions contributor • sophomore/political science

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lifestyles

April 24, 2017 PAGE 3

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Movie soundtracks that will help you score an A Finding the perfect environment to study can be tough — it’s too loud, there are too many people and you just can’t find the right playlist. Luckily, we’ve got you covered just in time for finals. The answer to all of your problems? Movie scores.

MEGAN MAURY CHURCH lifestyles columnist

When it comes to where we study, we all need to have control over our space.

Unfortunately, this can be hard to do during finals week unless you are prepared to shut yourself into your room and have no contact with the outside world for hours. If you prefer to claim space in a study area or dining hall, you will be surrounded by other students who have chosen to do the same. There will be lights and noises and group projects and other distractions all around you in the overpopulated areas, so it can sometimes be hard to get in the zone.

An easy way to control your environment is to carefully select the music you listen to. Unfortunately, usually our preferred music is too distracting for studying. Many of us turn to classical playlists, but when you’re down for a power study session with a gallon of coffee, you need something other than six hours of smooth jazz. You may need something that is catchy enough to keep you entertained, but not so much that it is distracting.

“These musical masterpieces were created for just that combination of entertainment and background noise; almost every movie has one, but even the best film scores often go unrecognized because they find just the right balance of those two things.”

The answer is to find a good film score. These musical masterpieces were created for

just that combination of entertainment and background noise; almost every movie has one, but even the best film scores often go unrecognized because they find just the right balance of those two things.

Here are some scores and composers to get started with: John Williams Williams is the living legend who took the task of creating film scores and turned it into an art form. He is truly the master. The list of films he has worked on is impressively long and includes “Sta r Wa rs,” “Jurassic Pa rk,” “Home Alone,” “Indiana Jones,” “Jaws” and “Schindler’s List.” Each of these selections guarantees an enjoyable listening experience. Be warned, however, that many of Williams’ compositions are so powerful that you might get carried away in them.

Hans Zimmer Zimmer is another living legend and has contributed to this art form nearly as much as Williams. If you can recall a film score you like, it was probably composed by either Williams or Zimmer. He has many recognizable classics to his name, including “Pirates of the Caribbean,” “Sherlock Holmes (2009),” “Inception,” parts of “The Lion King,” “Madagascar,” “12 Years a Slave” and “Hidden Figures.”

All guarantees and warnings that apply to Williams also apply to Zimmer.

Alan Silvestri Silvestri is another addition to the list of well-known film score composers. You will

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come across his name more on less serious titles like “The Mummy,” “Night at the Museum” and “Back to the Future.”

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” — James Newton Howard The film is set in the 1920s so the score reflects the swinging jazz of the day.

If you are looking for something to pick you up from the mid-study haze, this is the score for you. Warning: you may be caught off guard

Landing a summer job

Some students have internships, some students are graduating — and then there are those who must work.

GRETCHEN KERNBACH lifestyles staff writer

With the summer season quickly approaching, now is the time to start thinking about what kind of job you want in your off time from school. If you ask a college student what he or she is doing over the summer, the most common answer you get back is, “I don’t know.” And, that’s right, we just simply don’t know. That’s because we don’t think about summer until about five days into summer.

Thankfully, I’m here to help you brainstorm and plan for summer work, right now, as opposed to waiting until the last minute like we all know you want to. Let’s be real, it’s better to get your applications out of the way now rather than at home in sheer panic.

So what kind of jobs should a college student consider?

Keep in mind, this article is geared toward the souls without a fancy internship this summer. So if you’re reading this in your mind and thinking, “Why is she suggesting these jobs that won’t have a positive effect on our future careers?”

— don’t. The goal of this article is money. Everyone loves money.

Restaurants Apply at your local restaurant(s) to be a waiter, host, cook or busser. The food business is always open, and there’s rarely a lack of eating places anywhere. No excuses.

Now you might not want to aim for a super expensive place like Ruth’s Chris because the application process could be competitive, and working at McDonald’s may or may not be social suicide. Instead, make a list of the middle-class restaurants in your area.

I’m talking about Outback, Olive Garden, The Cheesecake Factory, Texas Roadhouse or Carrabba’s Italian Grill. You can even check out restaurants that are family-owned and are just located near you.

CAT PIPER / COLLEGIATE TIMES Two Jimmy John’s employees work at the College Avenue location in Blacksburg, April 23, 2017.

Retail If you have heard bad things about the food business, be prepared to hear the same kind of talk about retail. It can be brutal. But, like I said, money is money.

