Volume 86 Issue 9 Informing Cameron Since 1926 Aggie News For additional news and features, check out www.aggiecentral.com Aggie A&E Aggie Sports Aggie Voices CrossRoads Monday, November 14, 2011 Academic Interaction Students and faculty from across the state shared their research with colleagues at the Cameron University Fitness Center on Nov. 4. This is the second year that the event was held at Cameron University. Photos by Tahira Carter 13th Annual Oklahoma Research Day Regional scholars gather at Cameron On Nov. 4, over 1000 students and faculty members from universities across the state gathered at Cameron University for the 13th Annual Oklahoma Research Day. is is the second consecutive year that Cameron has housed the event that features the academic research of scholars amongst Oklahoma’s regional universities. Dr. Tony Wohlers, Associate Professor of the Department of History and Government, coordinated the prestigious undertaking that has shown steady growth in the number of participants over the years. “is is the largest one since its existence,” Dr. Wohlers said. “is year we had about 700 abstract submissions.” Although every person that submits an abstract may not attend the event, those that do attend are usually accompanied by a guest or mentor. Dr. Wohlers estimated 1,200 attendees this year–100 more than last year. Oklahoma Research Day is primarily geared toward Undergraduate students but over the years, the event has increased its scope to include Graduate students and faculty members. “is is a good thing because you can have interactions among Undergraduate students, Graduate students and the Faculty,” Dr. Wohlers said. By Tahira Carter News Editor See RESEARCH DAY Page 3 CU weighs in 1st Give A Dime PAGE 3 The Great Game PAGE 5 Women’s Volleyball PAGE 6 The Rented Christmas PAGE 8 What Is Love? PAGE 4 Cameron University Police Officer Ray Ortiz and senior Chemistry major Chad Carden competed in the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) World Powerlifting Championships, both winning first place awards in various events. e event took place at the Imperial Palace Resort in Las Vegas, Nev., last month. Ortiz competed in the 220-pound weight category while Carden competed in the 160-pound weight category, both in their respective age groups. Carden said that the competition was tough. Individuals that attended the event qualified at a regional competition. “e event was not open, people who show up to this definitely want to win,” Carden said. “We have some of the best people competing against us.” Carden placed first in the Open Division Bench Press. He currently ranks 17th nationally in the Men’s Unequipped Bench Press Top 100. Ortiz placed first in the Full Powerlifting Meet, which consists of a squat, bench press and deadlift, in that order. He also placed first in the Lifetime Drug-Free Master’s Full Powerlift, Lifetime Drug-Free Master’s Bench and first place overall awards in the Master’s One Champion and the Police- Fire Division. Ortiz said while the competition is heavy, there is a lot of camaraderie that exists behind the scenes. “Even though everyone is there to compete, everyone is also helping each other out in the back,” Ortiz said. “ose in the federations treat it as a family sport. We enjoy the competition.” Along with the awards, Ortiz also broke the AAU American and world records for the bench press in his class, lifting 437 pounds for that event. According to Ortiz, plenty of training is involved with preparing for competition. Currently, Ortiz and Carden are in their off-season, which focuses on maintaining their strength and healing. However, heavy training begins roughly eight weeks before competition. By Elijah Morlett Assistant Managing Editor First Place: CU Police Officer Ray Ortiz poses for a photograph adorned with various awards won at the AAU World Powerlifting Championships. Ortiz competed in the 220-pound weight category. Photo by Elijah Morlett Dig Deep: Senior Chemistry major Chad Carden bench presses weights at the Aggie Gym. Carden placed first in the Open Division Bench Press and he currently ranks 17th nationally in the Men’s Unequipped Bench Press Top 100. Powerlifting Competition at Photo by Elijah Morlett See POWERLIFTING Page 3
Transcript
Volume 86 Issue 9
Informing Cameron Since 1926
Aggie News
For additional news and features,
check out www.aggiecentral.com
Aggie A&E
Aggie Sports
Aggie Voices
CrossRoads
Monday, November 14, 2011
Academic Interaction Students and faculty from across the state shared their research with colleagues at the Cameron University Fitness Center on Nov. 4. This is the second year that the event was held at Cameron University.
Photos by Tahira Carter
13th Annual Oklahoma Research Day
Regional scholars gather at Cameron
Photos by Tahira Carter
On Nov. 4, over 1000 students and faculty members from universities across the state gathered at Cameron University for the 13th Annual Oklahoma Research Day.
� is is the second consecutive year that Cameron has housed the event that features the academic research of scholars amongst Oklahoma’s regional universities.
Dr. Tony Wohlers, Associate Professor of the Department of History and Government, coordinated the prestigious undertaking that has shown steady growth in the number of participants over the years.
“� is is the largest one since its existence,” Dr. Wohlers said.
“� is year we had about 700 abstract submissions.”Although every person that submits an abstract may not attend
the event, those that do attend are usually accompanied by a guest or mentor. Dr. Wohlers estimated 1,200 attendees this year–100 more than last year.
Oklahoma Research Day is primarily geared toward Undergraduate students but over the years, the event has increased its scope to include Graduate students and faculty members.
“� is is a good thing because you can have interactions among Undergraduate students, Graduate students and the Faculty,” Dr. Wohlers said.
By Tahira CarterNews Editor
See RESEARCH DAYPage 3
CU weighs in 1st
Give A Dime
PAGE 3
The Great Game
PAGE 5
Women’s Volleyball
PAGE 6
The Rented Christmas
PAGE 8
What Is Love?
PAGE 4
Cameron University Police Offi cer Ray Ortiz and senior Chemistry major Chad Carden competed in the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) World Powerlifting Championships, both winning fi rst place awards in various events.
� e event took place at the Imperial Palace Resort in Las Vegas, Nev., last month. Ortiz competed in the 220-pound weight category while Carden competed in the 160-pound weight category, both in their respective age groups.
Carden said that the competition was tough. Individuals that attended the event qualifi ed at a regional competition.
“� e event was not open, people who show up to this defi nitely want to win,” Carden said. “We have some of the best people competing against us.”
Carden placed fi rst in the Open Division Bench Press. He currently ranks 17th nationally in the Men’s Unequipped Bench Press Top 100.
Ortiz placed fi rst in the Full Powerlifting Meet, which consists of a squat, bench press and deadlift, in that order. He also placed fi rst in the Lifetime Drug-Free Master’s Full Powerlift, Lifetime Drug-Free Master’s Bench and fi rst place overall awards in the Master’s One Champion and the Police-Fire Division.
Ortiz said while the competition is heavy, there is a
lot of camaraderie that exists behind the scenes.
“Even though everyone is there to compete, everyone is also helping each other out in the back,” Ortiz said. “� ose in the federations treat it as a family sport. We enjoy the competition.”
