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The Colonnade
February 4, 2011
Public Safety officers Who’s who at Georgia College? honored for heroism Brooks McAllister Staff Writer
A peek into the lives of people on campus we should know, but rarely do
Sgt. Nick Reonas of Public Safety: Growing up in Clayton County with a Police Officer father, Sgt. Nick Reonas never imagined he would be following his father’s career footsteps. Prior to working for Georgia College, Reonas attended Georgia College and received his bachelor’s degree in history. He was offered a position with the city of Milledgeville for a year and a half, before coming to work for the university. Reonas has been an active Georgia College Public Safety Officer for four years. Reonas works the night shift. Most of his
duties deal with enforcement. Whether its routine traffic stops, alcohol and drug related incidents or the safety of students, Reonas is ready for any incident that may occur. During his senior year, while attending Georgia College, Reonas was involved in Public Safety. Not only was he previously a Resident Assistant and Resident Director at University Housing, he was also was a member of the S.N.A.P. program in his senior year. “The S.N.A.P. we have now has shown us a decrease in alcohol related enforcements,” Reonas said.
Liquor Law Violations that lead to arrests (MIPs and DUIs) 2007
2008
113
2009 62
101
Two of Georgia College’s Public Safety officers—Sergeant Brain English and officer Jamaal Hicks—were recently awarded and recognized for heroism in the line of duty. The university was closed Jan. 10 and 11 due to severe weather conditions. During this time, students joined in cold weather activities outdoors. Some students pulled out their trash can lids, cardboard box tops, and sleds to play in the snow at Banner Park. The ice made the situation treacherous, causing one student to have an accident. English and Hicks responded to the situation when a Georgia College student flew off a sled and landed wrong. On Jan. 10, the two officers were on a routine patrol around campus. English and Hicks were in one of the Georgia College golf carts instead of their usual vehicles due to the inclement weather. The golf cart has fourwheel drive which proved to be very useful on the icy terrain. The two saw the student fly off the end of the sled, English and Hicks immediately alerted EMS personnel and worked to keep the girl stable and not move her while waiting for the ambulance to arrive. Due to the inclement weather and rough road conditions, the ambulance response took longer than usual so English and Hicks wrapped the girl in their coats and made conversation with her to help calm her nerves. In a traumatizing
situation, the officers retained control of the situation keeping it calm and collected and kept the accident from escalating. After EMS arrived and took the girl to the hospital, English and Hicks continued with their routine patrol. In addition to these two officers, Evan Karanovich, a junior from Douglasville, Ga, saw the accident and arrived quickly onto the scene. “I am certain that if it was not for the decisive actions of both officers, things could have been much worse,” Karanovich said. English has worked for the Georgia College department of Public Safety for six years. He intended to use this position as a stepping-stone, but has chosen to continue to stay here. “I love my job. They will have to run me off,” English said. Officer Hicks has been with Georgia College for four years. He, like English, also intended to use this job as a stepping-stone, but changed his mind after realizing how much he liked his job. “Situations like the helping the girl in the sledding accident are more rewarding than anything,” said Hicks. “The best part is actually getting to help people.” Hicks and English received an achievement medal recognizing their heroism. This service ribbon is the first of its kind to be given out to any Georgia College Public Safety officer. The Georgia College police policy manual has also been redone to encourage rewards for great service more frequently.