The best place to search for job openings is your local mall and/or shopping center(s). You are bound to find at least 3–5 stores who are looking to hire college students for summer work. To sweeten the deal, apply to places you regularly shop at so you can secure the employee discount.

Keep in mind that retail can apply to stores such as GameStop, Best Buy and Wegmans. It doesn’t just mean clothing.

Waterpark/pool Lifeguarding is pretty easy until you actually have to save someone’s life. Check out job openings at local waterparks and your neighborhood pools.

Keep in mind though, you will have to take certification classes in order to become a lifeguard. However, because you are certified, you should make more than minimum wage.

As a reminder, this is still a job that you cannot slack off during. Having someone die on your watch is not the best

summer story to tell at school next semester.

Camp Counselor/nannying Summer camps are a goldmine for work. First of all, they only occur in the summer (hence the name: summer camp) so the owners will definitely be looking to hire. Secondly, you don’t see middle-aged men working as camp counselors because that is considered creepy, so consider slots open and welcome. As long as you’re fun and can slightly tolerate kids in elementary school, you’re set.

Nannying is another story though. Typically, you will be working alone so keep in mind it is basically you versus the children. Nannies don’t have assistance from other nannies like camp counselors.

Also, you have to make the fun. Being a nanny is demanding work and will tire you out.

If you don’t consider yourself a fan of young children, stay away from both jobs, because in the end you will just drive yourself crazy to no end.

@gretchthecatch

by the random inserts of the nostalgia-inducing Harry Potter theme, but tears are always a possibility when John Williams is involved.

(Williams composed the scores for three of the original Harry Potter films, but was not involved with “Fantastic Beasts.”)

You get a little bit of everything in the music of this fantastic film. There is a jolly, ragtime tune that appears throughout the score that will lift your spirits immediately;

it can be fully heard in the piece “Kowalski Rag” (the last track on the bonus CD).

There are lots of woodwinds in playful tones, meaningful brass sections and suspenseful build-ups of ambient choruses.

You will also get a full helping of the fluttering strings that characterized the owl scenes in our favorite David Radcliffe series.

For a really emotional journey, listen to track six, “Inside the Case.” It is nine minutes long, enough to get you through a whole page of text undistracted and uplifted.

“Amelie” — Yann Tiersen This is the accordion-piano combination that you didn’t know you needed from the mildly popular French movie that is currently on Broadway.

You will probably find something familiar in the piece “Comptine d’un autre ete” (or “rhyme of another summer”), as it became popular after Tiersen composed it for this movie, and has since been incorporated into other films.

Each song goes along with a specific scene of the movie, and as a whole it feels rather disjointed. You will probably find yourself skipping some of the pieces, but falling for some others.

“Super 8” — Michael Giacchino Want to get freaked out?

Giacchino is the way to go. He has composed scores for many of your favorite suspensefilled films and shows, including “Jurassic World,” “Fringe,” “Lost” and “Rogue One.” This particular film is reminiscent of “Stranger

Things,” starring kids with a Super 8 camera investigating an alien invasion in their small town, Lillian.

Start with track 22, “Evacuation of Lillian,” for a taste of classic suspensebuilding, adventure and sci-fi thriller.

Also, just listen to Giacchino’s “Rogue One” score. It is brilliant from start to finish. There is a lot of influence from Williams’ classic “Imperial March,” which can get anyone fired up.

“Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children” — Mike Higham and Matthew Margeson This score will fill you with wonder and a desire to find magic in the world. The makers of this movie were likely aware that selling the story from a kid’s book to a family audience would take some creativity. The duo they hired to create the background music certainly pulled through.

Check out track eight, “The Augusta.” This one is reminiscent of “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” which would also be perfect for studying if it were not so chock-full of nostalgia that it is practically a punch to the gut.

However you choose to study, find exactly the environment you need in order to be successful. I hope these music suggestions can help you get there.

@CollegiateTimes

PAGE 4 April 24, 2017

study break

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Today’s Birthday Horoscope: Reevaluate where you’ve been and are going this year.

Strengthen basics like health and work. Develop your capacities. Changes in your career or industry this August come before a domestic flowering phase. A partnership blossoms after October. December initiates a two-year community connection cycle. Follow love.

editor@collegiatetimes.com

LIVE IN Y UR W RLD DVERTISE IN URS

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WORD BANK 1 Botticelli W 2 Monet K 3 Da Vinci A 4 Van Gogh N 5 Klimt 6 Jackson D Pollock 7 Kandinsky I N 8 Cezanne 9 Matisse S 10 Andy Warhol K 11 Donatello 12 Picasso Y 13 Salvador Dali D 14 Renoir K 15 Manet

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Where you go, we go. collegiatetimes.com

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editor@collegiatetimes.com

April 24, 2017 PAGE 5

lifestyles collegiatetimes.com/lifestyles

SANDLER: Comedy giant loses his mojo in latest releases from page1

“Happy Gilmore” is undoubtedly a classic Sandler staple.

