| Written by Andrea Halbach |
| Wednesday, 26 November 2008 10:03 |
Fifty-two percent of the Wyoming Army National Guard will be sent to Kuwait in April 2009. This is the largest deployment in Wyoming history, a brigade commander said.
Col. Richard Knowlton, one of 14 soldiers who traveled to Laramie on Friday, has been in the Wyoming Army National Guard for 20 years and will travel with Wyoming men and women in April. Knowlton said 2,400 troops are being sent from five states; 950 of these troops are from Wyoming.
Knowlton said the soldiers will first travel to Ft. Hood, Texas for three months of collective training. On April 15, the soldiers will travel to Kuwait where they will stay for approximately one year before returning home. The soldiers will help protect their base and vehicles as they travel from Kuwait to Iraq and back.
When the soldiers return in April 2010 they will again stay at Ft. Hood for five to 10 days of out-processing before returning home.
Seventy-five of the soldiers from Wyoming are from Albany County and many are at the University of Wyoming, Public Affairs Representative Major Samuel E. House said.
These soldiers need support from their friends and family, House said. House, who has been in the Army National Guard for 20 years, will not travel with the troops because he just returned home.
Information about supporting the soldiers was given in a meeting between soldiers and Laramie spiritual leaders. Marriage concerns were cited; one soldier said that the first month of being separated from family is the worst and that another difficult time is about three months after the soldier arrives home; tensions are high at these points and many marriages and families suffer.
The group also spoke about a soldier’s need for affirmation and validation. Many soldiers experience difficulty when trying to forgive themselves for killing in the line of duty.
The soldiers at the meeting reiterated the need to support their soldiers and to remind them it is okay to kill in a time of war, Knowlton said.
Knowlton and House both requested encouragement and support for the men and women who will travel to Kuwait.
Farewell ceremonies will be announced soon.
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| Written by Amy Hammer |
| Friday, 21 November 2008 10:37 |
Toys for Tots will be collecting new, unwrapped toys as well as money donations Nov. 22, outside War Memorial Stadium at the Wyoming vs. Colorado State football game.
The goal of Toys for Tots is to collect and distribute new toys as Christmas gifts to the needy children in the Laramie community.
The Wyoming student athletes in the Student Athlete Advisory Committee are working with the Marine Corps Reserves, founders of Toys for Tots, to get the community involved in the drive.
The toys collected through Toys for Tots will stay directly in the Laramie community. The SAAC will hold a Christmas carnival Dec. 7 for about 50 needy families in the Laramie area. The collected toys will be wrapped up and given as Christmas gifts to the children in need at the carnival.
Cowgirl swimmer and SAAC member Shauna Nelson coordinated the drive this year.
“I think it is very important that every child has a Christmas and feels like they are cared about,” Nelson said. “This is a program that benefits a great cause and it is really cool to see the kids faces when they unwrap the toys at the Christmas part.”
The drive has been going on for the past month as the Wyoming athletic teams competed to see which team collected more toys.
“I think it’s great that everyone is getting so involved and is stepping forward to help out,” Molly Black, member of the Cowgirl golf team, said.
Now student athletes are asking the rest of the Laramie community to help.
“This benefits a great cause that stays in this community. By donating a toy or money, you are helping out children in Laramie who may not have a Christmas at all without the help from the Toys for Tots Foundation. One toy makes a huge difference in the life of a child,” Nelson said.
The Wyoming student athletes and representatives from the Marine Corps Reserves will be taking donations at most of the gates, in the parking lots and in Tailgate Park starting at 9:30 Saturday morning.
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| Written by Wiley Combs |
| Friday, 21 November 2008 10:10 |
An hour and a half of debate Tuesday night centered around Senate Bill 2226 at the Associated Students of the University of Wyoming senate meeting. The bill proposes to alter the language of the ASUW Constitution, an action that requires not only the approval of the senate but also that of the student body.
