ugazine Winter 2017
Vol. 48, Issue 2
The Myth The Legend The Iron Horse page 10
umano page 34
An untraditional Generation’s Take on Tradition
page 6
traditions
photo by Jane Snyder
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contents Winter 2017
FEATURES 6
8 10
An Untraditional Generation’s Take on Tradition Language Community The Myth, the Legend, the Iron Horse
CAMPUS LENS 14
Tradition of Music
ENTERTAINMENT 20 22 24 28
Counterpoint Red Coats 4 Historic Moments in the Athens Music Scene Tradition of Dance
FASHION 30 34 38
FOOD 40 42 44
Breaking Traditions Umano NYE Fashion
Food Traditions Holiday Recipes Tradition of Giving Back georgiaugazine.org 3
ugazine editor-in-chief Lauren Leising
staff writers Madison Cobb Kyrsten Hardee Shannon Hoschild Jeremy Johnson Mara Weissinger Charlotte Mabry Leila Mallouky Christina Matacotta Alex Meads Marlee Middlebrooks Gabi Robins Kaleigh Wright
design editor Jenny Rim photo editor Gabi Robins online editor Daniella Profita Nick Seymour copy editors Camren Skelton fashion editors Olivia Rawlings contributing editors Brittany Bowes Marli Collier Emily Haney Carrie Mauldin
staff photographers Jenna Becker Gabriella Cammarata Cory Cole Kelsey Green Kyrsten Hardee Jeremy Johnson
Lauren Leising Christina Matacotta Alex Meads Claudia Luna Priego Lillie Smith Jane Snyder Casey Sykes Devon Tucker Thea Xin Tian
contact faculty adviser Leara Rhodes, ldrhodes@uga.edu
fashion team Jenny Rim Devon Tucker Logan Wilkes
email ugazine@gmail.com
advertising representative Patrick Stansbury, ps@pentagon-usa.com mailing address Box 271 Grady College - Athens, GA 30605 website www.georgiaugazine.org
UGAzine is published four times a year with sales from advertising revenue. For advertising information, please contact Patrick Stansbury, Pentagon Publishing, ps@pentagon-usa.com.
on the cover PHOTO BY: GABI ROBINS MODEL: MAGGIE KELLEY
photo by Gabi Robins
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“BARTLETT HAS A RANGE OF OPPORTUNITIES THAT LET ME GET INVOLVED IN LOTS OF UNIQUE PROJECTS, LIKE WORKING AT AMAZING HISTORIC SITES.” — R YA N, CR E W S U PE R V I S OR /
OFFI CE S A FE TY R E P, HI R E D 2 0 1 0
Editor’s Note I can’t believe it’s already the end of the semester! Winter seems to sneak up on us so quickly here in the Classic City and I feel like fall always flies by way too fast. This time of year seems to be jam-packed with school work and getting every assignment done before the break. And all the amazing traditions that come with the holidays seem to slip our minds until the ugly sweater parties are upon us and big holiday meals need to be made. Most people, myself included, have a hard time finding spare time this season to have fun and really enjoy these traditions. School picks up right before finals and we wish there was more time to devote to parties and outings. All those things we want to do during winter seem to be pushed to the side. However, taking time to enjoy family and friends this season is incredibly important and we’ve put together an issue to remind you of the joy of the season and maybe even give you some ideas for a new tradition to start with your friends. So, grab a warm coat and a friend and make the most of the chilly weather and holiday festivities.
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Lauren Leising Editor-in-Chief
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An untraditiona Take on Traditio by Alex Meads | photography by Lauren Leising
As the most diverse and technologically savvy generation in history, Millennials are bringing about change in countless different ways. They are redefining families, campuses and workplaces, and their progress has left many wondering if tradition as we know it has become a thing of the past. Relationship and work traditions that were once the norm in America are now obsolete as Millennials blaze their own trails in the name of progress towards a new way of life in the United States. Even timeless traditions related to holidays are getting revamped, as Millennials are adapting some of these classic celebrations to fit their modern lives. But lovers of age-old holiday traditions should not fret because, despite their focus on progress, Millennials still greatly value their families and the timeless holiday celebrations on which they were raised. Some traditions
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are adapted to fit Millennials’ new way of life, but most are held and practiced just as they were learned. So, even as other areas of life become obsolete, it is clear that Millennials continue to value and participate in classic holiday traditions. Millennials’ love of classic traditions can be seen right here on campus at the University of Georgia. Students enjoy various holiday celebrations throughout the winter months, and often surrounded by more friends than family, these celebrations tend to look different than the classic traditions on which students grew up. Millennials are known for their creation of holidays that are adapted from originals like “Friendsgiving” in November and “Gal-entines Day” in February, and UGA students are quick to join in this fun. Lauren Miller, a third-year public relations major
al Generation’s on from Winder shares that “Friendsgiving” does not always work for her since she and a lot of her friends attend different schools. In lieu of “Friendsgiving,” they all meet up for an annual Christmas party in December. At this party, they adapt the regular Christmas tradition of giving and receiving a considerable amount of presents by participating in Secret Santa, a game in which each guest brings one gift and places it under the Christmas tree. Additionally, no one spends hours in the kitchen cooking a big meal like so many parents do as their children are growing up, but rather at Miller’s party each guest brings one dish that she cooked at home, and when they arrive they have a big Christmas feast. “We always do Secret Santa,” Miller says. “On the day of the party, we all just eat and open our Secret Santa Christmas presents. It’s always a really fun and consistent thing that we look forward to the whole year.” While students do enjoy adapting and creating their own holidays, they cherish participating in traditions from their childhood just as much. Sophomore Lexi Nunn, a marketing major from Columbus has fond memories of one of her family’s winter traditions that they adopted while living in Germany. “On December 5th, we leave our shoes outsides our door and ‘Saint Nicholas’ visits us,” Nunn says. “He is essentially the German form of Santa, and he leaves little gifts in your shoes.” Likewise, Miller remembers growing up with a tradition that she still practices to this day. “Ever since my sister and I were younger, on the first day of December my parents wrap 25 different Christmasthemed picture books and put them under our Christmas tree. Each night in December, we get to pick out a “present” and, after opening the book, our parents read it to us as they put us to sleep that night.” She says that the tradition has changed some over the years as she
and her sister have grown older, but that her parents still like to wrap a few books for them to open and read as a family during dinner or quiet time during the day. Because these traditions are attached to such fond memories, many UGA students intend to continue them throughout the rest of their lives, despite being progress-focused Millennials. The traditions are timeless, and students are not interested in adapting or changing these pieces of their heritage. Aya Maruyama, a freshman public relations and marketing major from Alpharetta majoring, grew up celebrating the traditional Japanese New Year every year with her dad. To this day, they spend New Year’s Eve making an authentic Japanese meal called osechi ryori in a bento box, and Maruyama sees herself continuing this tradition even as she grows older and moves through new stages of life. She admits that when she is older and on her own the tradition will not be the same without her father, but she intends to keep it alive since it has been such a consistent part of her life so far. Overall, Millennials are changing the world in unprecedented ways, but they still hold some traditions close to their hearts. At UGA, holiday traditions are especially meaningful to some students as they are attached to precious memories of friends and family. Even though some traditions are adapted to fit students’ modern lives, they still carry the sentiment and memories that are connected to the original tradition. Most students love the timeless holiday celebrations that come with the winter months, and they love them so much that they still participate in the festivities to this day and have no plans to change them in the foreseeable future. The holidays have historically been centered around friends, family and cheerful traditions, and if it is up to Millennials, they will stay that way.