While I think “Billy Madison” is just a bit funnier, “Happy Gilmore” is still gloriously, hilariously stupid in all the right ways, following the titular Happy Gilmore as he goes through the trials of becoming a professional golfer while also dealing with his severe rage issues.

It’s good stuff. Rating: four and a half out of five stars.

3. “The Wedding Singer” (1998) The first team-up between Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore was a smash hit, once again earning Sandler a fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes (67 percent).

This romantic comedy is centered around loser wedding entertainer Robbie Hart (played

by Sandler) as he slowly, but surely wins the affection of the kindhearted Julia Sullivan (played by Barrymore). The two are magic together, and “The Wedding Singer” showed that Sandler can be genuinely romantic. Rating: four out of five stars.

4. “The Waterboy” (1998) I don’t care if it’s juvenile; “The Waterboy” is hilarious and Adam Sandler is side-splitting as idiotic water-boy-turned-football-player Bobby Boucher. Fight me, this is a classic. Rating: four out of five stars.

5. “Little Nicky” (2000) Let’s skip past 1999’s “Big Daddy,” which I liked for its similarities to other 90s Sandler comedies, and move on to where the first signs of trouble began.

Fittingly, the issues start when the 90s end.

“Little Nicky” is the story of Satan’s son, Nicky (played by Sandler), who goes up to Earth and saves it from his evil brothers (or

something like that — I’ve tried to erase this movie from my memory).

Sandler spends this whole movie hunched over, with a contorted face and an incredibly annoying voice.

The problem here is that he leaned too much on the goofy voice rather than building a credible character.

He also teased us with an original story, then disappointed us by having this unique setting simply act as a background for his usual story arc of a man-child becoming a hero. Rating: two out of five stars.

“

So, what’s the problem with Adam Sandler?

As you can see from the early half of his filmography, the guy has serious talent.”

6. “Punch-Drunk Love” (2002) Whew, that was close. After “Little Nicky,” I thought we had almost lost Sandler. Fortunately, “Mr. Deeds” was fairly enjoyable, and the actor teamed up in 2002 with director Paul Thomas Anderson to produce one of the greatest romantic comedies of all time, “Punch-Drunk Love.”

Here, Sandler takes a dramatic turn, proving to critics everywhere that he can act, and act well.

While his depiction of Barry Egan is somewhat of a variation on his usual man-child role, his performance cuts much deeper, making Barry a psychologically flawed, deeply sympathetic character who experiences true love for the first time ever.

This is not only one of my favorite Adam Sandler films, but one of my favorite films in general.

Rating: five out of five stars.

7. “Grown Ups” (2010) This is where the real downward spiral begins. Coming off of the highs of his truly excellent performances in the underrated “Spanglish,” Judd Apatow’s brilliant “Funny People” and the 9/11 focused drama “Reign Over Me,” Sandler started getting lazy, using movies as an excuse to go on vacation with his buddies.

“Grown Ups” had so much potential to be great, as it was brimming with comedic actors who had proven themselves to be funny in the past. Unfortunately, the film doesn’t know whether it wants to be sentimental or goofy, and the end result is just kind of gross.

We won’t even be discussing the dismal “Grown Ups 2” because that film makes this one look like it was written by Shakespeare. Rating: two out of five stars.

8. “That’s My Boy” (2012) Adam Sandler, please stick with a PG-13 rating, because R is not your forte. Apparently, when Adam Sandler gets the green light of an R rating, he sees that as a prompt to make his movie as disgusting as possible.

“That’s My Boy” not only has a major plotline revolving around pedophilia, but also a second major plotline revolving around incest.

Yes, you read that correctly — incest and pedophilia.

Let’s not even talk about how Adam Sandler has sex with an old lady for the 1,000th time in “That’s My Boy.” It only garnered a chuckle in “Happy Gilmore,” and if you’re still telling that same mediocre joke nearly 20 years later, you might just have a subconscious fetish.

I should mention that I never saw “Jack and Jill,” which came out the year before and is largely regarded as one of the worst movies ever made, so I cannot in good conscience share my personal

COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA

views on it. Rating: one out of five stars.

