Star Trooper Emily disses about Darth Vader at the office Christmas Party?
Student Life
Karith Foster Presents Stereotyped 101
Workshop on Diversity at UF 11/7/2017
CAC hosts annual dodgeball tournament
By: Cory William Berlekamp
Twitter: @cberlekamp
Email: coryberlekamp1@gmail.com
Balls flew in the FRC at the University of Findlay on the evening of Nov. 9 to raise funds for the American Cancer Society.
The Colleges Against Cancer club on campus hosted their annual “Protect Your Balls” dodgeball tournament last Thursday to help promote awareness of testicular cancer. Three teams participated in the tournament raising $90 for the Student Government Association funded event.
President of the CAC and Senior at the University of Findlay, Jen Darling, is the founder of the event.
“It is known that men try to belittle their health problems,” said Darling. “This is a month for awareness with this event being more focused on testicular cancer.”
Coming out to participate were the wrestlers as “The Roughnecks,” medical students as “The Testicular Torsions,” and the Oilers Changing Campus Culture sponsored group as “The Blue Ballers.” With a decreased number of participants this year, the single elimination style tournament had to be changed to accommodate the three teams playing. Darling was not sure why the turnout was lower than what they have seen in the past.
“I’m kind of disappointed because I was the founder of “Protect Your Balls” dodgeball tournament,” Darling said. “Student participation has really gone down this past year, we don’t really know why.”
Regardless of the turnout, the teams came to play and the tournament was nothing short of competitive. The tournament was played as a round robin where the teams played best of three against each other in the first round. The two losing teams then battled for their spot in the championship round.
The med students were the first team to get knocked out leaving the wrestlers and the OC3 team to play best of five in the championship. In the previous years, the wrestlers have dominated taking first place the past two tournaments. After going back and forth with the OC3 though, their reign finally came to an end after game five.
“Feels great to dethrone them,” Logan Cox, president of the OC3 said. “Forcing to game five, two to two winner takes all, nothing like winning a gift card.”
Along with their pride, each player on the winning team took home a $20 gift card to Ralphie’s restaurant. The restaurant is currently closed due to damages from last week’s wind storm. “Hopefully they reopen soon,” Cox said as the teams congratulated each other in good sportsmanship.
Although the tournament was a fun experience, its purpose is very important to the CAC and its president. Along with raising funds for the American Cancer Society, the CAC’s other main goal is to raise awareness. “Our goal on campus is to promote awareness for different types of cancer,” Darling said. “Prevention is the best key to lower your risk factors for different kinds of cancers.”
The next event CAC is putting on is Relay for Life in March. Darling is excited and hopeful that participation for that event will be higher than the dodgeball tournament.
“You walk around the track all day and raise money for the American Cancer Society,” Darling said. “You keep walking to resemble that cancer never stops so neither do we.”
Marwan Maurice, Musician, Black Smoke Tour
Marwan Maurice, a distinctive multi-instrumentalist and 2005 University of Findlay graduate whose work mixes elements of folk, blues, R&B and rock. Oct. 27, 2017 in UF’s Alumni Memorial Union Black Smoke Tour. The event was part of UF’s free Music Bach’s Concert Series.
Monsignor Michael Hohenbrink
Reflections on the Impact of a Lifetime of Service in the Catholic Ministry. Filmed 11/8/2017. DeBow and Cathrine Freed Contemporary Christian Lecture Series.
Dance Marathon is worth your time
By: Markell McCoy
Email: mccoym@findlay.edu
Dance Marathon includes a lot more than it entitles: Food, games, fun, music, and most importantly the kids. Dance Marathon is a nationwide event that over 700 universities participate in annually to raise money for Children’s Mercy Hospitals. The University of Findlay’s Dance Marathon events are specifically for the Children’s Mercy Hospital in Toledo, Oh.
This year, the Dance Marathon will be held on Nov. 11 in the FRC. Check-in will begin around 11:45 a.m.
The purpose of Dance Marathon is to stand as many of the children are in hospital beds and cannot. Madison Arnold, a junior at UF, is the Internal Director on the Dance Marathon Board at The University of Findlay.
“We always say ‘We stand for the kids that can’t,’ or ‘We dance for the kids that can’t,’” Arnold said. “Everything we do is for the kids. Our motto is ‘For the Kids.’”
Each year, UF sets a goal to raise a certain amount of money for CMH-Toledo via the Dance Marathon events.
“This year, our goal is $40,000 to buy 36 brand new bottle warmers for the NICU (The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit), to help buy preemie diapers, and help go towards an incubator bed for the babies,” stated Arnold.
This is not a new organization to the University. Emily Siefker, the assistant director on the board of Dance Marathon, says there is history behind the organization.
“About eight years ago there were a group of students who were passionate about the cause,” said Siefker. “They held our first event and they raised around $1,000.”
Within eight years, the Dance Marathon group has progressively made its way to raising $33,000 last year for CMH-Toledo.
UF Student, Paige McCort, serves as the executive director on the board of the Dance Marathon group. McCort says Circle K is the organization that puts on the Dance Marathon events throughout the year. She also explains the event covers a wide range of needs.
“This includes all children, it’s not just cancer, it’s not just a particular disease,” said McCort. “It could be a trauma, it could be for a one night stay, or staying there for weeks. It goes towards all of them.”
The money does not just come in a large sum at one main event. Dance Marathon hosts multiple events throughout the year, but finishes with one main event. This year the main event is on Saturday, Nov. 11.
Arnold expresses that everyone is encouraged to attend and the small cost that is required to participate in this life-changing event is worth it.
“Anyone on campus is welcomed to come, anyone off campus, in the community is welcomed to come,” Arnold states. “It’s open to everybody. It is $10 to register, but when you register, you get access to the event, all the meals, and if you raise any money you get a T-shirt.”
Participants collect many other small items at the event as well, such as glow sticks, and other fun knickknacks.
Meredith Shepherd, a junior at UF, knew nothing about the event until she participated, but was excited to hang out with the kids.
“The event exceeded my expectations! It was a great day,” Shepherd said. “I would definitely go again.”
“It’s called Dance Marathon, but we do a lot more than dance,” Arnold explained. Without giving away any big surprises, or details, there will be a musical performance during the event on Nov. 11.
According to McCort, the biggest part of the event is that participants get to meet the miracle kids. So far, there are nine kids signed up to attend, one of which will be performing one of her special talents. Each year, the event is different. This year there is a lot planned for the 10 hour event, with plenty of special surprises.