Information compiled by: Victoria Garofalo
Homecoming budget breakdown Budget up from previous year, $64,500 allocated for concert Matt Chambers Senior Reporter Over $76,000 will be spent on this year’s Homecoming week, an increase of around $5,000 from the 2010 budget. An additional $2,600—left over from Hanging of the Greens—has also been dedicated to Homecoming. “(The Homecoming budget) always fluctuates a little bit,” said SGA President Zach Mullins. “We did increase (the budget) a little, but for the bands we got and the impact on the campus, it will be good.” According to Mullins, the additional $2,600 will increase the concert’s length. The majority—78 percent—of the allotted budget is set aside for the Homecoming concert. Only $60,000 was allocated for the concert, but the actual cost will be around $64,500. The difference will be covered by ticket sales to the community and students from other schools, and the additional funds will be added. Of the concert budget, $48,600 will go the bands for performing—$45,000 for B.o.B., $1,000 for Playboy Tre and $2,600 for
Stokeswood—and an additional $4,500 will be spent on agent fees. Sound and lighting for the concert will cost $9,400. The remaining allocations are for logistical items such as security, transportation and tickets. Students had mixed feelings about the money being spent on the concert. “I think the money was better spent this year on B.o.B. than it was last year on Sean Kingston,” said sophomore management major Tyler Kemp. “I know it is going to be a great concert.” “They are just blowing money and then tuition just keeps going up,” said junior psychology major Jared Blackwood. The other $16,800 that makes up the Homecoming budget will be used for the rest of Homecoming week. “Some of that is into marketing and so we can have…free goodies to give away,” Mullins said. “It’s also to cover the overhead of Tent City…and prizes and that kind of stuff.” Almost half of the $16,800 is set aside for Homecoming marketing. Mr. & Ms. Georgia College, the College Trivia Bowl,
Intramural events, the Bobcat Ramble, the Homecoming parade and Tent City are budgeted at around $3,500. New banners for Front Campus were purchased with the $3,000 allocated in the budget. According to Mullins, the banners will be longer lasting and have air holes to prevent the wind from destroying them. The Homecoming budget comes directly from the $81 Student Activities Fee paid each semester. Eight percent of those funds were dedicated to the events this year. That percentage is the same amount SGA is given from the Student Activities Fee budget. “To an extent it’s how much we can give at Spring allocation. We have made efforts to solidify a percentage for next year,” Mullins said. “I’m trying to move more and more to that method because it takes out the guess work.“ According to Mullins, the effort to cement a percentage of the budget for Homecoming is just waiting for approval from the president and vice president of Georgia College. Mullins expects the percentage to be in effect next year.
By The Numbers
$64,500 Amount of money that will be spent on the Homecoming concert
$45,000 Amount of money spent on B.o.B. for the Homecoming concert
$16,800 Funds for non-concert expenditures during Homecoming week
Milledgeville resumes First Friday events Local shops, community members gather to celebrate art Sabrina Chandler Staff Writer Milledgeville’s first ever day of First Fridays will be launched Feb. 4 in downtown Milledgeville. First Fridays are monthly events celebrated all over the nation. On the first Friday of every month, cities across the First Fridays United States celebrate their community’s arts downtown by having exhibits, entertainment, food and -February’s First much more. Friday event Macon has been celtheme: HeARTS in ebrating First Fridays the Ville for seven years, leading to a big growth in their -Many businesses downtown liveliness. It downtown will has been such a success participate in the that Macon has changed event the event from the first Friday of every month -Visual arts, to every Friday, dubbing performing arts, culinary arts, story it Friday Fest instead of First Fridays. telling, theater, Businesses in downhistorical art and literary arts will be town Milledgeville are hoping for the same sucfeatured cess. This isn’t the first time -A store window decorating contest the city has tried to start First Fridays. It took the is planned and collaboration of three will be judged on groups and the kick-start creativity from Milledgeville’s City Manager Barry Jarrett to get the ball rolling. Jarrett approached Renée Fontenot, vice chair of business development for Milled-
geville Mainstreet, asking her to come up with a way for the city to celebrate the opening of the Wayne Street sidewalks. Fontenot spun that into a First Friday event, which will be next month’s theme. First Fridays are a collaborative effort between Arts in the Ville, a group that is dedicated to coordinate and showcase artists of Milledgeville, Milledgeville Mainstreet Downtown Development Authority, a business advocating the revitalization and economic growth of downtown Milledgeville, and Partners for Progress, a community-wide planning initiative for engaging the necessary leadership to define our city’s needs, which is sponsored by the Milledgeville-Baldwin County Chamber of Commerce. First Fridays in Milledgeville will hopefully help businesses prosper, keeping downtown Milledgeville lively. “This is an opportunity to highlight the businesses downtown and highlight the art we have in Milledgeville,” Fontenot said. This month’s theme is “HeARTS in the Ville,” and features a Valentine’s Day theme. Mostly every business downtown will be participating in the event. Each business has been paired with one or more artist, who will be showcasing their art in a designated area of the business’ choosing. Art is a broadly defined word for the First Fridays event. The art being shown will include visual arts, performing arts, culinary arts, story telling, theater, historical art and literary arts. For this event, this Friday afternoon singers and bands can perform in the street, in a designated area, for tips. All businesses are also being encouraged to stay open until 8 p.m., as most normally close at 5 p.m.