9. The Netflix Movies (2015 to the present) So Netflix decided to make movie deals with Adam Sandler, and the results are about as lazy as you would expect. I couldn’t even finish “The Ridiculous 6” because it was so horrendously unfunny.

The funniest parts of that film were Rob Schneider making a poop joke regarding his donkey and Taylor Lautner acting like an idiot.

Yes, folks — Taylor Lautner was one of the funniest people in this “comedy,” so let that sit with you.

“The Do-Over” was a bit better, but still incredibly boring and even pretty mean-spirited. The best of the bunch is the most recent film, “Sandy Wexler,” but it’s still not all that funny (although I am kind of ashamed to admit that I laughed pretty hard when Adam Sandler hit a fake raccoon with a baseball bat and an excessive amount of blood

spurted out). Average rating of all Netflix films: one out of five stars.

So, what’s the problem with Adam Sandler? As you can see from the early half of his filmography, the guy has serious talent.

However, he has become lazy, no longer taking dramatic roles that he excelled in and instead choosing to make the same movies over and over again with his buddies. I desperately want him to be funny again because he appears to be a pretty likable guy. Just lose the voices and play your age. The late film critic Roger Ebert even vouched for him in his review of “Punch-Drunk Love,” saying: “He can’t go on making those moronic comedies forever, can he?

Who would have guessed he had such uncharted depths?”

@BradyTickle

Undergraduate Honor System 2016-17 Academic Year Data Academic Misconduct Cases Resolved

Resolved By:

# of Cases

Percent

314

81.1%

Hearing Panel

58

14.9%

Charge(s) Withdrawn (After Investigation)

13

3.5%

2

.5%

387

100%

Faculty-Student Resolution

Found Not Responsible Total Adjudicated:

Academic Misconduct Cases Resolved by Charge Resolved By:

# of Cases

Percent

Cheating

211

54.5%

Plagiarism

107

27.6%

Complicity

20

5.2%

Falsification

20

5.2%

Fabrication

1

0.3%

Multiple Submission

4

1.0%

Violation of Rules

24

6.2%

Total Adjudicated:

387

100%

426

Cases Reported

15

D A Y S

351

Students Assigned the AI Education Program

20.8% Increase in F* Sanctions When Compared to 2015-16

Case Resolution Time

70%

Of Students Reported Academic Integrity Sanctions as Severe

Honor the Code

PAGE 6 April 24, 2017

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sports

editor@collegiatetimes.com

collegiatetimes.com/sports

SPRING GAME: Hooker makes case for starting spot from page 1

6-foot-5 H-back unofficially tallied up four receptions for 38 yards and a score. “(Keene) has had a good spring,” Fuente said. “That position is not as difficult mentally as quarterback, but it’s probably the second most (difficult). To have a true freshman come in and pick it up and be able to line up in different spots and do some things combined with some athletic ability, he just had a really, really good spring, and I’m just really pleased with him.”

Similar to Hooker, the majority of his reps were with the second-team offense, which is normal for a true freshman. However, there

was one early enrollee who took first-team reps and became the star of the show: Caleb Farley.

Farley’s effort and performance throughout spring camp was as consistent as could be, but the position that he’s played has not been. “(Farley) started the spring at corner. I don’t know the exact numbers, but most of the spring at corner,” Fuente said. “The last handful of practices we’ve put him out there at wideout. We see coach Wiggins just kind of training him around. We just want to see him go play a little bit. I think I know how that’s all going to work out, but Caleb and I haven’t talked about any of that yet. So we’ll do our player evaluation as we talk as a staff

AHMED MUSTAFA / COLLEGIATE TIMES Offensive lineman D’Andre Plantin (62) celebrates with tight end Dalton Keene (29) following a play in the Spring Game, April 22, 2017.

and obviously we’ll come up with what we’re going to do with him moving forward.”

After his stellar spring performance, it would be a head scratcher if Fuente decided to take him away from the wide receiver spot.

Farley was targeted early and often. The offensive play calling utilized his speed as he ran multiple go routes, where in most cases he would blow right by the cornerback and get open.

In all, Farley caught two receptions for 51 yards, unofficially. However, he could have had more if Facyson hadn’t committed two early defensive pass interference penalties to keep him from catching two deep balls in stride. He also had one rush on an endaround that went for 16 yards.

“The thing I will say is (Farley) has been fantastic in terms of being willing to learn new things and try new things,” Fuente said.

“But we will settle down and try to get things solidified as we go through our evaluations here in the next couple of days.”