Along with the awards, Ortiz also broke the AAU American and world records for the bench press in his class, lifting 437 pounds for that event.
According to Ortiz, plenty of training is involved with preparing for competition. Currently, Ortiz and Carden are in their off -season, which focuses on maintaining their strength and healing. However, heavy training begins roughly eight weeks before competition.
By Elijah MorlettAssistant Managing Editor
First Place: CU Police Offi cer Ray Ortiz poses for a photograph adorned with various awards won at the AAU World Powerlifting Championships. Ortiz competed in the 220-pound weight category.
Photo by Elijah Morlett
Dig Deep: Senior Chemistry major Chad Carden bench presses weights at the Aggie Gym. Carden placed fi rst in the Open Division Bench Press and he currently ranks 17th nationally in the Men’s Unequipped Bench Press Top 100.
Powerlifting Competitionat
Photo by Elijah Morlett
See POWERLIFTINGPage 3
Aggie News2 November 14, 2011www.aggiecentral.com
Crossword
Solution on Page 5
Across1 Shoots the breeze6 1940s-’50s Israeli U.N. ambassador10 Game __14 “The Wolf and the Crane” author15 Cross off16 Piece of one’s mind?17 Halloween tricksters’ route?19 Awestruck20 Roy Halladay stat21 Sister of Calliope22 It may be icy23 Best place to watch “Animal House”?25 Close, for instance28 Unburden29 Kate of “Ironclad”30 Soften by soaking35 How most reading is done, and this puzzle’s title39 Sherry alternatives40 Albany’s father-in-law41 “Piers Morgan Tonight” channel42 Eisenhower library site45 Feathers?50 Nigerian seaport51 Noted Beethoven interpreter52 CIA’s ancestor55 Cancel56 Work the late shift at the diner?58 “__ no kick from Champagne”: song lyric59 Steady60 Response to a skeptic61 Gets into62 Employee IDs63 Third shift hr.
Down1 Champs Élysées feature2 Bach title?
3 Land east of the Urals4 Dress finely, with “out”5 Field of influence6 Americans in Paris, maybe7 Tug and junk8 Overlord9 Ultimate10 Home at the park?11 Airport whose code is BOS12 Decide not to finish13 Desert bordering the Sinai Peninsula18 Choral syllables22 Feast in the month of Nisan23 Position in a viewfinder24 Moneyed, in Monterrey25 Like some switches26 Word spoken with amore27 Put one’s foot down30 Summer escapes: Abbr.31 Little streams32 “The African Queen” co-screenwriter33 Instead of34 Raison d’__36 Trounces37 Cube creator Rubik
38 Royal introductions42 France-based jet maker43 Sound from Eeyore44 “Beats me!”45 Not fixed46 Title chameleon voiced by Johnny Depp in a 2011 animated film
47 Osmonds’ hometown48 Codgers49 Two-time loser to McKinley52 Look like a creep?53 Branch of Islam54 Check56 NFL ball carriers57 Fluoride, for one
Visiting writer returns to Oklahoma
By Teewhy DojuteleganStaff Writer
In continuation of the Visiting Writers Series, Cameron University Department of English and Foreign Languages hosted Dr. Jeanetta Calhoun Mish at 7 p.m. on Nov. 4, at the Cameron Exchange.
Dr. Mish read a few poems from her book “Work Is Love Made Visible” and she signed copies of the book “Ain’t Nobody That Can Sing Like Me,” which is an anthology of Oklahoma writers that she
edited and that was available at the event center.
English and Foreign Languages Department professor Dr. John Morris said that choosing Dr. Mish as one of the writers in the Visiting Writers Series was based upon her status as an accomplished Oklahoma writer.
“She has won the Oklahoman book award for poetry,” he said. “She is very prominent in the state.”
Dr. Mish is the editor of Mongrel Empire Press, a press that publishes many Oklahoma writers and a faculty member of
the Masters of Fine Arts program at Oklahoma City University.
“When you say writing in Oklahoma, people think it’s not happening,” she said. “I wanted to make the writing community of Oklahoma more visible.”
Dr. Mish said that publishing a book is not a stress-free route. Writers have to be completely certain that
their work is complete.“It’s not an easy process but
its not impossible,” she said. “You just have to make sure your writing is really ready to be out there.”
According to Dr. Mish, she has published two books.
“I have two books published, ‘Tongue Tied Woman’ which was published by a press in Florida and ‘Love Is Work Made Visible’ which was published by a press in Albuquerque, N.M.,” she said.
Dr. Mish’s anthology is a collection of poems, short stories and creative non-fiction
Photo by Teewhy DojuteleganVisiting: Dr. Jeanetta Colhoun Mish reads a few poems from her book, “Work Is Love Made Visible.” Dr. Mish is a native of Oklahoma and has published two books.
by Oklahoma writers compiled by her and published by her press.
“I am not in that anthology but I wrote the introduction and put it together,” she said. “They were all by people who, when their work was accepted, were living and writing in Oklahoma.”
According to Dr. Mish, it is difficult to write literary articles.
“I wrote my first poem in second grade because my dog died,” she said. “They are not easy just because they are short. You re-write, think and reconsider and you throw away a bunch of poems. ”
Dr. Mish said her family and the culture she grew up in, eastern Oklahoma inspired the poem collection, “Work Is Love Made Visible.”
She also expressed that people get so involved in the fast pace of life that they tend to forget the big picture.
“I also felt like everyone was putting the attention on being some kind of fast trader on Wall Street and forgetting that there are millions of other people who keep our world together by the work that they do.”
Dr. Mish was inspired to publish the anthology, “Ain’t Nobody Can Sing Like Me,” based on the number of great Oklahoma writers she personally knew.
“I knew a hundred writers myself. Even here at Cameron,
there is an amazing literary community of fantastic writers doing amazing work,” she said. “A lot of them haven’t been published yet because they write from Oklahoma, so I wanted a way to say here we are.”
In picking literary work for the anthology, Dr. Mish had authors send in copies of their work and then picked out the best ones from the pool.
“I had people send submissions. I accepted almost 90 percent but sent a few things back,” she said. “The quality of the writing was truly outstanding.”
Dr. Mish has had hundreds of poetry readings and she said that the opportunity to meet a captive audience is wonderful.
“I started doing poetry readings when I was 29 and I am 50 now,” she said. “This was a fantastic audience, you could tell people were engaged. It makes you get excited and feel appreciated.”
Dr. Morris feels that the fact that she writes about what people in Oklahoma can relate to makes her unique.
“She writes about farmers and workers and people in Oklahoma are able to relate to that,” he said. “Some of her poems are very moving.”