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Cross-Cultural holiday traditions by Marlee Middlebrooks | photography by Thea Xin Tian
Cultures are rooted in traditions and each tradition makes a culture unique. Traditions vary widely from culture to culture; nonetheless, food and family are often two common threads amongst most traditions. For Thea Xin Tian, Johanna Montlouis-Gabriel, me and likely for you, our traditions are often centered around the food we eat and the family among us. Tian, a sophomore entertainment and media studies major from Beijing is an international student who has lived in the U.S. for two years. She says the most important traditions in China revolve around festivals, and the most important aspect of festivals are spending them with your family. According to Tian, two of the most celebrated Chinese festivals are the Mid-Autumn Festival and the Spring Festival. These take place in the fall and winter, but the specific dates change yearly due to the Chinese Lunar Calendar. “If you don’t spend [a festival] with your family, it is not a festival anymore. Even if you celebrate it, you still feel empty,” Tian says. “That is how I feel because my
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family takes a huge part of my life. Of course, I have friends, but I still miss my family.” Even though Tian is not able to celebrate these festivals with her family while in America, The University of Georgia’s Chinese Student Association helps her bring these traditions to Athens. “They will have galas, performances, different activities, games and food. We can get together and celebrate even without families,” Tian says. “We can still have fun.” Jennifer Monahan, the communication studies associate department head and professor, says that it is hard to recreate traditions in foreign countries. Despite the difficulty, she says that trying to replicate important traditions or creating new rituals can help. “Create a new way to celebrate a holiday,” Monahan says. “ It is not exactly what you would do at home, but the fact that you are not home can be exhilarating. Maybe you can do some new things that you could not do with your own family. There can be some positives there.”
According to Tian, each Chinese festival is associated with a specific food. “One thing that is fascinating is Chinese food. It is a big aspect of our culture,” Tian says. “Spring Festival… that is the best dinner of the year. You eat dumplings, and sometimes, you can put coins inside one of the dumplings when you are making them. Once you eat with your family and find there is a coin in the dumpling, it is good luck,” she explains. Several other traditions are involved when celebrating the Spring Festival. “We have so many ways to celebrate. The children will get lucky money from their parents, there will be shows on TV of performances, and you can do fireworks,” says Tian. Even though these festivals receive the most attention in China, Tian says that American culture is popular in China as well, so holidays like Christmas may be celebrated for fun. “I remember when I was really little, I read about Christmas in my books, and my parents would prepare gifts,” Tian says. “I thought that that was Santa Claus, but I found out there is no Santa Claus at all, and I felt so sad.” At its core, Chinese traditions can be identified by food and family. This theme remains prevalent in several countries west of China on a world map, such as France, where Montlouis-Gabriel is a native. Montlouis-Gabriel, a French and Francophone literature doctoral student from St. Etienne, France says that “culinary traditions are happening all year long in France.” Specifically, Montlouis-Gabriel describes two days celebrated early into each year. On Jan. 6, a day called Epiphany, French families share an almond-filling pie with one another, known as King’s Pie. There is a little object hidden in the pie, and if you find it, then you have to bake the pie for the next year. Almost one month later, La Chandeleur is celebrated on Feb. 2. This day is dedicated to making and eating crêpes. Montlouis-Gabriel says these traditions are the ones she misses the most, but she is able to celebrate them in the U.S. Serving as the resident assistant for the French Learning Community in Mary Lyndon, she teaches her students about these traditions and celebrates with them.
“The fact that I can bring [these traditions] here allows the students that I teach to experience a little bit, but not fully because they are not in France,” MontlouisGabriel says. “Food is big in France. Getting together [with family] and prepping the food together is a big holiday.” It may be fairly easy to honor this tradition in the U.S. by cooking, but the experience will never be the same. “[The holidays] bring a sense of community. Everyone is getting ready at the same time. I miss the fact that everyone knows about these things. You walk out in the street and the stores, and you know,” Montlouis-Gabriel says. In addition to specific culinary holidays, Easter and Christmas are widely celebrated in France. “Easter egg hunts happen sometimes depending on where you live. Christmas is big. We eat for days, and it is awesome. Gifts are kind of expected, and it is a big celebration with the family,” Montlouis-Gabriel explains. One holiday that is not celebrated in China or France is Thanksgiving. “We know it is Thanksgiving day, but we don’t really celebrate. We just say, ‘Oh, today is Thanksgiving Day, so we will be grateful.’ Usually it is an emotional celebration instead of a real celebration,” Tian says. Even though, it is not celebrated in France, Montlouis-Gabriel says it is such a great holiday. “I really like [Thanksgiving]. I have American friends that invite me over to their house, so I get to bake an apple pie, my favorite dessert,” Montlouis-Gabriel says. “I really enjoy taking time to reflect on the year and what I am thankful for.” As a whole, it seems that traditions are the foundations among most cultures. People take pride in the traditions they are able to celebrate. However, as meaningful as these celebrations may be, it seems that no tradition can impact a person quite like their family. Larger than the traditions themselves, it is families that ultimately ground cultures. What does Tian miss the most? “Family, of course,” she says. And Montlouis- Gabriel? “Family, definitely,” she says. “[Traditions] add rhythm to your year,” says Montlouis-Gabriel. “They are a great way to bring your family together.”
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The Myth the Legend the Iron Horse photos and story by Gabi Robins
Take Highway 129 towards Watkinsville. Take a left at the fork to get on GA-15 and just keep driving. Don’t turn around. Just when you think you’ve gone too far, the forest separates, the vast expansive field becomes visible, and there, in the center of it all, is a horse. But not just any horse—this one’s made of iron. It may seem a little underwhelming. That little thing is what I drove 30 minutes to see? Get closer and you’ll see what the hype is about. Before you turn around the bend, turn onto the worn patch of field and park at the edge of the cornfield. “No Trespassing” signs are scattered around the worn-in parking spot visitors have etched in the field over the years, deeming them unnecessary. Follow the dirt path, weathered from years of visitors making the trek through the tall grass, until you’re up close with the horse. She’s much bigger in person, 12-feet tall to be exact. Metal juts out at odd angles that make climbing her difficult, but possible. Narrow footholds can be found if you feel in the right places. Once you’re on top, which is much higher up than you would think, the view is spectacular. The hills of wiry grass roll into the distance and fade into the forest. You’re on top of the world. Visiting the Iron Horse in her pasture 18 miles from the University of Georgia’s main campus has evolved into a rite of passage for UGA students as sacred as walking through the Arch at graduation or ringing the Chapel bell after a football victory. Unlike the Arch
The Iron Horse faces away from the University of Georgia’s main campus in Athens.
