During the four weeks preceding the Iron Bowl, both schools students, friends and alumni collect cans and donate money to help combat hunger. Over the years, more than 1.5 million pounds of food have been collected for people all across the state of Alabama.
“We’re doing really well so far,” explained Ashley Nichols, director of the Beat Bama Food Drive. “We had a lot more donations come in earlier and we already have more than 100,000 pounds of food at the food bank not including online donations.”
Three years ago, the Student Government Association took the initiative and also made a Beat Bama Virtual Food Drive, allowing anyone to participate. The competition lasts from Oct. 20 through Nov. 20 and the goal is to collect the most pounds of food. Auburn’s goal for the year is to raise more than 250,000 pounds of food.
“Basically our goal every year is to exceed the amount that we donated last year,” said Nichols, “and we’d love to beat Alabama while doing it. We received a great donation from Winn-Dixie on the first day of the drive this year, more than 33,000 pounds of food. It was an entire truckload.”
The food collected by Auburn is given to the Food Bank of East Alabama and the food collected by Alabama is given to the Food Bank of West Alabama. Auburn pledged to do its part to eradicate hunger in Alabama. Since the early years of the food drive, Auburn alone has collected more than 862, 596 pounds of non perishable food.
From 2000 to 2006 Auburn collected more food than Alabama, but last year Alabama took home the title. Alabama collected 241,336 pounds of food and Auburn collected 183,017.
Cans are being collected all around Auburn’s campus at 23 different drop off locations. Donations can also be made online at http://www.beatbamafooddrive.com. Every dollar donated online is worth two pounds.
Each Keza necklace is hand made by the women who make up Sisters of Rwanda. This organization is aimed at providing a second chance for these Rwanda women who are victims of sex work and mistreated by their clients as well as the men of their village. It helps these oppressed women be able to take control of their lives.
A lot of work goes into the creation of each Keza necklace. The children of these women first gather recycled paper from old calendars and newspapers for the beads of each necklace. Then their mother’s hand- roll the papers to create necklaces together by hand. Therefore, no two necklaces are the same, they come in an assortment of different colors and are actually exceptionally fashionable.
Anna Schrader, a senior in Apparel Merchandising, got involved with the Sisters of Rwanda organization after volunteering in Nashville, which is where their organization is based. Schrader describes the necklaces by saying, “They’re high fashion, quality, but also help women.”
According the Sisters of Rwanda Web site, “KEZA is where “they” become “we”, and together we shall strive to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor.”
Each necklace bought comes with a tag which is signed by the women who made that specific necklace. The organization is non profit and all of the money goes directly to that women and her family. So when you buy a Keza necklace it’s very personal, you know exactly who made it for you and exactly who your money is going to benefit.
Schrader is currently trying to bring these Keza necklaces to local stores and boutiques in Auburn. She explains how, “We can all come together as a community and really become part of a social enterprise.”
The Sisters of Rwanda organization is fairly new and Schrader hopes to spread the necklaces to Auburn’s college town. Currently Heartstrings is the only Auburn store that is carrying the necklaces. She even hosts house parties in which she sells the necklaces at their wholesale price of $25.
So Auburn now has the opportunity to get involved in a great cause. It’s a way to share the love and the message of Rwanda women with the simple purchase of a necklace.
For more information or to purchase a Keza necklace you can visit sistersofrwanda.org or contact Anna Schrader at schraac@auburn.edu or call her cell at 813-714-3313.
]]>Elizabeth Reynolds, a senior at Auburn University majoring in public relations, knows just how busy this time of year is. She said, “I always feel like a couple weeks right before Thanksgiving teachers try to cram a lot in there because they know the breaks coming up.” The last two weeks for her has been stressful as it has for many college students. With multiple exams, group projects, papers and meetings with professors, Reynolds has been extremely busy the past few weeks. So busy, she spent most of her weekend in the library instead of cutting loose at the Auburn vs. Georgia football game this past Saturday.
Reynolds also plans on doing a lot of her school work and studying towards the beginning of the break. “I know I’m going to try and get a lot done early on,” she said. By finishing her work early Reynolds will have time over the holiday to spend relaxing with friends and family. Starting early is also a good idea because as a student we are currently in a routine of doing things. If you push a little bit harder during the beginning of the break you are more likely to do well and stay on track. Besides, hanging out with friends and family and being able to focus on anything but school will be a reward for the remainder of the break.