The Visiting Writers Series will conclude in the spring with Phong Nguyen, the editor of the national literary journal,
Aggie News 3November 14, 2011www.aggiecentral.com
CU students raise funds for Lawton Food Bank
The students of Dr. Paul Crandon’s Public Relations (PR) class, “Public Relations for Non-profit Organization,” organized and held a Cameron University charity event from Oct. 31 to Nov. 3. The event took place each day from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the McMahon Centennial Complex.
The event was entitled, “Give a Dime” and it raised money for the Lawton Food Bank.
Senior Journalism major Rashmi Thapaliya helped make this event possible.
“We chose to assist the Lawton Food Bank because it is a non-profit organization with no state or federal funds,” Thapaliya said. “It operates solely on donations.”
Dr. Crandon said local media played a role in inspiring the idea behind “Give a Dime.”
“The Lawton Food Bank, as part of the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, can purchase bulk quantities of food for pennies on the dollar. A local news story reported how they can purchase 1,000 pounds of food for $100. That’s 10 cents a pound,” Dr. Crandon said. “So we thought, ‘What if everyone would just give ten cents?’ With more than 6,400 students on campus, we could raise a lot of money.”
The PR students occupied a table with glass jars for the donations. The students traded shifts throughout the days of the fundraiser, asking anyone who entered the student union to be a part of the event. Dimes were the theme of the charity project, but any form of money was accepted. Glass donation jars were also placed in different departments around campus.
“It’s been a great experience being able to participate directly in a fundraising project to help our community,” Thapaliya said.
Thapaliya said that the fundraiser was created with hopes of acquiring donations from CU staff and students, but other donations were also welcomed.
“We all took some jars home to try to collect money from home or community, but it was more of a Cameron event,” Thapaliya said.
The “Public Relations for Non-profit Organization” class has seventeen students. Throughout the semester, the class has been studying how non-profit organizations operate.
Dr. Crandon oversaw and helped his students brainstorm about the event, but has taken little credit in its execution.
“Every student stepped up in one way or another to pull this off,” he said. “It was completely student driven, and the results were so professional,” Dr. Crandon said. This is such a positive example of what students can do if you give them something that they can sink their teeth into.”
Dr. Crandon said that he is very proud of his students for putting such hard work into the project.
“They planned this campaign to a tee, and it went off like clockwork,” Dr. Crandon said.
The next event for the PR class will be in mid-November, helping prepare Christmas boxes for families in need in the Lawton and Fort Sill communities.
By Tiffany MartinezStaff Writer
Photo by Tiffany MartinezDime: Public Relations students pose for a picture at the fund-raising event, “Give a Dime.” The money raised at the event goes to the Lawton Food Bank.
CU staff honored with Markley Award
The National Association of Campus Activities (NACA) Central Region recently honored director of Student Activities, Zeak Naifeh with the Markley award. The Markley award recognizes an individual who is regarded as a positive role model to students, professional staff and associates, in addition to being involved and contributing to the NACA central region as well as in the field of student activities. Apart from the many national awards that NACA gives, the Markley award is the highest honor a professional can receive at the NACA regional conference.
According to Naifeh receiving the award is recognition of the hard work you have put into your job.
“It feels great to be acknowledged for all the hard work you do and for the team of students and coworkers that I work with everyday,” Naifeh said. “All the hard work and late hours that you put into your job is being recognized and being acknowledge.”
Naifeh, who has been a volunteer leader in the NACA Central Region for several years, has also served as Conference Logistics Coordinator, Communications Coordinator, Leadership Institute Chair and this year as Regional Conference Program Chair.
In addition to serving the Central Region and
contributing to NACA through other small roles, Naifeh is responsible for the coordination of student organizations and advisement of the Student Government Association and the programming Activities Council as well as serving as adviser for the first-year students in the Presidential Leaders and University Scholars (PLUS) program.
Naifeh said receiving the Markley award does not come without great support from his academic peers.
“I think it is also important to note, that you don’t receive an award such as the Markley without great support from everyone around you,” Naifeh
said. “I have been blessed to have worked with outstanding students, co-workers, bosses, and peers.”
Apart from his work responsibilities and involvement in NACA, Naifeh is also involved with working with the students and planning great programs that make their university experience more positive. Programs such as “Rolling with the Aggies” where students are taken in the Cameron Aggie Bus to athletic competitions to cheer on teams and “Aggie Escape” which is an overnight retreat for freshmen which is held prior to the beginning of the fall semester. He has also been a fundamental part to the development of traditions, including combining Alumni Weekend and Homecoming, hosting Battle of the Bands, and creating a specific ‘pickaxe’ hand sign and incorporating that in our campus fight song.
Naifeh expresses that being recognized, as a positive role model to students is something for which everyone strives.
“It is nice to know that one of your goals is coming to life,” Naifeh said. “I think any individual that works on a college campus tries everyday to be a positive role model and mentor for students.”
NACA is an annual regional program dedicated to providing leadership training and programming opportunities to students and faculty from colleges and universities around the country.
By Ishia SaltibusNews Editor
One of the additions to the program this year was the Network Lounge. “The Lounge was designed so faculty and students can sit down and talk to one another about their research and then maybe make plans to further their research,” Dr. Wohlers said.
The event was open to all academic disciplines. Research on the topics of Business Administration, Education and Professional Studies, Fine Arts and Design, Liberal Arts, and Mathematics and Science was presented.
Assistant Professor of Design at the University of Central Oklahoma Amanda Horton was pleased to present a class project that required her students to research and compare historical artists with current artists.
“The goal of this project was for my students to pick a specific historical designer as well as an emerging designer, one who is up-and-coming and not in the history books, preferably, and compare them to try to determine if their up-and-coming designer would one day be considered a ‘Rock Star of Design’,” Horton said.
Horton was fascinated by the findings of one of her students who predicted that in the future there would be no ‘Rock Stars of Design’ because of current trends in the industry.
CU senior Computer Science and Mathematics major Marlon Joseph presented his research on partial differential equations.
“This is an independent study that I’m taking with Dr. Martin Eby. It’s a private class that’s not offered in Cameron’s typical Math curriculum,” Joseph said. “We’ve been working with Sine Gordon Equations and it’s been a learning experience for both Dr. Eby and myself.”
Joseph took part in the event for the first time this year and wished that he had participated more during his undergraduate career.
Dr. Wohlers said that he sees the event as highly beneficial to undergraduate students because of the opportunities and skills that it provides for the future.
“Oklahoma Research Day provides undergraduate students with a taste of doing research and showcasing their research at a conference,” Dr. Wohlers said. “For many it was their first time, now they can say on their CV or on their resume that they have participated in a research conference and have also contributed it to existing knowledge in research and that is a great benefit.”
