UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
The Student Voice Since 1903 TUESDAY, APRIL 11, 2006
UCO students participate in nationwide service day
Memorial marathon to honor bombing victims
by Heather Warlick Staff Writer
Hundreds of UCO students joined together in the spirit of community service for the Big Event, April 8, an annual opportunity for students nationwide to volunteer for various non-profit causes. Nearly 30 groups of students from various campus associations gathered in Plunkett Park to start the Big Event with a speech from movie actor and activist Danny Glover. Glover and Steve Kreidler, UCO's executive vice president engaged in a question-andanswer session after Glover's speech. At about 11:30 a.m. the students broke off into their groups and traveled to the various sites where they volunteered. More than 400 UCO students participated in the many service projects of the day. About 40 students worked at Martin Park Nature Center, 5000 W. Memorial Road, maintaining the 3.5 mile trail. They picked up debris and spread dirt and clay over the gravel trail to help prevent erosion. At Northwest Classen High School, volunteers gave the front office, the Little Theater and the courtyard a make-over. UCO's international sorority, Sigma Lambda Gamma members, Natalia RiverOs and Alex Castellano painted the stage a bright shade of purple while other UCO students, faculty and staff installed a new counter in the office, new lighting in the theater and benches in the courtyard. UCO donated an old sound system from Mitchell Hall. In two Oklahoma City neighborhoods, student workers teamed up with Habitat for Humanity to help build homes for low-income families. Meg Jackson, from Circle K International and UCO student Chuck Tohlen suffered a few battle wounds from their
see BIG EVENT, page 3
by Vanessa Reyna Contributing Student Writer
The 168 people who died in the Oklahoma City bombing April 19, 1995 will be honored at the Sixth Annual Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon April 30 at Robinson Avenue and 6th Street in Oklahoma City. At 6:15 a.m. 168 seconds of silence and a prayer will be observed for the lives that were lost in the Oklahoma City bombing. At 6:25 a.m., a wheelchair marathon will begin, followed by the full by Vista photographer Travis Marak marathon, half marathon, marathon relay and 5K memorial Steve Kreidler, UCO's executive vice president, interviews Danny Glover April 8 in Plunkett Park about his acting career and his humaniwalk will begin. tarian efforts at the Big Event, a nationwide volunteer day for university students. One hundred sixty-eight flags will be placed along the race course with the names of the people who died in the bombing. "It's a good idea to help "They were very good and unexpected ways. There's by Nathan Winfrey people remember what happeople, hard working people," never enough of it, there always Senior Staff Writer pened," said Josh Andrews, Glover said. "They were always could be more," Glover said. business management sophoWith clothes picked from available, not only to their chil- "Community cannot exist, or more. "It doesn't only affect his own wardrobe and no stage dren, but available in various becomes dysfunctional to some people in Oklahoma but other degree, without it." makeup, stately veteran actor ways to the community." states as well." "We find ourselves volunGlover spoke as a man and political activist Danny A marathon concert will be Glover was more human than well-versed in social theory. •teering to do something by just given from 9:30 a.m. to noon celebrity as he sat in his third not as the star of movies like helping someone with their groat the "Finish Area Plaza" floor Nigh University Center "Lethal Weapon" and "The ceries," he said. at Broadway between Sixth green room April 8, prepar- Color Purple," but his face was Glover said he began acting ing to address UCO students unmistakable as the man who as a way to make a difference, Street and NW Fifth Street, before they spread across the on-screen fought villains with and before that he found other one block east of the Oklahoma Oklahoma metro to serve for a crazy Mel Gibson, fell in love methods of community involveCity National Memorial and the Big Event, a nation-wide with a Tenenbaum, squared off ment. Museum. community service day. "I always felt that I wanted against the serial killer Jigsaw "The whole event, from "Someone once told me that and saw angels at a baseball to be of some service, and the the race to the concert, both one of my faults is that I always game. He spoke slowly and way in which I did that in the mentally and physically, takes look for the good in people at carefully, pausing to take notes early stages of my life was an you back to the reason why the expense of looking at some on a scrap of paper, drawing his involvement in a tutoring proby Vista photographer Travis Marak the whole event began," said of their faults, and if that's the statements from his study and gram when I was 19," Glover Stacey Weddington, developcase, it's because of my par- his own philosophies. said. ment director of the Oklahoma Actor Danny Glover addresses That was the summer of ents," Glover said. "Community involveCity National Memorial and He said his parents are what ment depends on volunteer- 1966, and it was nearly 15 years students about the importance inspired him most, because of ism, because it allows another later that he appeared in his first of volunteer work during the Museum. Big Event April 8 in Plunkett the values they bestowed upon level of service that enhances see MARATHON, page 3 see GLOVER, page 3 Park. him. all our lives in imaginative
Actor Danny Glover kicks off 'Big Event'
Students 'step' for spirit during annual 'Greek Week' Fraternity and sorority members perform four step routines by Alex Gambill Staff Writer
by Vista photographer Midori Sasaki
Members of Alpha Gamma Delta's 'Team 3,' from front right, Katie Callaway, public relations freshman, Lindsay Cobb, advertising junior, and Ashley Brazelton, undecided freshman, participate in a step competition for Greek Week April 5 in Constitution Hall.
4kmett Game, Set, Match The men's tennis team wrapped up a weekend of wins with a 6-3 upset of region leader Abilene Christian.
See Sports pg. 10
UCO's Greek community performed its night of step routines April 5 in Constitution Hall in the Nigh University Center as part of Greek Week. Step dances are rhythmically synchronized routines, with mostly percussive sounds of clapping and stomping, that incorporate drill-team moves and loud chants. This is UCO's second year to perform a step show, said Norman Markland, recreation management senior, Greek Board member and Alpha Phi Alpha member. "We started last year to combine different Greeks together to create Greek unity and a better community," Markland said. "We started practicing about three weeks ago," said Chelsea Ross, nursing
Cooking 101
sophomore and Sigma Kappa member. "The purpose of Greek Week is that we come together and compete and get to know each other," Ross said. Ross said each fraternity and sorority has one member in each of the 15-member teams. Four teams performed their step routines. Ross said they have tryouts for Greek members who want to perform. "We actually all contributed to the steps, and each house came up with steps," Ross said. Greek members helped with the promotion of the blood drive on campus, April 6-7. They also participated in the Big Event, a national community service day held on college campuses, April 8.
Alex Gambill can be reached at agambill@ the vistaonline.com .
'Slevin' a safe bet
Vista health columnist Callie A. Collins offers coffee ad- Vista senior staff writer Nathan Winfrey reviews 'Lucky Number Slevin,' a crime caper starring the king of the dicts several creative ways to spice up their daily fix. crime caper, Bruce Willis.
See Opinion pg. 2
See Entertainment pg. 7