Finding true freshmen that can contribute is a rare commodity, but if the Spring Game is any indication of things to come, then Hokie fans can expect to see members of the 2017 recruiting class sooner rather than later.

@ChaseParker_VT

BILLY CLARKE / COLLEGIATE TIMES Caleb Farley (13) jumps over defender Reggie Floyd (21) to avoid the tackle before landing out-of-bounds to end the play, April 22, 2017.

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editor@collegiatetimes.com

April 24, 2017 PAGE 7

sports collegiatetimes.com/sports

Hokies drop series to Georgia Tech Thundering Herd Led by Aaron McGarity’s relief performance, the Hokies won game two of the stampedes Tech series, but the Yellow Jackets took game three from the Hokies in Blacksburg.

NATHAN LOPRETE baseball beat reporter

If there was a time for Virginia Tech baseball to make a run, then it was this weekend. With an ACC record of 7–11, the Hokies hosted the Yellow Jackets from Georgia Tech, who were also in need of a big weekend. With a record of 4–14 in conference play, Georgia Tech came in fighting for a spot in the ACC tournament, which takes 12 of the 14 teams.

Game one Game one did not go the way the Hokies expected. Kit Scheetz was moved to the first game of the series with hopes of beginning the weekend on a better note. Prior to game one, Virginia Tech was 1–5 in ACC series openers.

Scheetz pitched well enough to win, but Georgia Tech roughed up the Tech bullpen and cruised to a 13–3 win.

The Hokies offense seemed as if it was in for a good day at the plate after they jumped out to a 1–0 lead in the first.

Georgia Tech starter Xzavion Curry walked Ryan Tufts and then allowed a run scoring double to Tom Stoffel.

Curry settled in after that and worked his way out of trouble in the second and third. Scheetz was just as good for the Hokies as he cruised through the third, fourth and fifth.

Georgia Tech broke through in the sixth. A Kel Johnson RBI single tied the game, and Austin Wilhite gave the Yellow Jackets the 2–1 lead with a single.

The Yellow Jackets extended their lead in the seventh. Kyle McCann led off with a home run against Scheetz, and that was the end

of the day for the senior who went six innings on three earned runs.

In the seventh with the Hokies trailing 7–1, Stoffel drove in two with a single to cut into the deficit. He finished 4–5 with all three RBIs. Tech later loaded the bases in the inning, but was unable to score.

Georgia Tech opened the game up again in the eighth with a five-run inning.

Another run in the ninth made it 13–3. The Tech bullpen struggled as they allowed 10 runs (eight earned) over three innings. Scheetz (3–1) took the tough loss even though he pitched well.

Game two The second game of the series got off to a rough start for Virginia Tech, but a late rally and big hits from a freshman and a senior propelled the Hokies to a 8–4 win.

Connor Coward, who was making ninth start of the year, got roughed up early. The second batter of the game, Trevor Craport, homered to left with a man on and Tech trailed 2–0 in a blink of an eye.

The Yellow Jackets went back to the long ball in the second when McCann hit a solo shot to right. Another run in the fourth made it 4–0, but that would be it for the Georgia Tech offense.

Jay Shadday was pitching well until the fourth when the Hokies tagged him for three runs. A Tufts triple and an RBI double from Stoffel got Tech on the board. Stoffel had three more hits in game two and finished 7–9 at the plate for the day.

“I think he beat them every way he could. That was as good as I’ve seen him,” said head coach Patrick Mason.

“Sometimes they fall, sometimes they don’t. I was

hitting it hard almost every at bat,” Stoffel said.

Nick Anderson made it 4–2 with a sacrifice fly and Joe Freiday Jr. picked up an RBI after hitting a comebacker to Shadday that he threw away.

Sam Fragale tried to score as well, but was thrown out, preserving a 4–3 lead for Georgia Tech.

Coward went five and allowed four runs and earned a no-decision. Aaron McGarity came in, and even though he was in a different role, he shut the Georgia Tech offense down.

“Coach let me know at the beginning of the game that I was going to be used in long relief today. I was mentally ready and able to prepare accordingly,” McGarity said.

With two outs in the eighth, Tech mounted a rally. Backto-back walks by Anderson and Mac Caples brought up pinch hitter JD Mundy, who singled in the tying run.

That brought up fifth-year senior Matt Dauby who has struggled this year, but the veteran came through. Dauby singled to center and the go-ahead run came in.

“Obviously, it’s been a struggle to this point, but my coaches and teammates have been really supportive of me. It feels really good to finally get that big hit,” Dauby said.