The day’s proceedings concluded with a banquet that featured keynote speakers Dawn Kennedy, a graduate student from Oklahoma State University conducting research in biomedical sciences; Dr. Drew Appleby, Associate Dean at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis Honors College; and Dr. John Mather, Senior Astrophysicist at the Observational Cosmology Laboratory, Senior Project Scientist for the James Webb Space Telescope at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and 2006 Nobel Prize Laureate in Physics.
The University of Central Oklahoma will host the 14th Annual Oklahoma Research Day in 2012.
RESEARCH DAY continued from page 1
POWERLIFTING continued from page 1
“We are not trying to be big and bulky, our aim is to be strong,” Ortiz said. “Competition is not just about being able to lift weights. You get judged on your technique and position.”
To help prepare, Ortiz said that they film themselves so they can catch mistakes that would normally penalize them during competition.
Along with the strength training, Carden also said the traditional worries of a student are also added to his routines.
“Training for the world championships was tough, especially while studying for Quantitative Analysis, Biochemistry and Analytical Chemistry,” Carden said. “It is tough to maintain strength and grades at the same time.”
Both individuals have been powerlifting for several years. Ortiz began 27 years ago, while Carden started 12 years ago. They both believe that all the training is worthwhile.
“It’s an incredible feeling to win,” Ortiz said. “Because this competition was a world championship, we competed against guys from Australia, India, France, Sweden, Mexico, Ukraine, Canada and all over the United States.”
Carden said that it felt good to see the results. This event was his first world competition.
“I trained real hard, it feels good to see all of it pay off,” Carden said. “I got into this because of my father and Ray. They are my mentors.”
Heavy training will begin soon for the competitors. Their next event will be the Natural Athlete Strength Association’s Natural Nationals Competition, hosted at the Wyndham Garden Hotel in Oklahoma City, in January.
Photo Courtesy Zeak NaifehMarkley: Zeak Naifeh is the Director of Student Activities and this year was honored with the Markley award by NACA. Naifeh has been a Cameron employee since 2006.
Newsroom StaffFinancial Officer - Susan HillStaff Writers - Tiffany Martinez, Teewhy Dojutelegan, James Meeks, Amber Spurlin, Brandon Thompson, Brenna WelchCirculation Manager - Matt ThompsonAdvertising Manager - Megan BristowPhotographer - Kelsey Carter
Newswriting StudentsJames Meeks, Aaron Gill, Nicole Bucher, Cody Gardner, Scott Haney, Kelsey Carter, Teewhy Dojutelegan, Megan Bell, Tyler Boydston, Leah Ellis, Angela Goode, Jack A. McGuire, Markita Nash, Lizzie Owoyemi, Miranda Raines, Dianne Riddles, Alexander Rosa-Figueroa, Thomas Smith,
Faculty Adviser Dr. Christopher Keller
About UsThe official student newspaper of Cameron University, The Cameron Collegian is available each Monday during the year. It is printed by the Edmond Sun via the Duncan Banner.
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Aggie Voices4 November 14, 2011www.aggiecentral.com
cutting back on personal pleasures and putting their needs first, but who knew I would have to cut out food? It sure was nice having groceries in the fridge.
That is an exaggeration, of course, there is ample food in the house (as evidenced by the fact that I have yet to fully lose the baby weight—I am no longer pregnant, it is time to put down the Double Stuff Oreos), but the amount of gear a baby requires needs no exaggeration. That is daunting to think about on its own.
Many new moms-to-be think that if they have a baby shower and do a gift registry, they will be able to check a few items off the “needs” list; seems like a
win-win situation. That may be true if you are having a boy, but with a girl, forget it. The draw to buy baby girl clothes is much too great for any woman attending a baby shower. At the end of mine, I ended up with a boatload of teeny, tiny clothes (albeit, the cutest clothes ever), and a long list of items that needed to be bought.
And it’s not just the essentials. There are the little things that have been designed to make life easier for new moms that seem like must-haves. For example, an inclined plush seat that allows newborns to be somewhat propped up while sleeping (it’s been a god-send so far), the pillow that props your arm up while feeding the baby (nice and relaxing in the early mornings) or the high-backed, foam seat for infants to help them sit up and work on their head muscles—I’ve been told other moms couldn’t have lived without it.
Being a non-traditional full time student, and being home all day with my daughter doesn’t leave a lot of time for outside work, so right now we are a one-income family relying on my husband’s enlisted military pay, and that has meant a lot of budgeting, cutting back on luxury items for ourselves and plain staying at home more often—although, that’s not hard to accomplish with a newborn. Date nights in with Netflix marathons, crock pot meals and constantly checking the video baby monitor have replaced hot dates out on the town. Our cool-parent status never had a chance.
But, because we waited, and made sure we were ready as much as possible emotionally, mentally, and financially, we were prepared to purchase the major items, as well as anything else she may
need. Though, just because you
can purchase the items, does not mean the hard part is over. Unless you are in the market for baby items, you really are oblivious to the sheer amount of choices available to parents these days. Say you are looking at strollers. Do you need a single stroller, or one designed for multiples? A jogging stroller? A combination stroller (whatever that is)? Does it need to be part of a travel system? What kind of features are you looking for? Do
you need a cup-holder? Storage space?
Seriously? Anything that will allow me to roll my child through the mall without having to carry them everywhere will do just fine, thanks.
I did panic early on, thinking she needed to have everything right now, right away; but in reality, all a newborn needs is a way to get home, a soft pair of arms and a place to safely lay their heads at night.
Oh, and a lot of love. But she is swimming in that.
Photo courtesy of MCT CampusToo many choices: There are many options available for baby items including this stroller, which totals$900 and comes with inflatable tires and a parasol. The choice a parent will make will ultimately depend on the funds available for use and the features needed.
What is love? This question has honestly crossed my mind on a regular basis since I was very young.
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, love is defined as a strong feeling of affection, but is this still the true definition that holds dear to most people in today’s society?
When I was six-years-old I asked my grandmother what it meant to truly be in love. She started to cry when she looked at a picture of my late grandfather. She looked me in the eyes, put her hands on my cheeks and told me that when I thought I was in love, I would feel it deep down inside and that everything would just instantly make sense when I found that special someone.
The thing that makes me so angry now is that people no longer portray love the same as what my grandmother explained to me in my adolescence.
There are already so many four-letter words just f loating around in our vocabulary and in my personal opinion, love should not be one of those. Love is supposed to be something sacred that people protect and hold near and dear to their hearts. There are so many couples that I see on Facebook that are “in a relationship” and almost instantly throwing the word around as though it were a rag doll. I am not saying that I do not believe in love at first sight but when couples are using the term ‘I love you’ as a conversation starter, it goes from a term of endearment to just that: a conversation starter.