There will be a variety of different arts being showcased on Friday. Jeff Block of justpaperroses.com will be performing origami inside ExtraordiNailry. Charley Riddle of Royal Blood Tattoo will be showing his art in Barberitos. Maria Amado Fontenot will have her manga-inspired art in Kiroshima. In addition, Jeanne Waddel, a story-teller from Washington County, will be performing in Digital Bridges. There will also be a store-window decorating contest. Merchants will be judged on how creative they get with their “HeARTS in the Ville”— inspired windows. Carlee Schulte, interim director of Milledgeville Mainstreet, is looking forward to the event and the growth that it will hopefully bring to downtown. “We encourage people to visit all of the businesses downtown. It will definitely be a family-friendly atmosphere,” Shulte said. “We want to bring a community atmosphere to the downtown area and bring everyone together with the arts.” Merchants are also looking forward to the event. Danielle Fields, coordinator of artists through “Arts in the Ville” and owner of Fields Photography and Framing downtown, is thrilled. “All merchants are very excited to showcase what we have and the talents that Milledgeville has, (which) sometimes get hidden,” Fields said. Everyone involved asks that the community come out to support the arts and enjoy the family-friendly environment. The event will be every month, so any artists or businesses interested in participating should contact Milledgeville Mainstreet.
University offers new scholarships Caitlin Renn Staff Writer Georgia College students will benefit from two new endowed scholarships established to support history and English majors. Thomas “Tad” W. Brown Jr., chair of the Georgia College Foundation Board of Trustees, and his wife Mary Kay Brown, have established an endowed scholarship Two new for English and history stu- scholarships dents at Georgia College. “We made a gift to en- available to courage the study of core students disciplines in the human- -Thomas Brown Jr. ities—fundamental ele- and wife Mary Kay ments to the mission of a Brown donated liberal arts college,” Brown a scholarship to said in a press release. benefit English Brown serves as presi- and history majors dent of the Watson-Brown Foundation, which has -Thomas Brown previously provided Geor- was the president gia College $2.5 million in and chairman of endowed funds. the Watson-Brown Malcolm S. Burgess Jr., Foundation president and chairman when they gave of the board of the Bur- $2.5 million in gess Pigment Company, endowed funds to has also established an Georgia College endowed scholarship for Georgia College students, -Malcolm Burgess supporting a university Jr. donated funds priority set by President to award to the Dorothy Leland. “best students” “When President Leland told me how important it is for the university to have more scholarship funds to award the best students, I wanted to support her and the university,” Burgess said in a press release. “Georgia College helps us keep Georgia’s best and brightest students right here in Georgia, and these scholarships will help the university prepare its students for leadership roles in their professions and in their communities.” Both Brown and Burgess are trustees of the Georgia College Foundation and these donations to establish these endowments will create available scholarship money for students once the scholarships are fully funded. “I think scholarships are a great use of money, both federal and private, and especially if they continue to be achievement-based instead of depending on who your family is or where you come from,” said senior biology major Blake Davison. It will be several years before the funds are available for students, but they will be available through the same application process for other scholarships, according Amy Amason, vice president for external relations and University Advancement and executive director of the Georgia College Foundation. “Having money from the HOPE scholarship helps so much with school, it’s great to hear about new scholarships and more opportunities for students to fund their education,” said undeclared major sophomore Lindsay Schirato. A minimum of $10,000 establishes an endowment, and this donation accumulates interest to provide financial support in the area of the donor’s choosing. Endowments support scholarships, library improvements, professorships and study abroad programs. The initial donation is never spent, ensuring that the donation will continue to provide financial support for the life of Georgia College. “I appreciate the support people are willing to offer college students, and without it many students wouldn’t be able to further both their education and themselves,” said pre-med sophomore Alyson Krisher.