“He’s in the stretch run of his senior year and he’s faced a lot of adversity in our program.

He’s a really good baseball player,” Mason said.

Cooper and Owens added the insurance runs with big hits in the inning and Virginia Tech led 8–4.

McGarity finished Georgia Tech off in the ninth for his second win of the year. The hard throwing right hander struck out four.

BILLY CLARKE/ COLLEGIATE TIMES Tom Stoffel (12) stands at the plate swinging toward an incoming pitch, April 21, 2017.

“My fastball was good until the last inning when I lost a little velocity. My slider was going for strikes most of the day so that helped me get through,” McGarity said when talking about his performance.

The Hokies who were facing a double-header sweep responded late and have a chance to win the series in game three.

“Coach Mason really challenged us after game one. It was a big character win to come from behind like that,” Dauby said.

Game three With the series tied at a game apiece, game three proved to be the tightest of the weekend. The Hokies trailed early on and battled back, but couldn’t come up with the big hit as they dropped the finale to the Yellow Jackets by the score of 6–4.

With the threat of weather looming all day, it was key for both teams to get out to a fast start and Georgia Tech did against Hokies starter Anderson. Leadoff hitter Wade Bailey jumped on Anderson’s second pitch of the game and drove it over the left field wall for a home run.

That wasn’t the end of Bailey’s day. In the third with a man on, he took Anderson deep again and Georgia Tech had a 3–0 lead. Another run in the inning following an error made it 4–0.

Mother nature took over after that, and 90 minutes later, play finally resumed. When Tech returned to the field, Packy Naughton was on the mound.

Naughton finished with 4.2 innings while striking out six and allowing two unearned runs. Joey Sullivan pitched a clean 1.2 innings to finish things off.

Virginia Tech had a chance to get closer in the eighth inning. With the bases loaded and one out, Dauby hit a liner to left that Murray chased down and caught right in front of the wall. That scored Anderson from third, but that was all the Hokies would get.

The defense for Georgia Tech stepped up again in the ninth. With the tying run at the plate, Fragale lifted a fly ball into right against the shift.

Yellow Jackets right fielder Coleman Poje raced over and made a diving catch to end the game.

Anderson saw his record fall to 5–4, while Lee (2–2) got the win in relief.

Virginia Tech dropped to 20–22 (8–13 ACC), while Georgia Tech improved to 20–19 (6–15 ACC). The Hokies host West Virginia on Tuesday. @natejloprete

Marshall’s aggressive baserunning was enough to spoil the Hokies’ senior day.

STEPHEN NEWMAN softball beat reporter

The Hokies returned to Tech Softball Park to face the Marshall Thundering Herd following a two-game split at Liberty and a loss at Radford.

After losing the opener on senior night, games two and three were rained out.

Friday: Game one Former Virginia Tech shortstop and Olympic rugby player Carmen Farmer threw out the ceremonial first pitch on senior night.

The Hokies faced a potent top third of the Thundering Herd’s batting order. Morgan Zerkle, Elicia D’Orazio and Taylor McCord each entered the series hitting over .400.

Starting pitcher Carrie Eberle struggled to find a rhythm early. After allowing a base hit and a stolen base to lead off the game, she hit the next batter in the helmet. By the end of the inning, the Hokies found themselves in a 2–0 hole.

Mea nwh ile, Ma rshall pitcher Jordan Dixon came out strong in terms of both effectiveness and delivery. She started by retiring the first three Virginia Tech hitters she faced, all with ease.

“You really have to tip your cap to her,” said Tech head coach Scot Thomas. “She’s probably the best competitor we’ve seen all year, and she got into a great rhythm.”

Two hits and an error in the following inning resulted in another run for Marshall.

However, Olivia Lattin turned a smooth double play, running back up the middle toward second and then throwing to Vanessa Gonzalez at first.

With the score at 3–0, the Hokies were again retired in order, but Jessie Mehr gave a 3–1 pitch a ride to the warning track in left field, showing the first true sign of life for the bats of the home team.

Tech was unable to take advantage of the strong third inning from Eberle, although they did manage to get its first baserunner when designated player Elizabeth Birle drew a walk.

Marshall recorded three hits in the fourth inning, along with a walk and its third stolen base of the game. However, they only managed to add one additional run, as Gonzalez caught a laser off the bat of Shaelynn Braxton and stepped on first to end the threat, holding the deficit to 4–0.

The Hokies continued to struggle at the plate in the bottom of the fourth. However, Eberle stuck out the last two batters of the fifth inning, which may have been just what

the Hokies needed. With one out in the bottom of the fifth, Mehr broke up the no-hitter with a home run just inside the left-field foul pole.