I know it sounds cliché but my grandmother would always say to me that God gave us two arms, two legs, two eyes, two ears and two lips. Then
she would always ask me why he only gave us one heart. The first time I did not know how to respond to this question, granted I was only five years old when she asked it, but I digress. When she told me that God only gave us one heart because the other was given to someone else for us to find. Since that exact moment, I have held the word and feeling very dear to me.
On June 1, 1999, I finally realized exactly what the word love meant. I was only an eight-year-old boy the day my grandmother died and the fact that I did not really get to say goodbye to her has always had an effect on me.
I remember slowly making my way down the aisle past all the pews in a small church in Louisiana while tears streamed down my face. I reached her casket where I let myself go; it was like everything that she ever told me suddenly made sense. I distinctly remember her telling me just a few weeks before she passed that I better appreciate the people in my life and if I love them to show them that because you never know when their time will come and they will not be here anymore.
Since that day, I have looked at life through new eyes and I have tried to share my beliefs with people through many different mediums. Over the past few years I have joined organizations such as To Write Love on Her Arms, among others whose belief is showing people what love is and helping people to see what it means to be loved.
When I joined the To Write Love on Her Arms Street Team I had one goal, and that goal was what I have based my “life’s work” on, if you will. I believe that everyone should experience love at least once
in their life and with this movement, I can actually help people believe that love truly does exist and that people are not alone in their search through life.
One of my favorite To Write Love on Her Arms shirts that I had said, “Love is a movement and we are the hopeful.” This message is one that I hold near to my heart because it reminds me of what my grandmother explained to me when I was six years old.
We are a society that needs to get back to finding the true meaning of love and even if one person can figure it out and spread the word it can be like a video on YouTube and get out to millions in no time; at
least that is what I could only hope will someday happen. If everyone could just look past all the hate in the world and not throw love out as just another word then I think we could really get somewhere as a society.
I live my life in a way that love drives it and so far, it is working out for me. All because I heard a single quote and it gave me so much hope for life and I realized that with love, we can overcome anything but only as long as we actually know what it means.
“Overcome the devils with a thing called love,” Bob Marley said.
The material part of raising baby
Aaron GillSports Editor
Rachel EngelStaff Writer
All about love: Opal Gill sits at a table over 10 years ago spreading words of wisdom and letting her family know just what love truly is. Opal Gill died June 1, 1999 and left behind a legacy for her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Photo courtesy of Aaron Gill
Aggie A&E 5November 14, 2011www.aggiecentral.com
The Great Game: AfghanistanOne act plays aim to give glimpse of history
The Cameron University Theatre Arts Department will present a Theatre Production titled “The Great Game: Afghanistan,” at 7:30 p.m. each evening from Nov. 17-Nov. 19 and at 2 p.m. on Nov. 20 at the CU studio theatre.
The production is a collection of one act plays and also the department’s contribution to this year’s CU Academic Festival, “Afghanistan: Its Complexities and Relevance.”
According to Dr. Scott Richard Klein, the Theatre Arts Department Chair and director of the show, the play would give people an opportunity to learn more about the history of Afghanistan and the United States’ involvement.
“The play would give people the opportunity to learn about the history of Afghanistan.” Dr. Klein said. “It is based on real life events of how things were in modern days and how the United States was involved.”
These plays will focus on the story of Afghanistan from the British occupation of the 1890’s until the present day. It includes “Durand’s Line” by Ron Hutchinson, “Miniskirts of Kabul” by David Greig, “Wood for the Fire” by Lee Blessing, “Canopy of Stars” by Simon Stephens and “No Such Cold Thing” by Naomi Wallace.
“Durand’s Line” is the true story of British diplomat, Sir Henry Mortimer. Durant, who engages Amir Abdul Rahman in a stunning duel of wits as the former wants to subjugate the Afghan natives and the latter fights to protect his country’s borders. This was when Afghanistan was defined as a country.
The second play is “Miniskirts of Kabul,” which is about a female
Western journalist who uses her imagination to conjure up a meeting with former pro-communist, President Mohammad Najibullah, who is under house arrest in a United Nations compound. As the Taliban closes in on Kabul, their sometimes hilarious and often horrific conversation covers topics such as hemlines, the Soviet occupation, torture and more. It also includes the reign of President Najibullah and how women had more rights than they do now and referred to freedom women had in the 1980s.
“Wood for the Fire” investigates the alliance
between the CIA, the ISI (Pakistan’s Intelligence agency) and the Mujahedeen, which was created to destabilize the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan.
“Canopy of Stars” is the story of two soldiers in a bunker guarding the Kajaki Dam. They talk of chips and gravy, football, women and whether the British should start to negotiate with the Taliban insurgents. The play is a searing insight into soldiers at war and what happens when they go home.
“No Such Cold Thing” explores the American war in Afghanistan in human terms through the story of two Afghan teenage sisters
is a political process of what countries go through with each other compared to what they get out of each other. It gives a sense of war and how people in the military live.
“For the military, it would be a good military experience.” Dais said. “It will open people’s eyes to see a lot of things they don’t know about going to war.”
The actors in these plays are CU students, mostly Theatre Arts majors.
The show is free for CU students with student ID, $12 for adults, $10 for senior citizens, military and non-CU students.
divided by conflict and the U.S. serviceman who finds an intimately human connection to their tragedy.
According to Alex Huff, a sophomore and Theatre Arts major, it is interesting to step back in time to shape how things happen now. These plays paint the picture of what happened and allows the audience to draw conclusions from what they see.
“It is interesting to step back in time to shape how things happen now.” Huff said. “It is incredible playing the role of the characters and feel the way they actually felt.”
According to Jay Dias, a senior Theatre Arts major, it
By Lizzy Owoyemi Newswriting Student
Photo by Rashmi ThapaliyaMiniskirts of Kabul: Jay Dais plays President Mohammad Najibullah and Brandi Goldsmith plays a female Western journalist in the play “Miniskirsts of Kabul.” It is a part of “The Great Game: Afghanistan,” which will be presented at the Cameron University studio theatre at 7:30 p.m. each evening from Nov.17-Nov.19 and at 2 p.m. on Nov.20.
Multimedia Design Club continues to serve the community
Cameron University Associate Professor of Computing and Technology Dr. Linda Wright-Smith is the adviser to the Multimedia Design Club, which she said has been on campus for 12 years.
According to Dr. Wright-Smith, the club is mainly a service club with a membership of 45 students.
“The purpose of the Multimedia Design Club is to take part in community service and share knowledge about the field of Multimedia,” Dr. Wright-Smith said. “The club takes part in different activities to serve the community.”
The club offers free workshops to the Lawton/Fort Sill community every semester and provides training on webpage building and other skills related to multimedia design.
According to Dr. Wright-Smith, the club adopts a family to help with holiday season needs every Christmas.