Procrastinating is never a good thing, but many students will fall victim to the holiday. The smell of good food, great movies and visiting with the family are a few temptations. For many students, like Reynolds, graduation is coming in May and that’s a major motivator.
School resumes after Thanksgiving break on Dec. 1 and the last day of class is Dec. 8. After that students fear the hardest week of the entire semester, final exams. It’s important to stay well organized. Reynolds uses a planner and writes out what she has to do each day. It’s easy to forget everything, but with a calendar to refer to you can stay on track. Taking breaks is also a very important aspect. Studying or working too hard can frustrate you or even wear you down. Reynolds is planning on taking a little trip the weekend before school starts back. She says it’s her time to relax and get her mind right before finals.
However if you can’t afford a trip there are plenty of other remedies to relax and reduce stress. Take three deep breaths when you feel stressed out; this can clear you mind and give your body a nice little break. Also allow yourself and hour a day to do whatever it is you want. Working out is a great for the body and mind. Just remember hard work pays off and after finals comes Christmas break. That’s a break everyone can look forward to.
]]>On Thursday, Oct. 30, Lane drove to North Carolina, one of the battleground states for this year’s election, along with nine other Auburn students. They made the eight-hour trip in order to help out the Republican National Committee (RNC) in the last 72 hours of the campaign, which are sometimes the most crucial.
“I knew that this would be the opportunity of a lifetime, so there was no way I could pass up the chance,” said Lane. “I have gotten more interested in politics since this election, and I thought it would be a really cool experience.”
Lane said many students wanted to make the trip, but she got the opportunity because she signed up early. While in Raleigh, they campaigned with students from other universities and College Republicans chapters.
It wasn’t until the weekend before the trip that the students knew where they would be traveling to, however. They originally thought they would be campaigning in Florida, another battleground state, but the plans changed last minute.
When the students finally arrived in Raleigh, they were briefed by a member of the RNC about what they would be doing for the next four days.
Each day they were responsible for waving signs, door-knocking in different neighborhoods and working at the phone banks, Lane said. They were responsible for calling undecided voters in North Carolina, New Mexico and Colorado.
One of the days, the students drove in groups to Chapel Hill and Charlotte to distribute literature about McCain at different churches, while others made a trip to Winston-Salem to hold a tailgate on the campus of Wake Forest University.
“I didn’t realize how much of a difference the little things like phone banking make, but they really do,” said Lane. “Many of the people I called were so appreciative of the work we were doing.”
Lane said her favorite activity she got to participate in while campaigning was setting up for and attending a Sarah Palin rally. She was responsible for directing attendees and making sure all the stands were filled in. After her work was over, she was able to view the rally from the front row.
“I had no idea I would get to go to a rally, much less watch it from the very first row,” said Lane. “It was so exciting to see a rally in person instead of on television.”
Even though she spent many long hours campaigning on very little sleep, Lane said the entire experience was an incredible and unique opportunity that she will never forget.
“Not every college student is able to say that they participated in campaigning for one of the most historical elections in American history,” said Lane. “I feel pretty lucky that I was able to have this chance.”
]]>Being away from home is always tough, but it makes it an even tougher loss.
This past weekend the Auburn Tigers welcomed the Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks to their home turf. And Auburn fans welcomed the Tigers back with a homecoming celebration.
After being away for several weeks, homecoming is a time for past and present students, family and friends to come back to the Plains and revive the Auburn spirit.
“It’s good to be back at Auburn this weekend,” said Steven Sprinkle, an Auburn football fan. “It’s a special time. The team’s been away for about three weeks now, so it’s great to be back. We’re excited to share it with them [the team].”
The first known homecoming game can be traced back to 1909 at Baylor University. However, several universities still try to claim that they were the first to establish the homecoming tradition.
Homecoming is an annual tradition usually built around a banquet or a football game. It tends to be a weeklong celebration to welcome athletic players, alumni and fans back after an extended absence.
Auburn University’s national leadership honor society, Omicron Delta Kappa, hosts a variety of events leading up to the big homecoming game.
