The Liberty Champion March 2 2011

A5

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Volume 28 Issue 16

a different era

Ashley Elia

UNDER CONSTRUCTION — Jazzman’s Cafe and Bakery underwent a makeover.

Coffee shop reopens

Legacy Photography

archives

LOOKING BACK — Students walked not from the Vines Center, but a tent for convocation in 1977.

living a

University blossoms over 40-year history

Jazzman’s receives needed updates EMILY HOOSIER eahoosier@liberty.edu

Students had to rely on their own coffee makers or other shops, while the DeMoss Hall location of Jazzman’s Café recently underwent extensive construction. Jazzman’s closed early Friday, Feb.18 as construction workers extended the wall that separates Jazzman’s storage and office area from the computer lab.

An improved Jazzman’s Café welcomed students back Feb. 21, Monday morning with a large, purple wall much larger than it was weeks prior.

“I was amazed at how fast they built the wall,” said Jazzman’s head manager, Keith Richardson.

The storage area behind the registers and espresso machine was too small and caused employee “traffic like the (front counter) area,” said Richardson. Richardson credits Lee Beaumont, Director of Auxiliary Services, as the advocate for Jazzman’s expansion.

See JAZZMAN’S on A2

JONATHAN PARKER jparker17@liberty.edu

Law School hosts ABA

D

r. Jerry Falwell met resistance to Lynchburg Baptist College in an odd place — his home.

His wife, Macel, needed convincing when Falwell revealed his plan of starting a Christian college 40 years ago.

“I said, ‘No, my kids are not going to that school,’” Macel Falwell said with a smile. “I wasn‘t going to let my children go to it because I didn’t think they would get a good education.”

Her daughter, Jeannie, disarmed the couple with a sweet remark.

“Jeannie spoke up and said, ‘Daddy, I’ll go to your school,’” Macel Falwell said, explaining her doubts. “I didn’t think he could do that. I didn’t know everything he said was going to happen would happen.”

Falwell, has watched Lynchburg Baptist College grow from 154 students in 1971 to over 60,000 Liberty University students both on campus and online.

“I’ve been shocked to death,” Falwell said. “But knowing him, I should have known it would happen.”

Falwell faithfully stuck beside her husband, helping raise three children as he led Thomas Road Baptist Church and the growth of new college.

“He had these big dreams and all of the

TREY SMITH tsmith21@liberty.edu

Ruth Bibby

GENERATIONS — Macel Falwell is proud to see sons Jerry Falwell Jr. (left) and Jonathan Falwell (right) furthering their father’s vision.

sudden they were fulfilled,” she said. “It made me think maybe he’s got something going here. Everything he said he would do, it got done.”

A wide smile stretches across her face when she talks about her sons stepping up to fulfill their father’s vision.

“Both of the boys have gotten up and done exactly what Jerry would want them

The American Bar Association (ABA) Client Counseling Competition gives law students the opportunity to practice what they have learned in a mock consultation situation.

Liberty hosted the u Liberty ABA competition for was one of the fourth time Feb. 19. The other law nine colleges schools that comthat participeted were Campbell pated in the University, Charlotte School of Law, competition.

George Mason University, North Carolina Central University, Regent University, University of North Carolina and Washington and Lee University.

“It really is a great witness for Liberty to

fyi

fyi

u Founded as Lynchburg Baptist College, Liberty University has grown from 154 students to more than 60,000. to do,” Falwell said. “The kids did exactly what he would have expected of them without him telling them.”

‘I just watched it happen’ Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr. remembers his father announcing the college plans See LEGACY on A8

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March 2, 2011

AMA team ready for marketing competition Team to present to Nintendo executives ALLYSSA HINCKLE ahinckle@liberty.edu

Marketing students will be heading to New Orleans, La., March 23 to face some of the top universities in the annual Collegiate Case Competition.

“The thing about the case competition is it’s top of the line,” Dr. Kendrick Brunson said. Brunson has led the teams through their five years of competition.

The American Marketing Association hosts the Collegiate Case Competition. Every year the competition has a client who presents a problem to teams of marketing students. This year’s client is Nintendo Co. Teams then write a 20-page paper detailing their solution and how they would reach the company’s business goal.