“We adopt a family every Christmas,” Dr. Wright-Smith said. “For the children of the family, we collect toys and also provide the family with a $100 Wal-Mart gift card.”
Dr. Wright-Smith said that the club members also make Christmas cards for the family.
According to Dr. Wright-Smith, the Multimedia Design Club members have been taking part in the Oklahoma Memorial Marathon for 10 years.
“We ran in the marathon 10 ten years,” Dr. Wright-Smith said. “Our students also served as volunteers to distribute water for the runners.”
Dr. Wright-Smith said that the club decided not to take part in the Oklahoma Memorial Marathon since last year due to the date conflicting with final exam dates.
“Since the students are not able to take part in the marathon due to their final exams, we have decided not to take part in the marathon,” Dr. Wright-Smith said. “We now participate in the Spirit of Survival run.”
The club takes part in food drives to collect food for the Lawton Food Bank every year.
“We organize a food drive to help the Lawton Food Bank,” Dr. Wright-Smith said. “There is always a need for food in the food bank and we try to do our part to help.”
In addition to being a part of different community service activities, the club also
organizes a photographic retreat to Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge every semester.
“I take the students to the back trail of the Wichita Mountains where they can take pictures in the wild,” Dr. Wright-Smith said. “The pictures are then printed in black-and-white and displayed in CETES.”
Amy Herring, a senior Multimedia Design major, is the Vice-President and Treasurer of the club. She said that the club takes part in various activities and she enjoys being a part of the club.
“This semester we hosted a community workshop, a photographic retreat and currently we are collecting money and other items for the Adopt-A-Family program,” Herring said. “We are also planning different activities for the spring.”
Other members of the club include Chad Hearrell, President, a senior Multimedia Design major; Markita Nash, Secretary, a senior Multimedia Design major; and Jonathan Watson, SGA representative, a junior Multimedia Design major.
Dr. Wright-Smith said that membership is open to all CU students.
Photo Courtesy of Multimedia Design ClubLearning through workshop: Community members learn webpage building during the workshop held by the Multimedia Design Club. The club hosts free workshops every semester to share the knowledge about the field of Multimedia.
Photo Courtesy of Multimedia Design ClubInto the wild: Multimedia Design Club members take part in photographic retreat at the Wichita Mountains. During the retreat the students use their photographic skills to capture the beautiful scenery.
By Rashmi ThapaliyaA&E Editor
Aggie Sports6 November 14, 2011www.aggiecentral.com
Volleyball loses two of three on the road The Cameron Aggie
volleyball team dropped two of their last three matches, but managed to clinch a spot in the Lone Star Conference Tournament.
The Aggies suffered tough losses to Angelo State and Abilene Christian, but had a much-needed victory against Midwestern State in their final home match of the season.
The team’s losses both came on the road against highly ranked opponents. Head coach Doug Tabbert said that Angelo State and Abilene Christian were among the elite teams in the conference and playing them on the road added to the difficulty faced by the team.
“We played the number two and three team in the conference at their place,” Tabbert said.
CU started their final stretch of the season with a senior night victory against Midwestern State. The Aggies fell behind early in the match, but took the last three sets to win 3-1.
Coach Tabbert said that after the team made it through the first set they played a dominant game.
“Once we got through the first set, which we struggled in, and got over the senior night stuff,” Tabbert said, “we settled down and were pretty dominant.”
The Aggies then dropped the following two matches, in which Tabbert said that the team struggled.
The squad fell behind early in both matches losing the first
By Brandon ThompsonStaff Writer
two sets in both. According to Tabbert, the
team played better in the third sets, but could not find the groove needed to win the sets.
“If there was a bright spot in those matches, it would have to be coming back from two sets of not playing well and challenging them in third,” Tabbert said.
The Aggies will face off again against Abilene Christian in the first round of the LSC Tournament. The team will face a variety of challenges going into this match, but Tabbert said that at this point there is not going to be any easy match-ups.
“They potentially pose some matchup problems for us,” Tabbert said. “There is no easy matchup at this point, we just need to go out there and play hard.”
Tabbert said that his team has shown that they are able to compete with teams like Abilene Christian, but they need to be a little more consistent down the stretch.
“We have demonstrated before that we can compete with them,” Tabbert said. “We just need to do it in longer stretches.”
Tabbert said that in the tournament, the keys to success are going out and playing hard and remaining consistent throughout the course of a match. Tabbert also said that his squad is going to work on fixing a few of the weakness they had against Abilene the last time they played before their postseason match.
“There are a few things we need to fix from the last time
we played them,” Tabbert said. “At this point, it is really about who plays hard and is consistent fundamentally.”
Tabbert said that where
Photo by Brandon Neris
Sets up: Seniors Filly Ezenwa (left) and Malyssa Acton (right) soar together above the net for some Aggie defensive play. The Aggies lost two of three matches on the road in Texas.
they came from to where they are today is a tremendous accomplishment. The last few seasons have been a challenge for the team, and now that
they are in, they are going to take it one match at a time.
“You work really hard to get in,” Tabbert said, “then you just take it step by step.”
Spotlight: Cross Country’s Hillary Kirwa
Computer Science major Hillary Kirwa is ranked the fastest runner on the Cameron Men’s Cross Country team. Kirwa is a freshman native of Eldoret, Kenya.
Kirwa said that he has not been running for long, but he said that when he runs, he does his best. He said that he wants to be the fastest runner on the Cameron Men’s Cross Country team, and if he breaks a few school records along the way, that would be good too.
He said that he loves learning and wants to receive as much education in the Computer Science field as possible. Kirwa
By Megan Bell News Writing Student
finished high school in Kenya in 2008.
“In Kenya, you have to wait a year after high school before you can go to college,” Kirwa said.
He took a Computer Applications class at a college in Kenya. After finishing the class, Kirwa said he went home for a short time. He said that he decided he wanted to teach, and was able to get a volunteer job teaching Mathematics and Science in an elementary school. He said that he loved teaching and thoroughly enjoyed helping the students pass their exams.
Kirwa said that he wanted to learn more about computers, so when his friend told him about
getting offered a scholarship to a university in the United States, he said he wanted to do the same.
Kirwa said that his friend was unable to go to the university, but told Kirwa he should try to get the scholarship. Kirwa said that his friend told him that to get the scholarship he had to run cross country, which Kirwa said is why he started running.
He exchanged emails with the coach at the university. Like his friend, Kirwa said he was incapable of obtaining the scholarship; however, the coach gave him the email of Cameron Men’s Cross Country coach Matt Aguero.
Coach Aguero swapped emails
with Kirwa and was finally able to bring him to the United States to run for the Cameron Men’s Cross Country team.