The top of the sixth inning was the worst of the game for the Hokies. In pursuit of her second stolen base of the game and fourth for the team, Eloise Tribolet forced a wild throw from catcher Lauren Duff that sailed past second base, all the way to the center field wall.

Tribolet scored on the play.

Zerkle followed her up with a single and her second steal.

Later in the frame, D’Orazio recorded her second swipe, and then scored on an attempted double steal, extending Marshall’s lead to 6–1.

Lattin got the team’s second hit of the game with one out in the bottom half of the frame, but she was left stranded.

M a r s h a l l’s Jordan Colliflower led off the seventh with a triple to right-center and scored on an infield single with one out. With two outs and the runner caught in a pickle between second and third, a wild throw to third allowed McCord to advance and score.

Down 8–1, the Hokies needed a rally in bottom of the seventh. Duff doubled to center with one out, and one out later, Caroline Schoenewald cleared the bases with a home run to left field.

All told, the combination of Marshall’s speed and aggression, Tech’s tendency to give teams extra outs, and a dominant outing from Thundering Herd pitcher Dixon created a nearly inevitable outcome.

Saturday Games two and three were canceled due to rain. They will not be made up at a future date.

However, there were still senior night celebrations.

Gonzalez, Birle and Aysha Richardson were honored Friday night as outgoing seniors. Thomas and the entire team relished their competitiveness and leadership.

The one player that Thomas was particularly impressed with was Gonzalez, who moved to first base this season after primarily playing in the outfield in order to get more quality hitters into the lineup.

“I’m proud of how she’s embraced the move to first from the outfield and has continued to be an anchor of our lineup,” Thomas said.

The Hokies will face off in a doubleheader at Western Carolina Tuesday before playing in their home finale, a rematch against Radford. @CTSportsTalk

The next Change of Major Application will open on May 1st in Hokie Spa. Please visit the Office of Undergraduate Advising website at www.advising.vt.edu or contact your academic advisor for more information.

PAGE 8 April 24, 2017

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editor@collegiatetimes.com

news collegiatetimes.com/news

Environmental transparency demanded HOME: Proposal CAA group prompts others to question financial support for Radford Arsenal.

CLAIRE CONNOR news reporter

A small group gathered outside Squires Student Center late Wednesday morning to represent the launch of the Citizens for Arsenal Accountability (CAA), the newest chapter of the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League. The CAA is advocating for community engagement and environmental transparency from the Radford Army Ammunition Plant.

The Radford Army Ammunition Plant, referred to as the Radford Arsenal, poses a dangerous threat to the surrounding New River Valley as the highest polluter in the state. It’s less than 100 feet away from the New River and neighbors Belview Elementary School. It also has a direct impact on Virginia Tech, as Kentland Farm — one of Virginia Tech’s major food suppliers — is within its open burning fallout zone.

The proponents for CAA gave several speeches encouraging community members to become involved in demanding accountability from the Radford Arsenal in the levels of pollution it is producing.

Phyllis Albritton, a Blacksburg resident, addressed the group first. She first became concerned when she found out that her tax dollars were paying for the Radford Arsenal’s existence, a system that has been proven to pollute well water, streams and gardens in her neighborhood.

“It’s our government — we the people,” she said. “And we are trying to make a difference for the sake of the future in this community. I think the more community we can get involved, especially letting our

congresspeople know, and never giving up.

Giving up would be the worst thing we could do.”

The arsenal plant is the nation’s sole producer of nitrocellulose, a compound used in producing ammunition for the U.S. Military.

“As part of Virginia Tech, we have power.

To ignore the harmful effects of the arsenal would be negligent, and so we, the Citizens for Arsenal Accountability, must engage the student body in this issue. ” Justin Haber CAA chairperson and resident of the New River Valley The plant releases hazardous chemicals through its use of open-burning waste.

Concerns were raised in 2013, when a concentration of perchlorates were detected in the public water systems and exceeded nine times the drinking water standard when tested in the groundwater. Long-term exposure to perchlorate has been linked to hyperthyroidism.

Justin Haber, a CAA Chairperson and four-year resident of the New River Valley, also spoke against the Radford Arsenal’s lack of safety protocols and urged Virginia Tech students to become involved with the issue.

“As students, we are part of this community,” Haber said. “And as part of Virginia Tech, we have power. To ignore the harmful effects of the arsenal would be negligent, and so we, the Citizens for Arsenal Accountability, must engage the student body in this issue. This engagement starts right now.”