This year ODK sponsored the 80th annual Cake Race. The Cake Race is one of Auburn’s oldest traditions. It takes place every year on the Wednesday before the homecoming weekend.
ODK also sponsors the homecoming float competition. Greek and other campus organizations spend numerous hours during the week perfecting hand crafted floats to be put on display on campus. The organizations present their floats Friday morning to be judged. The winners are announced the next day at the homecoming game.
Another important homecoming tradition is the Miss Homecoming halftime ceremony. Each year candidates campaign all week long to become Auburn’s next Miss Homecoming. Meredith Gaston took the crown this year with her platform supporting the AU Alert system.
Departments within the university also take this weekend as a time to reunite past and present students and professors. This year the Department of Communication and Journalism celebrated their third annual homecoming tailgate Saturday before the game. It was open for all journalism, public relations, communication, and RTVF students, new and old, as well as their spouses, relatives and friends.
Homecoming at Auburn has always been an important tradition. It allows old friends to meet again, and helps keep the Auburn pride growing.
“It’s great to be back and see all of our tailgating friends and folks that we haven’t seen in a couple weeks,” said Sprinkle. “Homecoming has always been special. It seems like there’s a special air about the atmosphere. People are excited to be back.”
]]>Chewacla State Park is open all year long for those who love to camp and is located conveniently off of South College Street down Shell Toomers Parkway. While camping, campers can enjoy the many activities that the park provides. The facilities include a 26 acre lake, playgrounds, pic-nicking areas, designated swimming areas, fishing, trail for hiking and grills and shelters. Dale Banks is the assistant manager/ park ranger at Chewacla state park. “We have a lot of campers that come out here,” said Banks.
Just like any other camp ground, there are peak times of year when people come to camp. But what makes Chewacla State Park stand out is that it is a big attraction for Auburn Football Fans. “Early spring time is a pretty big season but football season is our biggest time of year to have campers,” said Banks.
Since Chewacla is such a popular camping spot for football fans, the park goes the distance to accommodate the fans. They allow fans to store their RV’s in the park for $3 a night or $50 a month so that they do not have to spend the effort and gas money bringing their RV’s repetitively throughout the month.
The camping sites are priced at reasonable rates. “They are currently $18 a night plus tax. Right now were in the process of doing a rate increase which is going to take them up to $21 a night,” said Banks. Tent sites and RV sites are available. These camp sites include all of the amenities needed for camping. They have bathing facilities, water, sewage and a 30 amp electrical service for RV’s and tent camping. They even have firewood that can be purchased at the ranger’s station.
While the campers are relaxing and having a good time, the rangers are busy taking reservations and working hard behind the scenes to keep the campers happy. “I take reservations, I come out and do maintenance on the sites when they have problems with electric or sewage,” said Banks.
The rangers even have to take care of unruly campers. “When they have problems at night because maybe they have drank too much and have some problems, I have to come out and take care of that too,” said Banks. It may sound tough but Banks enjoys his job. “Oh yeh! I enjoy my job,” said Banks.
If you are looking to camp at the beautiful Chewacla State Park, you must make your reservations in advance. Camp sites must be reserve two nights at a time. During busy times such as football season, sites must be paid for in advance. If you are planning on staying for a week or more you must make reservations a year in advance. So make your reservations, pack up your sleeping bags and head to Chewacla State Park for a weekend of camping.
]]>This past week on the Auburn University concourse, Auburn Aviation students were doing their best to promote the school of aviation and all of its offered programs. To attract attention, they brought in one of their planes and had it resting beside them. With a location near Haley Center, they were widely noticed and received great feedback.
Auburn Aviation has been at Auburn University for over 65 years. They are housed in the Lowder School of Business and offer three separate majors. There three offered degrees include, Supply Chain Management, Aviation Management and/or Flight Management.
Supply Chain Management is a degree that allows for students to be ready to manage supply chain operations and develop ways to improve upon supply chain operation. Supply Chain Management students study subjects like logistics, transportation, quality and manufacturing issues and management, inventory management and operations management.
Aviation Management students are also taught the aspects of the aviation world. These students graduate with knowledge that makes them business ready in numerous aviation fields. They can work in areas from government aviation to business aviation or even passenger air carriers.