Kirwa said that travelling was new to him because he had never been outside his country. He flew to Dubai, then to Houston, followed by Dallas and finally he landed in Lawton.
He said that when he first landed in the United States he was in awe of everything.
“I was thinking, I’m in the USA, my dream. I was just thinking for real, now I have to go for what I came to do here. I have to work hard to see that I’m doing the right thing and acquire the knowledge and then I’m going to go back to my country and be in my country,” Kirwa said.
Kirwa said that the United States is very different from Kenya. He said that when he came here he was surprised to see working traffic lights because in Kenya they are broken. People are paid to fill gas in cars in Kenya which Kirwa said surprised him when he came to the United States and saw people filling up their own cars with gas.
Kirwa said he enjoyed his first taste of American food: rice and macaroni and cheese. He said he was curious and wanted to experiment with American food since it is much different than Kenyan food, and was pleased
Photo by Megan Bell Run Hillary run: Freshman three-time Lone Star Conference Runner of the Week Hillary Kirwa leads the pack at the Aggie Showdown. Kirwa has had multiple top-placing finishes this season.
with what he found. Kirwa has run four meets with
Cameron and will be competing in conference and regionals on his way to nationals. At the MSU Mustang Stampede (6k) in Wichita Falls, he came in first with a time of 17:54, setting the new record for the course, as well as the school. Kirwa ran 25:07 at the Aggie Showdown (8k) in Lawton and came in second place. At the OSU Jamboree (8k) in Stillwater, he ran 25:00 which broke a school record, as well as coming in first place. Kirwa said it was new running with so many people at one time at the Chile Pepper Festival (10k) in Fayetteville, but he said he was pleased with his time of 30:37, coming in 34th place and breaking another school record.
Kirwa said that although he is eager to compete in conference and regionals, his main focus is on nationals.
“I want to be the best runner, to run at the national levels and be the best in the region, and nationally, of course. Regionals come first and I want to do well and see how I do, but I am focusing on nationals,” Kirwa said.
Along with hoping to be the best runner at Cameron, he said that he desires to get his degree in Computer Science. Kirwa said that he has a passion for computers and is interested in learning all he can about them.
After graduating, he said that he wishes to go back to his country and get a job working with computers. Kirwa said that he would enjoy being a Computer Programmer or Computer Technician, but he said he wasn’t exactly sure what he wanted to do yet.
Kirwa said that even though he misses home very much, he is eager to see how the rest of the season plays out, as well as the seasons to come. He said that he is working hard to be the best that he can be throughout his years at Cameron.
In the midst of labor negotiations and revenue disputes, NBA basketball players are still finding ways to entertain their fans by playing pick-up games in different cities. Oklahoma City (OKC) Thunder forward Kevin Durant wanted to make sure his fans were able to enjoy these once in a lifetime experiences.
Kevin Durant, with the backing of Los Angeles Clippers All-Star and Oklahoma native Blake Griffin, had the idea for a game to be played in OKC and with the organizational help of former NBA basketball player Desmond Mason the game was granted. On Oct. 23, in OKC, with participants such as Chris Paul, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and many more, the U.S. Fleet Tracking Basketball Invitational was played.
The game was hyped up to be Team Durant versus Team Griffin, but in the days prior to the game Griffin sustained a cut on his right foot and had to pull out of the event.
This injury did not stop the game at all. Durant knew OKC was a basketball city and in front of a sellout crowd of almost 13,000, he was thankful for the turnout.
“Once I put this game together I knew it was going to be a hit, especially because of the people in Oklahoma City who enjoy the game. I am excited I had the opportunity to do it,” Durant said. “A lot of people came out to show love. All the players that came out didn’t have to. They sacrificed their time to come play the game. We just wanted to show the fans that we still love them and that we still want to play no matter what. So, I was happy with the turn out.”
The entire game was a show for the fans. The teams were now Blue versus White, Durant and LeBron James led the White squad while Carmelo
Anthony and Chris Paul led the Blue. The first three quarters were composed of nothing but dunks, fancy crossovers and pull-up three-pointers. When the fourth quarter came around a little more defense was played. However, Durant did realize he was in front of his fans and he hit a clutch shot toward the end of the game. The game headed to overtime where the white team behind Durant and James gained the victory 179-171 with minimal defense played. Kevin Durant led the White with 42 points, 26 rebounds and 11 assists while the Blue team had the high scorer of the game, but it was not Paul or Anthony. It was Minnesota Timberwolves forward Michael Beasley who dropped 56 points.
When the game ended the fans were satisfied and Durant was very grateful. Now, he and the other players needed to get back to real life, which for these players meant getting a new collective bargaining agreement done.
During the previous season, eight teams gained $150M while the other twenty-two teams lost a combined $450M. On behalf of the players, Chris Paul knows it is more than just money behind the discussions.
“If you see in these games, you can see we love to play the game. We are going to find a way to play any way possible,” Paul said. “We want to keep giving our fans opportunities to see us. If it’s not the fans then we’re not who we are. We want to keep working towards a deal because it’s not just about us. It’s about the fans. It’s about the employees and all the people that make our game happen. We want to play, just make sure everyone understands that.”
Despite the disputes, it is reported by ESPN NBA Insider Chris Broussard that eighteen NBA All-Stars are planning a six-game tour across four continents.
Golf ends season with 4th place finish in DallasBy Brandon Thompson
Staff Writer
The Aggie men’s golf team concluded the fall portion of their season last week with a solid performance at the Lion Fall Invitational in Dallas.
The Aggies finished in 4th place against stiff competition.
Head coach Jerry Hrnciar said that one of the most enjoyable characteristics of this tournament was the layout of the course.
“The famous holes of Scotland have been duplicated on this course,” Hrnciar said. “It was really a neat experience.”
The first day of the tournament, the Aggies got off to a hot start. Hrnciar said that at one point the Aggies reached a mark of 14 under par as a team. He said that the team struggled later in the round dropping several strokes on the last hole. The team finished the round at a disappointing even par.
The second day of the tournament, the Aggies were not only battling par, but also the wind. Hrnciar found some irony in playing on a Scottish type course in Scottish type weather conditions.
“The first day the weather was absolutely beautiful,” Hrnciar said. “The second day it was something you might expect in Scotland; it was pretty windy.”
The team was not fazed by the wind; they tied for the low round of the day at four under par. Hrnciar said that he thought his team performed well the second day, but it wasn’t quite enough to push them past the leaders.
As Hrnciar looked back on the first half of the season, he said he saw some positives and negatives to take from it.
“There was some good and some bad,” Hrnciar said. “We didn’t quite play against our competition as good or they improved more than I thought they would, maybe a little of
Photo courtesy of Lone Star Conference
both.”The Aggies were without
their top player, Brady Porter, during the fall. Hrnciar said that the loss of Porter could have held the Aggies back from where they needed to be.