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and bell, however, the Iron Horse is clouded with a more mysterious vibe: the Arch and Chapel bell are highlighted on the campus tour for prospective students, the Iron Horse is something you find out about once you’re enrolled. Most students who attend the university that have heard about the Iron Horse agree that they found out about it once they got here. But still, no one on campus really knows exactly when or how they found out about it, they just know they have to go. Two years ago when I was a freshman at UGA, I remember hearing about this big horse in a field in the middle of nowhere that I had to visit. No more description than that. At the time, a quick Google search yielded no results for the location of this “horse.” As I began to doubt its existence, a friend of mine posted a picture of herself at what I believed to be the Iron Horse, because how many massive sculptures of horses made of iron could there be, right? Still skeptical, I asked my friend for directions to the Iron Horse and, unfortunately, she couldn’t remember how to get there.“I think it’s, like, 15 miles away,” she said. Thank you. Very helpful. What is today known as a place to take a road trip to with your best friends at sunset just to say you’ve been (or to get the best Instagram picture) originally sparked protests among students when it was installed on UGA’s campus in the 1950s, as a new cultural phenomenon— modern art—began spreading through Southern universities.
The 1940s and 50s brought about a shift in the style of art being created in the United States. It was a post World War II era and people were trying to find a way to express it. Abstract art began maturing and gaining in recognition, specifically a style called abstract expressionism emerged. The movement, which began in New York, has roots in surrealism, a genre of artwork that preceded it in the 1910s and 20s, with notable surrealist artists including Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali. While surrealism focuses on the expression of the subconscious, abstract expressionism not only encompasses that, but also the display of color and abstract forms. Abstract expressionist artwork looks harsh and rigorous, yet maintains order and, most of the time, is actually carefully planned, despite appearances of dishevelment. Artists like Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko and Willem de Kooning became prominent during this period, with their work reflecting the styles of abstract expressionism. From Pollock’s perfectly disarrayed splatters, to Rothko’s stoic bands of gradient colors, to de Kooning’s bold brushstrokes, all artists conveyed this new modern era of art that was slowly creeping across America. Abbott Pattison was an artist who matured during the same time as the abstract expressionists and whose style reflects that of the genre. Pattison graduated from the Yale School of Fine Art in 1939 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts and — thanks to a Yale fellowship — moved immediately after to live, work and study in China
and Japan. In 1942, Pattison joined the US Navy and served as captain of the destroyer escort USS Forster until the end of World War II in 1945. When he returned to the United States, Pattison began teaching at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago where his artistic style began to evolve. As a veteran, Pattison had especially strong post-war feelings, seeing as he witnessed it first hand, and his work reflects the abstract expressionist style. Like his modernist peers, Pattison’s work was considered avant-garde at the time. His bronze sculptures play with whimsical shapes and shadows, whereas his terra cotta pieces are more rounded and free flowing; he particularly enjoyed experimenting with the female form, as can be see in a multitude of his sculptures and paintings. Pattison’s award-winning artwork can be found in exhibits all over the world, and in 1954, through funding from a Rockefeller grant, the University of Georgia invited him to come to the university as a visiting professor. While at UGA, Pattison was commissioned by the art department to create five sculptures to be placed at various locations around campus. One of these sculptures was planned to be installed in front of Reed Hall, a residence hall which just opened the previous year. Tensions had been building at the university leading up to the installation of the sculptures. In 1953, the same year Reed Hall opened, Myers Hall also opened, which marked the full involvement of women on campus at UGA. In 1953, Pattison’s first of the
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The Iron Horse, which sparked violent riots in the 1950s, was placed in front of Reed Hall, which remains as an active residence hall today.
five sculptures, a marble sculpture called “Mother and Child,” was placed on campus behind the fine arts building. It can still be found in it’s original location right near one of the busiest areas on campus: the Miller Learning Center. The sculpture, which was funded by the art students at the time, has no plaque recognizing Pattison. Today, students walk by without even giving it so much as a second glance. Although the university’s art school was gaining more ground and the Georgia Museum of Art opened on campus in 1948, students were still not used to a wide presence of art on campus, especially modern art, and were in the process of acclimating to the new atmosphere. So, when Pattison’s abstract, 2,000 pound, 12-foot tall horse sculpture named “Pegasus Without Wings” was eventually installed in front of the new residence hall in the center of campus on May 25, 1954, they were not pleased. Not pleased may be an understatement. Students were livid. When “Mother and Child” was installed, an unknown student, or students, covered it with green paint, which seems tame in comparison to the reaction the Iron Horse provoked. Whereas “Mother and Child” was placed behind the fine arts building where it would be more expected and accepted, the horse was placed in the center of student life, right in front of an all male, athletic dorm. On the night of May 27, just days after it arrived in front of Reed Hall, students began vandalizing the sculpture. The word “Front” was painted on its neck. Straw was shoved in its mouth and scattered
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all around the base along with manure. Balloons were tied to its rear legs. A mattress was placed underneath it and was set on fire in hopes of burning the horse to the ground. Firemen dispersed the rioting crowd with hoses. William Eiland, the Director of the Georgia Museum of Art, still wonders what could have provoked students to react so strongly to the sculpture. In a conversation I had with him about the sculpture he asked me how I thought students would react to a sculpture being placed in the middle of the athletic dorms on east campus nowadays. I said I thought people would probably acknowledge it for a second, but then go about their normal business, hardly giving it much thought after that. Eiland explained that during the 1950s, artists were beginning to convey realism with abstracted notions. For example, the Iron Horse is easily distinguishable as a horse, but Pattison created an abstract notion of “horse.” Meanwhile, national fear, due in part to the Cold War, was shaking the U.S. and beginning to infiltrate American universities. People in the south, especially at the University of Georgia, did not embrace the changes easily, but modernism was coming whether they liked it or not. Because of these reasons, Eiland said, when the Iron Horse arrived on the Reed quad on May 25, 1954, it was like modernism had arrived and planted itself in their front yard. “We try to destroy things we don’t understand,” Eiland explained. Students at the time did not have the vocabulary to discuss something so provocative, they
just knew modern art had no place on the University of Georgia campus. While Eiland believes the real problem was a lack of understanding by the students, he will never understand why the students reacted the way they did. Only a few photographs exist from the demonstrations, both of which were taken and published by the Athens Banner-Herald. The first is just of the sculpture itself. The second shows an imitation, wooden sculpture that students created in protest of the original. Two students stand beside the imposter with a sign reading “$5,000 Modern Mule,” a phrase Eiland says degrades the artist. Another student sits atop the fake, smiling. Robert Nix, a student and Red & Black photographer at the time recalls receiving an anonymous phone call warning him not to take any photos. The photos taken by another photographer at the time, he says, were destroyed when the darkroom was being cleaned. After the night of riots, the sculpture was moved into hiding for four years until L.C. Curtis, a horticulture professor at the university, offered to buy the sculpture to put on display on his farm. He wanted people driving by to be able to see it from the road. The university agreed that Curtis could put the horse on his land, but the sculpture remained UGA property. Once it was placed in its permanent location in the field, the Curtis family used it to judge the height of the corn crops
surrounding the sculpture. Pattison never returned to see the sculpture in the pasture. Meanwhile, the visit Pattison never took has since evolved into an unofficial pilgrimage for students. Even in the 1970s, students’ desire to learn more about the sculpture’s mysterious past and to try to bring it back to campus was insatiable. In a letter written on January 14, 1971, to Abbot Pattison by Lamar Dodd, who was the head of the Department of Art at the time, Dodd writes: You will not believe it, but Tuesday I think I must have given my 25th interview on the iron horse. Sometimes failures turn into victories. Nearly every year a group of students come raising questions about bringing the horse back to the campus, and they have my blessings. As I pointed out to the young man Tuesday— like a lot of other things in life—the horse was about 15 years too early, shall I say, for the campus here. Several attempts have been made since then to return the horse to UGA’s main campus, but all have failed. In 2014, Curtis’s family sold the land to the university to build a new research farm, aptly named the Iron Horse Plant Sciences Farm. Although now technically on University of Georgia property once again, the horse’s rear end still remains pointed towards the main campus, a trait that some say is a message to all the rioters that drove her off campus in the first place. The Curtis family members claim it’s just a coincidence.