Flight Management students are trained with the skills to work as aircraft pilots. Student sin this program are given pilot rating are ready to enter the workforce as a trusted pilot. While many students in this degree work in commercial aviation, some also find work in corporate aviation.
Students begin their flight training in their first year. They fly at least once a week within the first weeks of attending Auburn to their last days at Auburn. The program has 15 different planes, including the newest addition to the Auburn family, a 2008 Cessna.
Auburn University houses the second oldest flight school. While there are numerous schools that have a program like Auburn’s there are few that have such a positive reputation in the business world. Auburn University aviation graduates are well sought after. Some dignified graduates include the Goodyear blimp pilot as well as Jet Clue’s senior vice president.
Despite the programs offered to students, they are also given offered membership in four organizations within the school. Auburn has an official coed aviation fraternity called Alpha Eta Rho. Eta Mu Sigma is an honor society offered to aviation management students who have showed excellence in scholarship integrity and outstanding achievement.
There is also a War Eagle Flying Team. This group is made up of Auburn Aviation students who compete against other aviation programs in different areas. This group allows pilots to improve upon their piloting while practicing and mastering safety skills. Each year they go to and compete in the regional SAFECON Competition.
Auburn’s aviation program also includes more women than other aviation programs. They are offered an additional organization. One group is Women in Aviation. This group serves as a way to give women in the aviation field mentoring and networking opportunities.
For more information on Auburn Aviation visit their website http://business.auburn.edu/academicdepartments/aviation/.
]]>Both Kohl’s and Bed Bath & Beyond have found a home in our very own Tiger Town. You can find these stores side by side, right next to “Dick’s Sporting Goods.”
Kohl’s opened its doors on Oct. 1, and Bed Bath & Beyond opened its doors on Oct. 22.
According to their press release, this marks the 14th Bed Bath & Beyond store to be opened in Alabama.
The 23,000 square foot store has everything from bed linens, down to electronics. You can even find products that are advertised solely on TV.
The Columbus Ledger-Enquirer stated, “Bed Bath & Beyond offers bed linens, bath accessories, window treatments, cookware, dinnerware, storage items and more. It also offers a nationwide computerized bridal and gift registry available in all stores.”
Upon first glance, the aisles seem endless and the store vast, but rest assure, there is something inside for everyone.
According to Taylor Lee, an Auburn University student, “Bed Bath & Beyond has everything you could ever want. They carry higher quality goods than that of Target and Wal-Mart and still have good prices. The name brand collections they offer are amazing and the store is well organized. I’ve been wandering around in this store for two hours and I’m still racking up a monstrous Christmas list.”
Ms. Lee went on to add that the way the store was organized made it so much easier to find what she was looking for.
Another fellow shopper, John Cameron of Mobile, AL also commented on the store. “This is one of the largest Bed Bath & Beyond stores that I’ve ever seen. My girlfriend dragged me out here and I was surprised to find that they carry stuff that men would like. I’ve even found some barbeque tools for my grill that I’m thinking about purchasing.”
For those of you planning to take a trip to Bed Bath & Beyond, check your local mail. Local residents have received a $5 off coupon on any piece of merchandise in the store.
The Opelika Bed Bath & Beyond store is located at 2746 Enterprise Drive.
Their hours of operation are: Monday through Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
]]>“I had never been to a place where food was so appreciated,” said Nichols. Italian cooking has always played a large role in her love for culinary arts. After graduating from Auburn High School, Nichols moved to Birmingham to start her culinary career.
She began Culinard at the Culinary Institute in Birmingham, AL. in 2001. After graduating in 2005 Nichols began working under Frank Stitt at Che fon-fon in Birmingham. Working there gave her a chance to move to Atlanta, GA and work an internship at Tower’s Restaurant. Thrilled by the opportunity Nichols packed up her life in Birmingham and moved to Buckhead.
The six month internship as assistant cook got Nichols thinking about her future. When I asked her what her least favorite part of her career was she said, “The hours, having to be up from 7 a.m. for prep and being there until after midnight was just too much for me.”
After completing her internship Nichols moved to Columbia, S.C. to start something new. “I love baking,” Nichols said, “so I decided to start something that incorporated baking, Tiffany’s.”