“The ‘problem’ each year is how to reach a market segment with a professional strategy (advertising),” Brunson said. “The ‘solution’ is a strategy for a promotional campaign.”

According to Brunson, over 60 schools submitted cases. Cases were graded on strategy, research and grammar. Only 10 finalists were chosen. The schools include Liberty University, the British Columbia Institute of Technology, the

pervade the team. However, they are confident in their case and preparation.

“I am extremely nervous at the present time, but I am confident that I will not have the same nervousness closer to competition time,” senior Brittany Heath said.

Yet for all the countless hours of work and sleepless nights, the competition is rewarding. Senior Ryan Marrero said the competition was as close to the real thing as you could get. Heath agreed, saying it had the elements of brainstorming and working with a team. Seniors Junyoung Oh, Akintayo Rockson and Brittany Searce are also on the team.

“It is helping me prepare for a career in creative endeavors such as advertising and product design,” A E Ashby said. “It has also helped build ELITE — Liberty’s AMA Case Competition Team is one of only 10 in me a proper focus on why I am in the country to present before Nintendo of America executives. here and how God would have me both contribute and lead.”

“The challenging part about semester, the team has been preparBrunson and Dr. Paul Young dethis was keeping up with every de- ing its presentation. On March 22 at cided to make the preparation of the tail that the paper asks of us. In the 7 p.m., students can watch the team paper a three-hour course offered paper you have to be very specific give its presentation in a practice in the fall semester. Marketing stuand to the point,” senior Bryant run. Liberty will be presenting to dents who are invited can audition Cobb said.

Nintendo executives on March 24 for one of the eight available spots.

Brunson does not mind telling at 2:40 p.m. central time.

Then the previous year’s team has his team to step it up.

This kind of preparation takes a the chance to interview candidates “I’ll say, ‘Okay guys you’ve got a significant amount of time. and work with Brunson to choose decent paper here, but it’s not go“We probably spent well over the appropriate candidates. ing to the finals’,” Brunson said.

100 hours both in and out of class The team submitted their case total,” senior Gary Ashby Jr. said. u HINCKLE is a news writer. in December.

All-nighters and energy drinks Teams will travel to New Orleans were the key to the team’s prepara to give presentations based on their tion, Cobb joked. papers. Since the beginning of the Excitement and nervousness shley

University of Arizona and five-time champion, the University of Pennsylvania.

lia

Forensics team wins state titles Two qualify for National Tournament CRYSTAL A. HEAVNER cheavner@liberty.edu

A close-knit crew of five students can be found in the forensics office at least 10 hours per week studying speeches, working on homework and attending weekly meetings and teaching sessions.

Nestled in DeMoss 3394, the Liberty University Forensics Speech Team is the latest unsung state champion to grace the campus.

On Saturday, Feb. 19, the team hosted the Virginia and D.C. state’s competition on the second floor of DeMoss. There, they reaped state champion titles in program oral interpretation, dramatic duo interpretation, and after dinner speaking.

Judges named Liberty sophomore and team captain Colin Dowd top speaker in the state after he placed first in program oral interpretation, first in dramatic duo interpretation with teammate Josh Wade, fourth in impromptu speaking and sixth in dramatic interpretation.

Assistant coach and former team captain, Meridith Brush was pleased with the performance. “(Winning states) as a sophomore, that is a really big honor. A

lot of the students who compete in There is another, greater purpose this are seniors who have been do- behind the forensic team as well. ing this a lot of years and who have The Liberty team, which has traveven done it in high school, “ Brush eled to various schools in Virginia, said, “Collin was new to forensics Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, when he came as a freshman and and Maryland and will soon travel has been incredibly successful.” to Nebraska and Illinois, is the only Dowd and Wade have already Christian school in its conference. qualified for the American Foren“The ability to speak as Chrissics Association National Tourna- tians in front of people who do not ment on April 2 through 5 at the believe as you do and the ability to University of Nebraska at Kearney. do it well are some of the most imThe tournament is the most com- portant things we teach,” Brush said. petitive in the nation.