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TrADITION OF MUSIC photography by Gabi Robins, Lillie Smith, Jane Snyder & Casey Sykes
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Counterpoint Dance Company by Mara Weissinger | photography by Jenna Becker
Cheers and whistling accompany Counterpoint Dance Company as the group takes the stage at the Modern Pin-ups Debut Review at the 40 Watt club. The fastpaced hip-hop routine encourages more cheering and it’s clear through the synchronous movement that they’ve been practicing for a while. The review is just one of the guest performances the 14-member company will make over the course of the year. Last year they performed in at least six shows, including the Athens Hip-Hop Awards, separate from their own in April. The guest performances are good for publicity as well as good performance opportunities for the dancers explains Lindsay Giedl, who transferred to UGA to major in dance and is the artistic director of the group. “I think Athens is a very progressive town and they really try to support their arts in any way they can… We had some people from the community donate money, and we had some people really interested in ads, such as Last Resort (Grill), they really have supported us from the beginning, and every year,
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by buying an ad in our program and displaying our company poster,” Giedl says. Founded in 2014, Counterpoint is different from other organizations due to members having to go through a formal audition process, being technically trained, and in preparing people for the professional dance world, according to Giedl. Another thing that sets the group apart is the absence of dues. “I take care of the business and organizational side of things,” says Hannah Witt, a senior sociology major from Atlanta and the company director. “So I’m in contact with other dance groups that want us to perform, I reserve space for rehearsals…and then I take care of the financial stuff too, bank accounts, all that good stuff. I think it’s important for student dance groups to support each other.” She also explained that the group is funded through gofundme pages, fundraisers such as percentage nights, offering classes, and the selling of ads in the program.
“A lot of the UGA-based dance companies either require you to be there all the time or they’re super specific, like the tap company, and I wanted something that would give me a more diverse type of dance experience so we would do more styles. Counterpoint seemed both relaxed enough that I could do it with whatever schedule of classes that I was taking, and I could experience the different styles that I haven’t done as much as well as other styles like contemporary that are my favorite,” says Nicole Googe, a freshman
psychology major from Athens. The different styles are apparent in Counterpoint’s repertoire, which includes hip-hop, contemporary, jazz, contemporary ballet as well as some inventive dances that fall outside of common categories. Their annual show in April features guest performances from other groups on campus including companies that have invited Counterpoint to perform at their own shows, continuing the cycle of support within the entertainment industry of Athens.
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The Battle Hymn of a New Tradition by Emily Haney | photography by Gabi Robins
After an exhilarating performance by the Redcoat Marching Band where fans chant the UGA fight song and cheer together, Sanford Stadium, packed with 92,000 fans, falls silent. Red pom-pom in hand, each patron points to the southwest corner of the stadium where a single Redcoat stands. A hum arises from the Redcoats and the lone trumpeter plays an all too chilling 14-note tune, a tune that has completely revolutionized the start of every UGA home game. “The experience is like nothing else I have ever experienced,” says Chandler Dickerson, a junior music education major from Atlanta and a current trumpet soloist. “When it gets quiet and everyone is pointing at you, it reminds you of what this university is about.” It’s a place chock-full of tradition and a strong sense of pride. Known to Georgia Fans as “The Battle Hymn of the Bulldog Nation,” the trumpet solo is a slowed down version of the UGA fight song, “Glory, Glory,” or “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” with an alteration in key. Dickerson says that the solo is incredibly unique because normally songs that hype people up in a stadium environment are upbeat and fast, but the battle hymn is slow and sweet. He’s amazed that a more lyrical piece has the power to transform the mood of the stadium. Becoming a trumpet soloist and having the ability to set this fresh tone is no easy feat. According to Dickerson, it’s a rather intensive audition process. With auditions being held only once a year, around 30 trumpet players try out for the role. “After the first round, they narrow it down to about 10 players and the second round begins,” says Dickerson. “The second round narrows it down to three to five players that are chosen to play the battle hymn. I was lucky enough to be one of the four that they chose this year.” Dickerson has wanted to be a soloist and partake in the tradition ever since he learned of the battle hymn during his first year at UGA. In terms of traditions, the trumpet solo is relatively new for UGA. The solo was not actually incorporated inside of Sanford Stadium until around 2000.
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Ben Hassinger, a senior from Atlanta, Georgia, and Joel Garcia, a junior from Buford, Georgia, play the Battle Hymn solo at the Georgia vs. Florida football game on Saturday, October 29, 2016, in Jacksonville, Florida. Hassinger and Garcia are two of the four Battle Hymn soloists this season.
In the 1980s, a Redcoat arranged what would later become one of the most well-known and treasured traditions at UGA. “It was sort of a joke when it started,” says Chase Baran, a senior public relations major from Lawrenceville and a trumpet player in the Redcoats. “A group of guys got together and wanted to write Glory in a different key.” Before the piece was adopted into the performance inside of the stadium, Redcoats would play it outside of Sanford before the game and the crowd soon fell in love. The director of the Redcoats took note and managed to work this solo into the iconic performance that it is today.