Tiffany’s is a bakery that Nichols opened in the fall of 06’. The bakery was such a success that after only two years of being opened she opened a smaller store in Charleston. The sister store was open just for distribution. Nichols baked all the goods at the store in Columbia and then shipped the goods to the store in Charleston.
“I loved working in the bakery,” Nichols said. She told me her favorite part of starting her own business was being able to watch it grow from start to finish. “The process of putting it all together is something I will never forget,” said Nichols, “it was such a relief off my shoulders when it finally opened and I could see my final product.”
Though she loved South Carolina and everything she had established there Nichols was ready to be back closer to home. In June of 2008 Nichols moved back to Auburn to be closer to her family.
Since Nichols mom has been involved in the food industry in Auburn for more then 20 years she was able to help her get her foot in the door at Hamilton’s.
Nichols worked as the general manager at Hamilton’s from June of 2008 until it closed down this past October. When I asked her about what she plans on doing now she said her career path is still hazy, but she is looking into opening a bakery in Auburn.
“Choosing to go to culinary school was a large step in my life,” Nichols said, “but it has proven to be a successful one.”
Choosing a career path can be difficult for some people, but for others things can happen early on that will change your life forever.
]]>Bad Habits is a western/southern rock bar located in the Winn-Dixie parking lot behind Zaxby’s right next to Big Blue Book store.
“Whether you want come for dinner, to play pool, pregame or party all night to great live music there is something for everyone, “said Derrick Stuckey, kitchen manager for Bad Habits.
Bad Habits offers a diverse menu with everything from burgers and salad to breakfast food all night. On Wednesday’s you can enjoy all you can eat wings. Bad Habits also offers carry out, just give them a call at 334.821.4444.At Bad Habits you must me 19 to enter and 21 to drink.
“We’ve got the cheapest beer in town all night and great parking,” said Stuckey. This weekend come enjoy live the sounds of Pudge on Thursday night, Marshall Law on Friday night and T &K Saturday night as they celebrate their opening with half off all appetizers.
Every Monday and Tuesday Bad Habits will have country/southern rock singer Marc Kenney. Kenney, listed in the top 50nashville stars, is known for his vocals, guitar and harmonica skills. He will also be doing DJ and karaoke.
]]>Located at 2320 Moore’s Mill Road in Suite 400, ADN opened June 9 and has been delivering delicious meals from Auburn restaurants to students and families in the Auburn area ever since. For just five dollars per order, ADN acts as a liason between you and the restaurant, creating the luxury of having food delivered from restaurants that do not offer the service themselves.
Bryan Cotney is President of ADN, and he is pleased to see that his attempt at this type of service has been successful so far. Cotney’s friend ran a similar service in Colorado that was very successful, and he decided to try the same model here in Auburn. Although ADN’s business has doubled in the six months since its opening, Cotney says he is constantly working for more exposure. “75 to 80% of what we do here is marketing and sales. More people could always hear about it,” he said. Pens, magnets and bottle openers are just some of the personalized tools ADN has used to get the word out about their service. “We’ve got to market the restaurants and ourselves at the same time,” he explained. “We don’t have the name recognition of a Domino’s or a Papa John’s.”
Auburn graduate Trent Globetti says he likes to have sushi delivered from Juliana Tokyo via ADN. “The operator is always very nice and helpful, and they bring the food to you really fast,” he said. “I have never gotten anything except exactly what I ordered, except that time I got two pens and a koozie, too.” Cotney and his team are working to add more restaurants to their arsenal and now offer online menus for your convenience.
Provino’s, Johnny Brusco’s, Mandarin House and Mikata are some of the most popular restaurants featured on the ADN menu. Other restaurants like Momma Goldberg’s Deli, Country’s Barbecue and Acapulco’s Mexican Grill are also available. There is a $5 delivery charge per order. For more information, please visit http://www.auburndeliverynow.com or call 334-502-2929.
]]>Even though Auburn does not do homecoming quite like that, it is still a fun time for everyone. This year, homecoming was a big deal with the opening of the new student center. Since the opening of the student center, there have been many events that are held inside the new building.