Haber believes that the arsenal needs stricter protocols in properly measuring,

modeling and reducing the release of potentially hazardous materials such as nitrates, dioxins and lead that has been found in the New River.

The community also voiced concerns when a report was released from the Virginia Department of Health showing that Radford children have more than twice the state average amount of lead in their blood.

Michael James-Demaro, a community organizer with the Blue Ridge Environmental League, spoke of the extreme lack of awareness and understanding of risks from Virginia Tech students. He hopes that bringing the campaign to Virginia Tech will educate students on this prominent issue and build a stronger community that demands transparency and ensures clear air and soil for the New River Valley.

“Nothing creates hopefulness out of helplessness like a successful grassroots campaign,” James-Demaro said. “We hope for mass education; we really want there to not be a student on campus who doesn’t know what the arsenal is and who doesn’t know the potential risks.”

James-Demaro plans to raise awareness by hosting community events, being involved with campus, creating ads and social media and creating compelling media stories. He believes that this extensive education will lead to greater accountability.

“Students who are part of this university, which has a lot of power, should be using that to directly engage and share the stories of the people who are affected by this.” @CollegiateTimes

RLC: Students apply leadership lessons from page 1

we’re kind of like promoting that event and getting the word out about it,” Lee said.

While both Lee’s group and Callihan and Shelton’s group focused on marketing and promotion, Lee wanted to make clear that the project was openended in nature and not just focused on

the idea of marketing.

“We weren’t given any specific way to do it (the project), so it was kind of open-ended,” Lee said. “We were all trying to combat a problem.”

In accordance to leadership courses as a whole, Lee saw the classes as beneficial, citing the diversity in leadership techniques taught in the course. “I definitely think the course has been helpful just because we learned a bunch of

different theories about leadership, and different situations,” Lee said.

“I think this project is cool because we actually get to see it happen and how we can actually use the things we’ve been learning about in class to help apply to what we’re actually doing. I think it’s been a good experience.” @CollegiateTimes

threatens funds from page 1

Having so many faith communities willing to participate and host people in need has been vital to the success of the organization due to regulations preventing groups of homeless people from being housed in one place for an extended period of time.

“It took some work with the Town of Blacksburg initially for them to say that we could have all of these people staying together one night in a church or somewhere,” Rees said. “The town says you can only stay two weeks in a calendar year in one place. So that’s why we’ve got to move them around. They also said you can’t have more than so many people. The town has also been very good in terms of you putting steps in place to make sure it’s safe and it’s wise.”

“Financially, (TOH) is not rich by any stretch of the imagination, but it has become more stable. Yet, at the moment, it’s in a very unstable position.”

Loren Rees professor of business information technology at Virginia Tech One of the regulations that TOH must abide by is having paid professionals present every night. Those paid professionals are currently provided

by AmeriCorps, a government agency that has existed for 23 years. Alongside helping organizations like To Our House, AmeriCorps has been vital in a number of areas, including developing programs to prevent drug abuse, assisting in relief efforts after natural disasters and raising hundreds of thousands of dollars in college funding. Under President Donald Trump’s proposed budget, funding for AmeriCorps would be cut completely.

“Financially, (TOH) is not rich by any stretch of the imagination, but it has become more stable. Yet, at the moment, it’s in a very unstable position,” Rees said. “Depending on what the government does about certain federal programs, there may not be some federal funding for volunteers. We have volunteers stay overnight, but there’s also paid professionals because you need paid professionals to make sure nobody gets hurt and that kind of thing.”

This Tuesday, April 25, To Our House will have “Dining Out for Shelter Day.” Typically fundraiser percentage nights will have one restaurant participant, however, TOH has arranged with 18 local restaurants to provide a percentage of their proceeds for the cause.

The 11 Blacksburg locations are: Bollo’s Cafe & Bakery, Cafe de Bangkok, Gillie’s, Hwy 55, Mellow Mushroom, Moe’s Southwest Grill, Next Door Bake Shop, Our Daily Bread Bakery & Bistro, Social House, The Cellar and Zoes Kitchen.

The impact that TOH has extends far beyond simply raising awareness and providing homeless people with a place to stay. It has encouraged growth and long term change in the people who have benefited from it.

“We wanted to raise awareness but also see if we can turn these people’s lives around. It’s been done seven years now, and 53 people have found jobs, while 72 have found more permanent housing,” Rees said. “The guests are required to participate in community service, and there’s several who keep giving back and stay and touch with people on (their) own.” @FaizanCT