The solo can be heard by the derbies pep band at events across campus and with the full band during the Dawg Walk. However, the solo strikes the hearts of bulldog fans the most within the walls of Sanford Stadium. With the voiceover by the late Larry Munson following the performance, the trumpet solo has become a staple of each football game. Although it’s extremely different in tempo than any other song in the Redcoat repertoire, The Battle Hymn of the Bulldog Nation is a tradition that causes the fans to slow down for a brief moment and stand in silence and solidity before the kickoff takes place.
Brandon Hancock, a senior from Savannah, Georgia, plays the Battle Hymn solo at the Georgia vs. Florida football game on Saturday, October 29, 2016, in Jacksonville, Florida. The soloist can typically be found in the upper deck of the southwest corner of Sanford Stadium playing Battle Hymn.
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4 Historic Moments for the Athens Music Scene by Christina Matacotta | photography by Rachel Nipp
Athens, Georgia is known for a lot of things: a fearsome football team, a loveable mascot and a buzzing nightlife to name just a few. It’s another aspect, however, that put this unassuming college town on the map decades ago, one that continues to bring attention to the Classic City today--its music scene. Rolling Stone Magazine deemed Athens the No. 1 college music scene in America back in 2003, referencing the city’s, “density and diversity of bands” as the reason for its “alpha and omega” status among college towns. But much like Rome, Athens’ music scene was not built in a day. Decades of remarkable performances at storied venues by significant bands built up Athens’ clout among musical cities. Here are four moments that were key in establishing Athens’ reputation as one of the paramount music scenes in the country.
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1. The B-52’s Valentine’s Day Party Performance In 1977, the B-52s were a no-name band with a quirky new sound formed over drinks at an Athens Chinese restaurant. Their first gig was at the Valentine’s Day house party of a friend, where they performed “Rock Lobster,” which would later become one of their most famous singles. The significance of this performance was two-fold. First and foremost, one of music history’s most famous new-wave bands had their debut in Athens, Georgia of all places. Second, this B-52’s performance was one of the first band parties, which, since then, has become a staple of Athens’ music culture. “I can’t imagine college without band parties,” says Marge Stokes, a sophomore middle school education major from Kennesaw. “It’s kind of an expectation when you go to a fraternity party in the spring that there will be a band there, and that’s why a lot of people attend.” 2. R.E.M.’s First Show In 1980, alternative rock legends and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductees, R.E.M., played their first show at a friend’s party hosted in the renovated St. Mary’s Episcopal Church. Members Michael Stipe and Peter Buck actually met at Athens cultural staple Wuxtry Records, and were later joined by Mike Mills and Bill Berry to create R.E.M. Once again, the performance contributed to the establishment of band parties as an integral part of college culture. Also, the band’s launch and subsequent success solidified Athens’ reputation as a hub for amazing music, especially given their repeated
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references to the Classic City in album names— “Automatic for the People” actually comes from the slogan of local Athens’ soul-food restaurant Weaver D’s Delicious and Fine Foods— album covers—the railroad trestle featured on the back of “Murmur” is located on Poplar Street just past downtown—and music videos— the video for “Low” features a representation of the painting “La Confidence,” which is part of the Georgia Museum of Art’s permanent collection. “It is so cool as an R.E.M. fan to be living in Athens and get to see the landmarks that they made famous,” says Enya Spicer, a junior journalism major from Dunwoody. “When friends come visit and we pass the railroad trestle on the way to Mama’s Boy they are always so amazed that we have something so musically historic here in Athens.” 3. The First-ever AthFest In 1997, Athens held its first annual AthFest, a smallscale music festival featuring only 60 bands. In no way did Athenians imagine that the festival would be going strong over 20 years later, hosting more than 100 acts, spanning over three days, and bringing thousands of people to the Classic City. Having its own music festival cements Athens as a hotspot for great music. “Even though I went home for the summer I came back to Athens for AthFest,” says Ty Jones, a sophomore advertising major from Bainbridge. “It was so cool to see how people from all over came to my college town for a music festival. It really makes you feel like you are in the middle of the scene.”
4. Widespread Panic’s “Panic in the Streets” Performance In 1998, Widespread Panic was set to release its first live album, and wanted to celebrate in a big way. The rock band decided to have a free outdoor concert in place of a traditional album release party. Athens was the lucky city they picked to perform in. Widespread Panic’s fan base was famously large, but no one expected that the attendance, projected to be around 35,000 people, would skyrocket to nearly 100,000. The event appropriately named “Panic in the Streets” brought in nearly as many people as a home football game and garnered a lot of attention in the music world. “I can’t imagine how crazy it must have been at that performance,” says Andrew Palmer, a junior finance major from Gwinnett . Palmer, a confessed Widespread Panic fanatic, knows how important “Panic in the Streets” was to Athens’ music scene. “The fact that such a renowned band had such a famous performance in our little town is what, in my opinion, keeps great acts coming to Athens,” he says. Athens continues to maintain its tradition of musical prowess. On any given night, 40 Watt Club, the Georgia Theatre or Live Wire is hosting a show. Artists make sure to include a stop in Athens on their tours. New bands are formed weekly, cultivated by the diverse nature of residents’ music preferences. Athens-born bands who have burgeoned in the music industry, like The Revivalists, keep the Classic City on the music map. Athens’ reputation for a great music scene has endured for decades and is not going anywhere.
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A City That Moves Together by Jeremy Johnson | photography by Kelsey Green
From a legion of ballroom studios, to the explosive downtown club scene, to comically awkward swing lessons in freshman residence halls, dance is a central pillar upholding the entertainment culture of Athens. One needs not be a connoisseur of dance to see the Classic City waltz before their very eyes. Look no further than Ryan Baity and Sam Nesbitt, both second year Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) majors, who landed in a dance appreciation class in pursuit of a fine arts credit. Neither gave dance a second thought before taking the class, yet both are now eager to speak on its high profile in the community.
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“Dance is really vibrant in Athens. It’s nice to see how it brings people together and allows them to have fun,” says Baity, who studies computer science and enjoys coding as a hobby. “I’ve noticed it more and more since coming to UGA and it’s honestly beautiful.” Nesbitt, a statistics major and avid outdoorsman, takes a philosophical spin on the subject: “Dance is the universal language that allows us to cross cultural boundaries and understand human nature better. I like how UGA and Athens as a whole put an emphasis on it.” At first glance, these students definitely don’t seem like dance enthusiasts, but the fact that they’ve
recognized its conspicuous presence and have been inspired by it speaks volumes of dance’s influence. For those who’d like to immerse themselves completely, however, there lie multiple schools, studios and organizations beyond campus boundaries. One such entity is Dancefx Athens, a non-profit that offers private lessons in jazz, ballet and choreography. In addition, Dancefx provides venue rentals for events and hosted performers for the 2016 DanceAthens Festival. Dancefx sets itself apart from other studios by focusing on practical lessons for further success in dance. “Here at Dancefx, we want you to succeed in any way possible including auditioning for competitive and performance dance companies, ensembles, or teams,” reads the studio’s website. “In an audition-prep private lesson you will practice the turns, tricks and moves that judges expect to see.” Students of these programs have gone on to perform with the Georgettes, Dance Dawgs and the university’s Department of Dance, marking the organization’s direct impact on entertainment in Athens.