This week was full of homecoming week activities. On Tuesday, the movie “Step Brothers” was shown in Haley Center and there was an election party inside the student center ballroom. Wednesday was the grand opening celebration of the student center. The grand opening celebration included a dedication ceremony, information desk dedication, food, entertainment and free giveaways. On Thursday, a World’s Fair was presented in the student center. Also, the Miss Glomerata Pageant was held at the student activity center. On Friday, the Miss Homecoming voting started, there was a homecoming step show in the student activity center and Tiger Nights was put on.
Saturday is always a big day for Auburn Homecoming. It was exciting for me to go to the football game. It was even more exciting that we won. It was great seeing all of the RV’s and tailgaters enjoying themselves for the game. The temperature for the game was about perfect. There seemed to be many more children coming to this game than any of the other games this season. Even in the student section I noticed more moms, dads and little brothers and sisters.
The dictionary definition of homecoming is as follows, “a return to one’s home; arrival at home.” Yesterday, I was surprised by how empty the stadium seemed, especially in the student section. Our homecoming game may not have been the biggest game being played, but I still expected more people to show. I probably had more fun at the game yesterday than I have had at any game I have been to this season; I am not sure why.
Even though Auburn University Homecoming may not be a big event for some people, it is still very important for the university. The university wants to see as many students and alums participating as it can. It shows such loyalty when there is a huge turnout. It also looks really good on the school when there are many people participating in the homecoming activities.
Maybe if we are having a better football season next year we can expect a bigger, better and more pumped turnout for the Auburn University Homecoming.
]]>“Its primary purpose is to offset the cost of printing. This particular year, the cover materials have gone up and the cover is more expensive than usual, so the proceeds from the pageant will help pay for that,” explained Ben Arnberg, the editor of the 2009 Glomerata.
“And it also means that you get your Glomerata for free each year, instead of having to pay for it, like at the University of Alabama. Their students have to pay for their yearbooks, and here you get them for free. The pageant is part of the process that helps you be able to pick them up for free each year,” he continued.
Every spring, Auburn University students receive a free Glomerata. In order for this to be possible, funding for the Glomerata comes from student fees covered in yearly tuition. This pageant helps to raise money so that less student fees are used.
This year, Audrey Moore, a freshman at Auburn, was crowned as Miss Glom. Moore, who was also crowned as Miss Greek 2008, will be recognized in the 2009 Glomerata and will make appearances at various local events.
“The Miss Glom pageant consists of 25 contestants, which were narrowed down from a larger field through an interview process. These contestants participate in an evening gown and campus wear competition and they answer an onstage question,” said Arnberg.
Although there is no scholarship or cash prize, the Miss Glom pageant is very beneficial to participants. “Probably the most important benefit of participating in the Miss Glom Pageant is that many of the participants go on to be in the Miss Auburn University Pageant in January. This is a good practice for using the stage, meeting some of the people affiliated with these programs, and getting better prepared for that pageant in the spring.”
]]>“The Marine Corps pull-up challenge right here is just getting anybody interested to come do some pull-ups or flex arm hang for the females,” Mott said. “You can win lanyards, dog tags, t-shirts, depending on what you can do for us.”
Participants in the challenge could win prizes depending on how many pull-ups they did or the number of seconds they hung on the bar. The USMC has this challenge as a way for the recruitment officers to reach out to possible newcomers to the USMC and the PLC.
The PLC is a one way of becoming an officer in the Marine Corps. For the program, college freshmen and sophomores will go through two six-week training sessions in the summer, and juniors experience one 10-week session.
“It’s basically like ROTC, but a little bit different,” Mott said. “It doesn’t have the requirements of extra classes and drill during the school year, but basically the same result of becoming a commissioned officer in the Marine Corps upon graduation.”
Mott and other recruitment officers come to Auburn to look for college students in the area for the program.
“We’re focused on college students,” Mott said. “Any college students in the area. It doesn’t have to be just Auburn students. We go across Alabama and Mississippi looking for college students.”
The USMC pays trainees for their time. The government also covers travel expenses, meals, books and other materials and clothing needed for the training sessions.
“We’re just trying to spread the word about the program that we have to offer,” Mott said. “It’s a very small program, not well-known like the ROTC is. So, we’re just trying to let people know, hey here is another way you can join the Marine Corps as an officer if you are interested.”
For more information on the Platoon Leaders Class, visit http://www.almarineofficer.com or contact Capt. Brandon Mott at (205) 758-0277.
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