Students are able to connect with “I’m incredibly proud of my team students from different schools and can’t with similar inwait to see terests who may what they’ll have adverse atdo at nationtitudes toward The ability to speak as als,” Brush Christianity and Christians in front of people said. change that for who do not believe as you do However, the better. and the ability to do it well are this success “When we act some of the most important was not easas Christians we things we teach. ily won. Acare constantly cording to being a witness — Meridith Brush Brush, team ... we’re really members changing their began preperspective of paring speeches over the summer, Christianity as a whole,” Dowd said. which they work all year long to The team was recently able to perfect. encourage a new Christian at Ce“I want to become a lawyer in the darcrest College in Allentown, Pa. future. This provides the tools that who did not know of any fellow help me become a better speaker Christians at her school. by getting feedback from people I normally would not get responses u HEAVNER is a news writer. from,” Dowd said of his effort.

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corrections u Last week in the article entitled “Do not miss Bliss: A Fine Wedding Fair” the name “Jennifer Price” should have read “Jennifer Prince.”

Ashley Elia

OPEN FOR BUSINESS — Jazzman’s Cafe and Bakery on the second floor of DeMoss Hall reopened this week after renovations.

JAZZMANS continued from A1 The new wall adds 25 square feet to the storage and office area. An office desk and a few crates of soda bottles occupy the majority of the new extra space.

There is now room for two storage cabinets which create isles for easy access to cups, syrups, and other supplies. Richardson shared his vision for Jazzman’s Café to extend even further into the Computer Lab. “Then we could open up an additional espresso machine and another line for students,” said Richardson.

Jazzman’s Café employees are especially excited about the new drainage system for the espresso machine. During my tour of the new storage and office area, Richardson opened a small cabinet under the espresso machine, revealing a new set of espresso drains where a bucket once stood.

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“Before the construction, we had to empty a bucket by hand,” said Richardson.

This new espresso drain takes a constant and tedious task away from Jazzman’s Café workers, allowing them to serve customers more efficiently.

Jazzman’s Cafe is not the only dining area on campus that is getting attention from the Auxiliary Services Department.

“The Hangar and Founder’s Food Court are supposed to go under construction during the summer,” said Richardson.

The expansion improvement on the DeMoss Jazzman’s Café is both aesthetic and functional.

The Auxiliary Services Department is working towards a better Jazzman’s Café for both its customers and employees. u HOOSIER is a news writer.

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The deadline is 5 p.m. Friday. Letters and columns that appear are the opinion of the author solely, not the Champion editorial board or Liberty University.

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LAW continued from A1

U.S. Air Force

BOMBS AWAY — Lt. Col. Chris McGreer, who spent 15 years as a fighter pilot, hosts a Bible study for military students at his home.

Lt. Col. Chris McGreer: Phantom Chaplain OMAR ADAMS oadams@liberty.edu

While Lt. Col. Chris McGreer may not be a student veteran, or even one of Liberty’s numerous faculty and staff veterans, he nevertheless has an impact on campus through his work with military students.

Throughout his career, McGreer has been heavily inM GREER volved with Officer Christian Fellowship (OCF) and currently holds a weekly Bible study at his house near campus. McGreer, a graduate of VMI and a Vietnam veteran, served as a fighter pilot for roughly 15 years before becoming a chaplain.

McGreer loved flying and loved the intensity and pressure of being a fighter pilot. He flew F-4 Phantom IIs in active duty and the New Jersey Air National Guard (ANG) and A-37 Dragonflies and A-10 Thunderbolt IIs in the Pennsylvania ANG. c

“I flew every single tactical fighter (and reconnaissance) mission you can fly in an F-4 … I got to taste everything, (be a) master of nothing, but it was a lot of fun,” he said.

The physical in flying fighters put the human body under tremendous strain.

McGreer said that when he was in a Navy centrifuge during training, he contracted “G-measles” — a condition where blood oozes through the skin from the pressure of sustaining excessive G-forces. The condition reminded him of Jesus in Gethsemane when he sweat drops of blood through his anguish.

Perhaps the greatest pressure, however, was when McGreer finally left his plane to become a chaplain. One of his many duties was carrying out death notifications to parents and spouses of deceased veterans.