“This legislation is an effort to reform the way we represent students, it is in no way a reflection on the great service that we’ve had from senators-at-large in the past. However, it is an inconsistency in the structure of the student government that we’re trying to address,” Senator Paul Weaver, author of the bill, said.
As a matter of ASUW policy, the losing presidential and vice-presidential candidates are currently offered positions as senators-at-large. The position is unique in ASUW because students in that position do not represent a specific college like the rest of the senators. This is an uncommon policy in student governments.
Senator Benjamin Kinney was the only member of the election committee to vote against a “do-pass” recommendation on Bill 2226. It also received a “do-pass” recommendation from the constitution committee.
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| Written by Tom Schambow |
| Friday, 21 November 2008 10:07 |
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The mock male beauty pageant contestants of Mr. Wyoming will be competing tomorrow night. The contestants come from different organizations across campus. They will be judged on their interview, talent, lifestyle, community service and evening wear. Sixteen men have chosen to participate in the contest this year.
In the talent section, men may choose a talent they wish to perform. One contestant is planning to do the “Napoleon Dynamite” dance and others have chosen classical performances with a piano or guitar.
The lifestyle section focuses on what the contestants enjoy doing in their free time. Much of the lifestyles are based around the men’s hobbies. Some of the contestants have chosen rock climbing, cycling and basketball.
The final event will be evening wear, which focuses on the men’s ability to present themselves on stage in front of an audience. Many of the men have chosen their most stunning suits and ties to wear in front of the judges and audience.
“The most difficult part of preparing the pageant is teaching 16 men to get up on stage and dance,” Kappa Kappa Gamma sister Shannon Smith said. “It’s hard to get them to all do the same dance move at one time.”
While much of the pageant is seen as a fun time, it also focuses on one major goal – raising money for the Albany County Red Cross. Generally, over $2,000 are raised for the local organization. Area businesses often make monetary or other donations for the event.
Kappa Kappa Gamma splits themselves into several groups to help prepare for the pageant. A decorating committee, stage crews and other committees are formed to help.
For anyone wishing to help with the proceeds and get their favorite candidate to win, bags will be placed in the union for monetary donations. Each bag will have a picture of the contestant and anyone may stop by and drop money in their favorite contestant’s bag. The contestant with the most money is given extra points in the pageant.
The fifth annual Mr. Wyoming pageant will be held tomorrow night in the Arts & Sciences Auditorium at 7 p.m. Tickets will be on sale in the union or available for purchase at the door for $5. All proceeds and ticket sales support Kappa Kappa Gamma’s fundraiser for the Albany County Red Cross.
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| Written by Justin Earnshaw |
| Thursday, 20 November 2008 10:15 |
Kans for Kindness, sponsored by the Student Volunteer Leadership Team, will be concluding its 16-day canned food drive tomorrow.
The food drive has consisted of the individual dorms and 12 other groups competing in four categories to raise the most cans and non-perishables. Among the four categories are the dorms, RSOs, fraternities and sororities.
The groups have another goal besides collecting the most items, Tara Sweeney of the SVLT said. “Seven of these groups will be building can-sculptures in the union in the Skylight Lounge, near the main entrance, by the CVS office, by the bookstore and by CJ’s tomorrow between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m,” Sweeney said.
“They must build their sculptures using all and only the non-perishable foods they collect, and the sculpture must represent their group in some way,” she said.
Prizes will be awarded to the group with the most cans and the most artistic sculpture.
The prizes have been donated by the community and include pizza coupons and certificates to local businesses.
Scott Headrick, also of SVLT, believes this may be a very good year. “We have been collecting food for a few years now and this year will be one of our more successful. I feel really good about it,” Headrick said.
Food will be donated to Interfaith Good Samaritan Church and Community Holidays, a group that makes food baskets to give to needy families over Thanksgiving. This will help an estimated 1,500 Albany county residents.
Around 150 items were collected by SVLT during TRICK OR EAT going door to door on Halloween to collect donations of non-perishables, which went to the Lakota Reservation in conjunction with an anthropology project.
The sculptures will be put up today, with the drive ending at 5 p.m. tomorrow.
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