Yet Dancefx’s uniqueness doesn’t stop there; the organization directly contributes to the community through service. “As a non-profit, Dancefx has given back to the Athens and dance communities in a diverse capacity and continues to top its efforts each year,” the website’s service page reads. Their activities and revenue have benefitted such local charities as the Athens Area Homeless Shelter, the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia, AIDS Athens and Project Safe, among several other service organizations and outreach programs. In this vein, Dancefx uses dance as a lifeblood for the selfless nature of our community, and thus its value far surpasses entertainment. It’s clear to every UGA student and Athens resident that dance is important here, but few critically consider its place and profile in our cultural environment. To the Classic City, dance is more than a ballet ticket, a strobe light fixture or a box to check in Degreeworks; it’s a ubiquitous art, an expression of skill and a pillar of the community. The inevitable result is a city that moves together.
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BREAKING TRADITIONS photography by Devon Tucker styling by Olivia Rawlings and Logan Wilkes hair & makeup by Jenny Rim
Why be ordinary when you can be extraordinary? We took a spin on the traditional trends of today and threw it back to the grungy old school days. A few key items that are a must have when going back in time are leather jackets, fringe, denim and cool sunglasses. Funny thing about these trends? They all come back around. Check out some of these vintage looks we found around Athens and try one out for yourself. Cool never goes out of style.
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PRODUCT: Leather fringe jacket, Atomic - $88 Leather skirt, Atomic - $38 Velvet bodysuit, Pitaya - $39
Lacey O’Brien - Major: Public Relations - Year: Junior - Hometown: Dallas, TX
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PRODUCT: Pink Floyd tee, Atomic - $10 Denim shit, Atomic - $24
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PRODUCT: Denim hat, Dynamite - $18 Denim shit, Atomic - $24
Hawk Young - Major: Advertising - Year: Senior - Hometown: Dublin, GA
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PRODUCT: Army parka, Atomic - $40 Velvet dress, Dynamite - $28
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umano by Shannon Hoschild | photography by Cory Cole
Customers for umano’s sample sale wait in line outside of Creature Comforts Brewery. he sample sales customers were offered $4 off of brewery tours with any umano purchase.
Alex and Jonathan Torrey are brothers and co-founders of the Athens-based retailer, Umano. Umano’s journey began five years ago and was built on the idea to combine fashion and philanthropy. The brothers started with selling graphic t-shirts. The graphics on these t-shirts are unique because children create them. The Umano team travels to schools to collect drawings, sifts through the designs and selects up to 12 out of hundreds, and then production starts. Their headquarters are in a spacious warehouse office, but Umano came from humble beginnings. Both Alex and Jonathan Torrey graduated from UGA’s Terry College of Business and moved back home to start their company. “We started Umano out of my parent’s garage,” says Alex. They soon outgrew the garage and have since moved to their current location where they now manufacture their merchandise. Umano operates on a one-for- one business philosophy, meaning that for every purchase made, the company gives a backpack full of school supplies to a student in need at one of its partner schools, says Alex. After a certain amount of backpacks have been
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filled, the Umano team will go on “giving trips” to their partner schools to deliver the backpacks. The Umano team travels to its various partner schools around the world, including Athens, Los Angeles, Calif., Harlem, New York, Mexico, Peru, Haiti, and Uganda. The company also plans on partnering with schools in Detroit, Michigan. One of Umano’s interns, Kendall Janis, a digital marketing major from Alpharetta has participated in a giving trip. “Knowing the work you’re doing is actually having an impact somewhere in the world is super powerful,” says Janis. Umano seeks to inspire kids through art education. “Our mission is to empower kids to unleash their creativity,” according to the Umano website. Each t-shirt is screen printed by the hands of their dad and has unique designs drawn by children from one of their partner schools. “Showcasing a kids drawing as a work of art,” says Alex. These designs are not only on short sleeve t-shirts anymore, the company has expanded its merchandise to include long sleeve t-shirts, sweat pants, crop top sweat shirts, t-shirt dresses, and tank tops available for purchase on their website.
Ryder Chosewood, a senior fashion merchandising major from Lilburn, Georgia, ushers shoppers into Creature Comforts Brewery for the umano Sample Sale. umano is a fashion brand founded here in Athens.