The first Air Force officer killed in Operation Iraqi

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Freedom was a member of the Idaho ANG where McGreer was then stationed. Maj. Gregory Stone, a 40-year-old with two children, was murdered by a Muslim-American soldier who threw a grenade into his tent. McGreer and an Air Force general delivered the news to Stone’s mother, but the distraught woman would not let them in the house.

“She was holding the screen door and wouldn’t let us in, because if we don’t come in, it wasn’t real,” he said.

McGreer gently pulled the door open, and the elderly woman fled into the living room. Her daughter and McGreer’s wife were there to help her.

“We want an experienced lady (to be there) so they can go hug (the mother), and she can cry on their shoulder,” he continued.

McGreer also said that the notification must be written out, because often the officer delivering the message struggles to maintain composure.

“You have to make it dignified — it’s part of closure,”

Steven

DIAMOND IMPORTS

he said. “Yes, there’s agony, but you have to do it.”

When he moved to Lynchburg to care for his ailing father, a World War II veteran who helped to break the Japanese code and set up the shooting down of Admiral Yamamoto, McGreer continued to work with OCF and reach out to the community and Liberty’s military students.

“I love flying. I love God’s word. I love my wife. And I love my country,” he said.

He said his love of country and experiencing the spiritual warfare against it drove him to become a chaplain and fight back. That love is keeping him busy helping to train the next generation of physical and spiritual warriors of America. u ADAMS is the copy editor.

host such a major competition,” Mat Staver, dean of the School of Law said.

“Kristen Tucker, one of our law students, and the other students on the Alternative Dispute Resolution board did a fantastic job of hosting the event. They made everyone feel welcome, and the event went smoothly.”

According to abanet.org, the competition consists of three rounds — preliminary, semifinal and final.

In the preliminary round, student teams participate in three consultation situations in which a client comes in with a problem and each team must then come up a course of action.

Students are given a limited amount of information a few weeks before the competition.

“All they know is one sentence,” associate professor of law Joel Hesch said.

“For example, (they are told a) client is coming in to talk about ethics.”

According to abanet.org, a panel of judges will score each team based on various criteria such as how well each team established a professional working atmosphere, how effectively they concluded the interview and how well they worked together as a team.

Second year law students Brent Cole and Ali Shubert competed in the competition. Cole and Shubert advanced to the semifinal round.

“Ali and I tried out late last semester (for the competition) before Christmas break,” Cole said. “We

began preparing with our coach, Dennis Englerth, in January when we returned.”

To prepare for the competition, Cole and Shubert received different scenarios and with various law students acting as clients, they went through the entire interview process and worked as they would in a competition setting.

“It was very effective and a lot of fun because the students we had help us really did a great job trying to bring their own personalities to their problems,” Cole said.

The competition allowed both Cole and Shubert to work through everyday situations and to gain practical experience that they can take with them after school.

“This competition was specifically focused around issues of professional responsibilities,” Shubert said. “Almost every state requires attorneys to take an exam in professional responsibilities and every case that walked into our office is a potential issue we could see in practice, so the topic was very practical.”

For more information about the ABA Client Counseling competition visit abanet.org. For more information about and to see upcoming events hosted by the School of Law visit law.liberty.edu. u SMITH is the asst. feature editor.

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photography archives

BLAST FROM THE PAST — (ABOVE) Liberty Students wait for classes to begin in 1985. The students are shown in their traditional class dress, which is different from the current dress code. (BELOW) Founder Dr. Jerry Falwell congratulates his wife, Macel Falwell, on graduating summa cum laude in 1987.

Macel Falwell said the school blossomed over the years and her mind quickly changed from those early conversations.

“It is a wonderful school, there is no doubt about it,” Falwell, who received her degree from Liberty in 1987, said.

She said her husband would be pleased.

“I just can’t imagine what it will be. I think it will continue to grow,” Macel Falwell said.

“I think it will be beyond what he could even dream of. It’s just been unbelievable.”

LEGACY continued from A1 during a church service.

“I just watched it happen over the years,” Falwell Jr. said.

Falwell said his father approached each challenge with determination.

“He was ready to do what we are doing now back then,” Falwell Jr. said.

Over the years, his father changed his message from “what it takes to be number one” (the title of his favorite Vince Lombardi speech) to “don’t quit,” a reflection of the university’s struggles over the years.

