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page 2 Letter to the Editor page 5 'Children of Men' page 12 Sports www.thevistaonline.com
The Student Voice of the University of Central Oklahoma Since 1903
April 5, 2007
Oklahomans give heart-felt donations by Lyndsay Gillum Staff Writer
On April 3, several student groups and advertising classes launched the 2007 "Virtual Heart Walk" near the lakeside windows in the Nigh University Center. The "Virtual Heart Walk" is just one of the ways UCO is participating in the 2007 American Heart Association Heart Walk. UCO will also be hosting the "Heart of a Broncho" fundraising campaign, which will be held April 28 at the AT&T Bricktown Ballpark. For students that are not able to participate in the April 28 walk, the "Virtual Heart Walk" is a way to make a donation and show they have accepted the challenge to help fight heart disease and stroke. Every Tuesday and Thursday until the walk from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., student groups will have a booth near the Nigh University Center food court to take donations for the walk. It offers "2 Steps and a Heart" for a minimum donation of three dollars, according to Mark Brennaman, teaching adjunct for the Mass Communication Department. Donors will then
be given a red heart and footsteps to tape to the lakeside windows of the university center. "This is a way to set a goal of getting students and the student body to participate by donating three dollars," Brennaman said. "This is a way to get students to participate in a 'virtual' way because many students won't get out and walk and this is an opportunity for them to be worth something to the university." The American Heart Association has been helping protect people of all ages and ethnicities from the effects of heart disease and stroke since 1924. As the number one and three killers in the United States, these diseases claim more than 949,000 American lives every year. The mission of AEA aims to "create hope, inspiration, change and to celebrate success," according to the AHA website. The "Virtual Heart Walk" lasts four weeks, leading up to the AHA Heart Walk April 28. For more information, contact Mark Brennaman at 361-6332.
Lyndsay Gillum can be reached at Igillum@thevistaonline.com.
by Vista photographer Alex Gambill
Pat Casey, administrative assistant of International Student Services, places heart and foot prints on the window in the Nigh University Center after donating $3 to the Oklahoma City Heart Walk.
Kansas gets a new habitat for humanity The game of baseball becomes aggressive by Aaron Wright Staff Writer
by Andrew Knittle They sweated and sorted. They slept in a church and spent most of their break shooting nail guns. Twelve UCO students and two staff members passed their spring break in Lawrence, Kan., building houses with Habitat for Humanity. Logan Reynolds, Rachel Basinger, Derek Villar, Michelle Lawrence, Marshall Smith, Michael Ooten, Michael Goodman, Kaela Davis, Jake Simpson and Tamra McCandless were the students who attended the Alternate Spring Break trip through the Volunteer and Service Learning Center. They were accompanied by Lyndsay Holder, coordinator of the VSLC, and Tiffany Brown, coordinator for Multicultural Student Services in the Office of Student Life. "I love doing Habitat for Humanity. It's community service, but it's something that I honestly enjoy doing," said Jake Simpson, biology junior. "Going to Vegas and seeing Dave Matthews open his tour was my other option but I felt like this would mean much more to me on down the road." The group started its day off at 9 a.m. by arriving at the worksite. They were pro-
Staff Writer
Photo Provided
The UCO BaSeball team's record wasn't the only thing that took a hit this past weekend at the Ballpark in Durant, home to the Southeastern Oklahoma State University Savage Storm. The other "hit" came April 1, late in the final game of a three-game series the Bronchos played against the Savage Storm last Saturday and Sunday. According to an anonymous source, SOSU head coach Mike Metheny head butted UCO head coach Wendell Simmons in the chin after exchanging some heated words following a UCO pitching change in the bottom of the seventh inning. The source, who was on the field at the time, said the scene unfolded when UCO's starting pitcher Brett Case was taken out of the game after giv-
ing up two hits to begin the bottom of the seventh inning. As Case and Simmons walked toward the Bronchos' dugout, Case made some insulting comments to Metheny. "The other coach was like 'Are you going to let your boy talk to me like that, Wendell,"' the source said. To paraphrase, Wendell said he didn't have a problem with Case's comments and directed a few choice words of his own at Metheny, who at that point unleashed the head butt, the source said. The benches would clear following the incident, but the source said no punches were thrown by any of the players. Durant police showed up to maintain order, but no arrests were made at the ballpark, the source said. Both coaches were ejected and play later resumed, with the
(from left) Michael Ooten, Derek Villar, Rachel Basinger and Tamra McCandless work on a house for a Habitat for Humanity home during their spring break in Lawrence, Kansas.
vided breakfast by members of the First United Methodist Church. The church also housed the students for the week. "Staying at the church was loads of fun. Sleeping in the one room they had for us was
good because we all got to get to know each other better by day with lots of laughs," said Villar, graphic design freshman. Basinger also said that, through the church, they were able to serve breakfast to the home-
less community in Lawrence. "We heard many of their stories. It was a great experience," she said.
see Spring Break, page 4
Bronze and Blue Award to be resurrected by Aaron Wright Staff' Writer
Jordan Smith has made it his personal mission to revitalize the Bronze and Blue Award. The Bronze and Blue Award is given to students, faculty, staff, community members and businesses that show
Broncho pride and commendable service to the university. Smith, coordinator of campus activities and events for the office of Student Life, has taken on the task of heading the Bronze and Blue Committee, which took a hiatus in fall 2006 when the previous chair left UCO to take another job. The
Watch News Central Channel 6 @ 5 p.m.
committee was formed in 1998. "The Bronze and Blue Committee, in a very small way, gives them the recognition they deserve," Smith said. About 10 active people serve currently on the committee, said Smith. Membership is open to anyone at UCO. "We're always looking
for students, staff and faculty to get involved, especially students," Smith said. The committee has been meeting once a month this semester to select a recipient for that month. The members
Photo by Vista photographer Travis Marak
UCO Head Coach Wendell Simmons, right, removes a pitcher from a game April 12.
see Committee, page 3
"It is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education."
see Simmons, page 3
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- Albert Einstein