The team puts a lot of thought into their clothing, but has created a balance to ensure that the giving aspect of their mission remains intact. “Giving comes first,” says Alex. Therefore, Umano produces its shirts based on the evergreen silhouette, meaning that the silhouette remains the same throughout all of the clothing collections. “They stay the same [silhouettes] for changing seasons,” says Alex. This enables the team to focus more of its efforts on carefully filtering through the hundreds of submitted designs instead of spending time choosing different shirt silhouettes. Also, their merchandise is known for its “freakishly soft fabrics” and the ease in styling it. “The fabric. It’s so soft and comfortable…you can still look cool and put together without sacrificing the comfort of a tee,” says Janis. Umano strives to successfully combine business and philanthropy, traveling the world for the softest fabrics and to give back to communities, mentions Alex. The team also hopes to further expand its merchandise and plans to launch their children’s clothing line in
November 2016, says Alex Torrey. Umano’s public relations coordinator, Stacy Spector, wrote that the children’s clothing line would also include the Umano signature artwork produced by children and will have the same one-for- one giving promise. The Umano team has been planning and developing the line since the beginning of the 2016 year, with sizes ranging from 2T5T, according to Spector. The Umano team has consistently stated, “Giving comes first.” Their mission is to empower children through art education, made possible with purchases of their merchandise. Umano’s 2016 giving goal is 50,000, which means 50,000 backpacks for 50,000 students across the world. These backpacks include crayons, rulers, notebooks, and pencils (with erasers), according to the Umano website. These students will have the supplies to create art, write stories, and will be prepared for the future. Merchandise available for purchase at: www.umano.com
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New Year’s Eve Outfits by Madison Cobb | photography by Jane Snyder
It’s no secret that New Year’s Eve is the best time to wear the most sparkly and flirty outfit you own. From sparkles to lipstick, the latest trends are all of the buzz on this night. It’s all about the glitz and glamour; whatever it takes to get that New Year’s kiss right? Your outfit is essential in making sure you turn heads or get your crush to notice you. Everyone has their own idea of the perfect New Year’s Eve. Whether it be dancing the night away at your best friend’s party or going out and seeing where the night takes you, you have to be dressed for the occasion. Of course, that is easier said than done considering buying a gorgeous New Year’s Eve outfit on a collegekid budget is not necessarily ideal. So what our fellow peers have planned for this glitzy holiday? When asked what she would wear on New Year’s Eve, Melissa Davies, a junior political science and advertising major from Smyrna said she would wear “a dress that has some kind of sequins on it, maybe colorful or all one color,” also throwing in she would add “black tights and black booties.” This would be a great outfit to catch everyone’s attention, one sparkle at a time. Ashley Vaden, a sophomore international relations and political science major from Madison seems to have the same idea, stating she would want to wear a “shimmery metallic dress with nude heels and minimal jewelry.” She also likes to get a little more festive by putting on party attire such as beads and a Happy New Year headband, a sure-fire way to make sure you get noticed. On the other hand, Caroline Quandt, a freshman agriscience major from Marietta, says that she would keep her outfit classic, wearing “the most sleek, yet extravagant gown… probably something that’s gold and
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has lots of cut-outs,” and is inspired by the 1920’s. You cannot go wrong by sticking to the classics! They are classics for a reason, after all. Keeping in mind that New Year’s Eve outfits can be very expensive, these dream outfits are not always attainable. But who is going to know if you re-wear some of the same pieces every year or to another fancy occasion? It is always a good idea to buy pieces that can be re-worn because you get your money worth that way. The easiest way to get away with outfit repeating is to stick to the necessities of a New Year’s outfit. There is a common theme that all outfits tend to share, and that would be drama, drama, and more drama! Davies has the right idea, explaining that her necessities would be “something with glitter or color but is also classy” and that the best way to rock it is with “eyeliner and some type of red or otherwise dark lipstick.” Glitter and lipstick are one of the best ways to make a statement and would be easy to copy the next year by simply changing up the accessories and hairstyle. Vaden seems to agree stating that her necessities are “lots of shimmer/glitter and a stylish jacket,” also throwing in that you cannot forget the teeth whitener. “It’s the best day to smile and also helps with that New Year’s kiss,” she says. This outfit would be easy to restyle by changing the jacket up, or not wearing one. With teeth as white as pearls, your smile will be everyone’s focus anyways! Staying practical, Quandt’s necessity is “pockets” because you have to “hold your stuff while looking cute. If not, a cute crossbody purse so you won’t lose your stuff,” she says. Nobody wants to lose their stuff while showing off their gorgeous outfits, and adding pockets to an outfit is so easy. Simply wear your favorite jeans or a cute skirt that has pockets. If you are not a fan of
pockets, then take your outfit to the next level by adding a purse or wristlet; these are both easy to re-wear and can change the look of the outfit completely if you plan on re-wearing it. To recap, New Year’s outfit essentials include glitter (of course), a bright smile outlined with lipstick, and something to hold your belongings. All of these are items that can be easily located in your closet already and are easy to change up for later use. There is no better way to start of the new year than in style, and these girls seem to have that under control. Whether you are able to get that dream outfit this year or you are planning on incorporating some of your previously worn pieces, this is the time of year to celebrate you!
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Dinner Table Traditions by Leila Mallouky | photography by Gabriella Cammarata
When it comes to the holiday season, a major thought on everyone’s mind is the mouthwatering meals made by their families. Every year, families get excited for their favorite traditions and they put a lot of thought and preparation into the food that will be prepared for these celebrations. Certain family traditions may sound normal to the average person, but most families have one or two dishes on Thanksgiving or Christmas that may be surprising. When it comes to traditions, Brittany Collins and her family have a unique meal. Every year her family decides on a new food of a different ethnicity for their Christmas dinner. Collins said her family started this tradition when she was younger because they were tired of having the same meal every year. Her grandma creates the menu and each family member brings a certain dish on Christmas Day. “I enjoy having something different to look forward to every year,” says Collins, a sophomore business major from Norcross. Whether it be Moroccan, Greek, or even American, Collins and her family have tried it all. During these holiday dinners, most people look forward to the delicious desserts. But what if dessert was the main course? Well, Finley Billings has just that. She and her family enjoy chocolate and cheese fondue for their Christmas dinner. “I can’t remember a time when we didn’t eat fondue for dinner on Christmas,” says Billings, a sophomore psychology/pre-nursing major from Woodstock. “It’s easy to make and my family loves it.” Who wouldn’t love to eat chocolate-
covered strawberries for dinner? When it comes to Thanksgiving, the traditional main course is an oven-baked turkey. Instead of this typical dish, Rusty Gay eats deep-fried turkey. “I can’t picture a Thanksgiving without a deep-fried turkey,” says Gay, a sophomore sports management major from Waynesboro. His mom has been making deep-fried turkey since he could remember. “It takes less time and I think it tastes better than regular oven-baked turkey,” he says. Many traditions are passed along through family members. Delaney White has a special tradition for Thanksgiving. Every year, Delaney and her family look forward to eating Machaca, a dried, spiced meat. “We’ve been eating Machaca ever since my grandma passed away,” says White, a sophomore journalism major from Kennesaw . White’s mother grew up in Tempe, Arizona, where Machaca is very popular. When White’s grandmother passed away she passed down the Machaca family recipe. “It’s my family’s favorite meal because it’s delicious and it is also a way to remember my grandma,” she says. The holiday season is about gathering around a table with friends and family to share these special traditions and be thankful for one another. Whether it be traditions passed down through the generations, or random traditions picked up along the way, people have their own rendition of the holiday season that reflects on their culture and customs.
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Bringing the Holidays to Athens easy holiday recipes to impress your guests photos and story by Kyrsten Hardee
‘Tis the Season The leaves are changing and the air is getting crisp which means that it’s time for pumpkin carving, holiday decorating and spending time with friends and family. The idea of preparing a home-cooked meal can be terrifying for anyone who is away from home for the first time. Here are a few super simple recipes that are sure to impress guests in no time.