“Right now we have been without Brady Porter,” Hrnciar said. “That has probably made the difference between where we could have been, and where we ended up being.”
Porter’s absence did give some young players the chance to step in and showcase their own talents.
“Some of my younger players are progressing like I thought
they would and in some cases maybe better,” Hrnciar said.
The offseason will be no cakewalk according to Hrnciar. He said that during the winter he evaluates each player in 25 different categories to determine in what areas of their game they need improvement.
Hrnciar said that over the winter he hopes to make each player’s biggest weakness that player’s biggest strength by the spring.
Hrnciar said that he thinks many of his players’ biggest weakness is in their short game. He said that the team has not been able to work much on this
due to the weather conditions. He said that he hoped the course conditions improved soon so his team could get the practice they need.
The Aggies will need to make a strong showing in the early spring if they want to qualify for another regional appearance. Hrnciar said that the Aggies have been in this spot before and made it, but they still need to play well early.
“We are on track to do it, but we are going to do something like we have the last two years, and that is come on strong in the spring,” Hrnciar said.
Quiet please: Junior Kregg Wood lines up to putt in a recent tournament. After a rough start, the Aggies had a 4th place finish at the Lion Fall invitational in Dallas to finish their season.
CROSSROADS8 November 14, 2011www.aggiecentral.com
The holidays are a time for giving, a time for family and a time to stuff our faces with food; however, there are those that are less fortunate and may not be able to partake in the upcoming holiday feasts.
On Oct. 29, the Lawton Food Bank teamed up with the Centenary United Methodist Church youth group, Exercising Devotion to God Everyday (EDGE) and Goodyear and held a food drive during Goodyear’s Family Halloween Party at the Great Plains Coliseum.
Goodyear employee families attended the party and donated food that members of the youth group EDGE took to the Lawton Food Bank.
EDGE Youth Minister Patrick Andrus, divided the youths into two groups; one group took donations while the other group unloaded the donations into the food bank warehouse and
lesson for the holidays.“Not everyone in our
community has food, you don’t have to go to a third world country to make a difference,” Andrus said. “We have poverty happening right here and a lot of kids do not see that. The people who are hurting usually do not get an opportunity to have people help them.”
Andrus explained that he hopes this food drive will teach the youths how fortunate and lucky their lives are and how to appreciate what they have.
Assisting EDGE was Professor of the Criminal Justice Department, Dr. Sheri Jenkins Cruz. Dr. Cruz is the faculty advisor of the Gamma Upsilon Chapter of Alpha Phi Sigma, the Criminal Justice honor society organization at CU.
Alpha Phi Sigma is sponsoring the fourth annual Holiday Food Drive at CU through Nov. 18.
“Last year we collected over 6,000 cans and donated $425 and gave it to the Lawton Food Bank.”
By James MeeksStaff writer
Sort it out: Volunteers sort through donations at the Lawton Food Bank. The food bank also accepts hygienic donations such as toothpaste and soap.Photo by James Meeks
organized the food. “Our youth group gets a
chance to come up here once year and sort food and support our community,” Andrus said. “It lets the community see that kids care about Lawton and what happens to the people that do not have food.”
During the food drive Andrus had the food organized in bins keeping green beans in one bin, soups in their own separate bin, etc., so the food bank employees and his warehouse group could better organize the warehouse.
Once the bins were filled, Andrus and the youths took the bins to the truck going back to the food bank to be unloaded by the employees and organized by the youth group.
Then the youths organized the food in the warehouse to the appropriate shelves according to the labels.
Andrus has been the youth leader for nearly two years and hopes that the food drive will teach his youth group a valuable
Dr. Cruz said. Dr. Cruz said that the money
was donated from the faculty and staff within the Criminal Justice Department.
Dr. Cruz said that anyone wishing to make a donation could come to her office at Nance Boyer Room 2083. She said that a donation run is made every two weeks to the Lawton Food Bank.
Last year Dr. Cruz assisted a group of students from an entrepreneur business class with a food drive at Country Mart.
“The drive collected 14 boxes worth of food which contributed
to the total 6,000 cans,” Dr. Cruz said.
The Food Bank will also take hygienic donations such as toothpaste, soap, deodorant and diapers. The Food Bank also accepts money donations.
Anyone who wants to donate to the Lawton Food Bank directly may do so at 1405 S.W. 20th Street. Their hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday; noon-6 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday; and on the last Saturday of every month from 8 a.m. to noon.
By Crystal CarrStaff writer
The stage is set. The lights are dimmed. The audience is waiting.
In a just a few minutes actor George Porter will perform what he calls one of his hardest plays because of his lines. In a just a few moments, Blue Moon Production will put on a play they believe will warm the hearts of the audience.
“The Rented Christmas” tells the story of John Dale, a lonely wealthy man who decides to rent an orphan family to share Christmas with.
Porter plays the part of Jimmy, an orphan who desperately desires a real family.
“At first it was hard to relate to him,” Porter said. “I didn’t really know how it felt to be an orphan, but I imagined it would be tough.”
The play portrays both the needs of the poor and the wealthy, which was a contrast that Christine Ozee found compelling.
“It shows that you can’t find happiness in things, but you can find it in helping others,” Ozee said.
The play director Martha McCartney said that she chose the play because it shows how people need each other.
“Every one person can make a difference in someone else’s life,” McCartney said.
The theme of the play came to life during its production when the cast members, directors and the Lawton community teamed up to overcome time constraints and limited resources.
“We’ve had a furniture store loan us couches and chairs for free,” McCartney said. “We’ve had cast members help with crocheting the scarves and other talented cast members who put their all into the play.”
McCartney said that the people involved in the play made it a much more enjoyable
experience. Their cooperation also brought in a touch of the holiday spirit.
During intermission, the audience experienced a taste of Christmas at the Cookie Shop where cast members sold Christmas treats. There were Gingerbread man cookies, caramel popcorn and pumpkin pie. The cookies were featured in the play as a gift to the orphan children.
After returning from the intermission, families sat together enjoying the comedic lines and tasting the Christmas treats. A mother looked upon the stage with tears of joy as her child sang Christmas tunes. A wife lay in the arms of her husband. It felt like Christmas once again.
“I love the gifts. I even donate gifts,” Porter said. “Yet, my favorite part of Christmas is spending time with my family.” That is what “The Rented Christmas” is all about.
Photo by Crystal Carr
Break a leg: Actors performing an scene from “The Rented Christmas”. The play tells the story of a lonely and wealthy man who decides to share his Christmas with an orphan Family
Photo by Crystal Carr
A happy ending: Actors share an emotional moment on stage during a performance of The Rented Christmas. The Rented Christmas is a loving story that focuses on family.