Sausage balls Sausage balls are a holiday staple… They are quick, easy and are sure to please a crowd. This recipe is perfect for surprise guests or for a quick on-the-go meal. Ingredients: 6 cups of heart healthy Bisquick 6 cups of sharp cheddar cheese, grated 3 lbs sausage (1 hot, 2 regular Jimmy Dean) Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 350 2. Mix ingredients well with hands. 3. Roll into quarter size balls. 4. Place on a cookie sheet close together but not touching 5. Bake approximately 20 minutes
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Pumpkin Roll with Homemade Cream Cheese Frosting This warm and comforting dessert is simple to prepare, serve, and enjoy. This yummy dish only calls for a few common ingredients and it only takes 30 minutes to prepare. Ingredients: CAKE: 1/4 cup powdered sugar (to sprinkle on towel) 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1/4 teaspoon salt 3 large eggs 1 cup granulated sugar 2/3 cup pumpkin (canned) 1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional) FILLING: 1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, at room temperature 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted 6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Powdered sugar (optional for decoration)
Directions: PREHEAT oven to 375° F. Grease pan; line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper. Sprinkle a thin, cotton kitchen towel with powdered sugar. COMBINE flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture. Spread evenly into prepared pan. BAKE for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. Immediately place cake on towel. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool on wire rack. Be sure to put enough powdered sugar on the towel when rolling up the cake so it will not stick. FOR FILLING: BEAT cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth. Carefully unroll cake. Spread cream cheese mixture onto cake. Reroll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour.
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Tradition of giving back photos and story by Lauren Leising
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When it comes to giving back to the community, local businesses and restaurants are often held responsible to support not only the local economy, but also the community as a whole. Establishments must find creative ways to give back and to contribute to the well-being of the society as a whole and many Athens businesses have incorporated things like corporate social responsibility into their traditions and values. Corporate social responsibility is a term used frequently when discussing the obligations of a corporation or business beyond making a profit. However, these responsibilities vary based on the size and function of the company. Small businesses, including locally-owned restaurants, perform different functions in supporting the local community than a large corporation, though the main responsibilities remain the same. “I maintain that businesses have four types of responsibilities: economic, legal, ethical and philanthropic,” said Archie Carroll, a professor emeritus at the Terry College of Business. Carroll has studied corporate social responsibility extensively and has developed these four major accountabilities that businesses are held to when impacting their larger communities. Economic responsibility means that a small business must be profitable enough to be sustainable. Financial strain on small businesses means that community support is necessary to maintain a thriving establishment. Legal and ethical responsibilities cover much of the same territory but Carroll said that “ethical responsibilities pertains more to the spirt of the law than to the letter of the law.” A small business that prides itself on upholding standards of customer service and fair employee treatment beyond what the law calls for is the mark of an establishment that will be dedicated to the community as a whole. Philanthropic responsibilities are the most commonly discussed according to Carroll. “The philanthropic type is sort of the business giving back to the community” One of the major ways local businesses can get involved is to “identify a non-profit that has a cause with which they can identify that would be strategically
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appropriate,” Carroll said. By partnering with an organization that tackles a problem in the community, the business is able to focus its efforts and make an impact where help is most needed. In Athens, poverty and food insecurity are major social issues that are felt throughout the community. Surveys conducted by the University of Georgia found that over 26,300 people in Athens live in poverty, taking the poverty rate to 28.7 percent. Those experiencing poverty in the community range from young children to the elderly and both groups in Athens face higher poverty rates than the national average. Support for those who are food-insecure and facing poverty requires a community effort and sufficient resources. This great need has spurred many organizations and businesses, such as the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia and Athens Bagel, to act on their social responsibilities and provide for those who may not be able to feed themselves. For locally-owned restaurants, supporting the community looks different than for a large organization that has more resources. Carroll suggests that these businesses could “sponsor a fundraiser, offer academic scholarships to their workers or have the owner, manager and employees be involved in community events.” Another way restaurants, bakeries and grocery stores can give back is by donating left-over food that, while still good, is not going to be sold. Small businesses like Athens Bagel and Independent Baking Company often do not have the financial ability to donate money to non-profit organizations. “If a small business wants to make a contribution to the community by providing products and jobs, it has to maintain it’s own economic reliability,” said Carroll.
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Locally-owned establishments must stay in business in order to support the local economy but also have a responsibility to the community. Though they cannot donate financially, donating food that would otherwise be thrown away allows businesses to give back and use all resources to their fullest. “I don’t want there to be waste,” said David Asman, owner of Athens Bagel. Donating excess bagels is “a pretty easy way for us in this industry to help out.” Asman first decided to donate leftover bagels from his shop not long after opening his establishment. “This place had been open about a week or so when I saw us put out trash full of bagels that weren’t going to sell,” he said. “That put a pit in my stomach and I thought surely there must be some better way, surely there are hungry people here that can benefit.” Asman was able to get into contact with the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia, which picks up donations from places like Athens Bagel, Big City Bread Café and the Kroger bakery. “We make what we call our bread run,” said Bill Taylor who is the volunteer coordinator at the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia. The food banks like the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia are non-profit organizations that collect donations from various sources and distribute them back into the community. “A large part of our food comes from retail salvage,” Taylor said. The food bank also receives donations from manufacturers, the USDA and the Feeding America network, which allows organizations to bid on products throughout the country. The bread that is collected from the bread runs is taken back to the food bank where “volunteers help us sort it and cut it if necessary and bag it,” said Taylor, “then those are included in our weekend stuff for our food to kids program.”
By partnering with the food bank, Athens Bagel and other businesses are able to contribute to the programs organized by the non-profit and support the efforts of those who are devoted to providing the community with nutritious food. Independent Baking Company also donates excess bread to the Athens Area Emergency Food Bank where people who have encountered unexpected financial trouble receive food assistance. “The sole purpose of a bakery is to feed the people,” said Marc Levy, the manager of Independent Baking Company. Independent delivers day-old bread to the emergency food bank every day, except weekends when the food bank is closed. Though he doesn’t see where the bread ends up, Mark said donating is “a natural step” in the life of a local business. Another way local establishments can support the community is through using locally-sourced goods and products. The Athens community has a thriving farming community and many restaurants and businesses have made it their goal to support local farmers in their efforts to bolster the local economy. Richard Neal, a chef at 5&10, explained that he uses local produce in his recipes and purchases food from
farmers nearby. “This helps us fuel the sustainability of our restaurant, farmers and region,” he said. By using local goods, restaurants and eateries are able to keep money flowing through the local economy and encourage farmers to expand, increase their productivity and provide jobs to community members. This community support allows local farmers to feel more secure in their work and give back to the community through donations of fresh produce and being active in local events and activities. Corporate social responsibility urges community members and businesses to consider how they might improve their society and give back to the population that supports them. Restaurants and other establishments are held responsible for giving to the less fortunate and for supporting local farmers. “There’s a growing number of customers who will go out of their way to support socially responsible businesses,” said Carroll. As more citizens begin to understand the part local businesses can play in helping their community, businesses will also begin to consider ways to support the society that has supported them. Giving back is quickly becoming a new tradition throughout Athens and its people.
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DARLA MOORE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA
Leading Thinking. Leading Action. Leading HR. Master of Human Resources What sets USC’s MHR program apart? • Average graduate salary: $73,000 • Opportunities for Fortune 500 job placement • Georgia residents pay in-state tuition • 16-month program • Top faculty members dedicated to individual student development
803.777.2730 Moore.sc.edu/mhr
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