Falwell spent time grooming his sons to split the leadership responsibilities.

Jerry leads the university and Jonathan serves as senior pastor at Thomas Road Baptist Church.

“He was always planning for the future,” Falwell Jr. said.

Falwell began running the university’s business operations before his father’s death, talking to his dad each morning and late at night to plan.

“He told me, ‘You’ve got the business side down to a science and Jonathan and others can help you with the preaching side of it,’” Falwell Jr. said.

Not just another university Dr. Jeannie Falwell Savas, a Richmond surgeon, said her father wanted to train Christians in all career fields.

“It’s exciting to see it broadening to meet that larger mission,” said Savas, who graduated from Liberty and the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond. “It’s a part of the growth that the university has been able to accommodate more types of students.”

Savas said the university embraces its biblical worldview and purpose.

“It’s not just being another university,” she said.

Savas, who helps train surgeons at the Medical College of Virginia, is pleased to see Liberty expanding degree programs.

“It continues to build lots of diverse programs to train students to be experts in whatever fields they are pursuing,” Savas said.

A new approach In the college’s early days, Dr. Falwell traveled the country promoting the university through speaking engagements and television programs.

“It was a different era,” Falwell Jr. said. “Dad focused on television.”

Falwell Jr. relies on modern methods, using the Internet to reach students and focusing on campus improvements.

“I thought we had reached a point where we should stop spending so much on television and other ways of promoting the school and instead create something here that would spread by word of mouth,” Falwell Jr. said. “It‘s a different world.”

Falwell Jr., a lawyer, runs the university “like a business,” remaining true to the mission.

“We have better tools, but the same mission,” he said. “I want to still have the Christian mission and worldview and stay true to that.”

Laying spiritual foundations Jonathan Falwell credits his time at Liberty for strengthening his spiritual foundations.

“There is such a strong influence at Liberty to not only pursue the academic, but to

pursue a deeper relationship and walk with Christ,” Jonathan Falwell said.

Liberty helped shape Jonathan Falwell’s ministry at Thomas Road.

“That influence was born out of the heart of my dad who deeply desired Liberty to be a place where young people would be prepared for whatever God called them to do, but also to be prepared with a passion for Christ and His church,” Jonathan Falwell said.

Thomas Road and Liberty were closely linked in the early years. Jonathan Falwell said multiple college classes often shared the church’s auditorium at the same time, forcing professors to speak softly.

“Liberty began literally in the Sunday school classrooms of TRBC,” Jonathan Falwell said. “I remember in those early days seeing LU (then LBC) students attending classes in stairwells and various parts of the church auditorium.”

‘It’s just been unbelievable’ Dr. Falwell wanted to give college students a Christian education, his wife said.

She recalls him giving the shoes off his feet and coat off his back to strangers.

“He loved everybody and he wanted to do something for everybody,” Macel Falwell said.

‘The sky is the limit’ Jerry Falwell Jr. spent years working with his father to put Liberty on firm financial footing.

After struggling through the 90s, the university took care of long-term debt and invested in online programs and campus improvements, boosting growth.

“I never thought it would happen so quickly,” the chancellor said. “I was amazed as anyone at the magnitude of God’s blessings on this university. It’s like night and day, moving from trying to survive to now suddenly having the resources to build almost anything that we can dream.”

Jerry Falwell Jr. said the school benefits from early leaders committed to the mission.

“Most of the people here helping me run Liberty were here in the early days so there is still that founding spirit, that pioneer attitude and sense of mission,” Falwell said. “That gives us a real leg up when we are competing with schools that are hundreds of years old.”

Falwell Jr. said the university is large enough to stay viable without relying on one individual.

“It will be less about one personality in the future,” Falwell Jr. said.

The chancellor embraces the school’s rich history of “40 years of training champions for Christ,” with an eye on the future.

“We are moving right towards what the original vision was for Liberty,” Falwell Jr. said. “I just want to see it stay unique and see it become the Notre Dame for evangelical Christians. I think the sky is the limit for Liberty. We are so unique.” u PARKER is a news writer.

photography archives

photography archives

PRAYER POWER — Students, faculty and Dr. Jerry Falwell Sr. braved wintry weather to pray for the college’s growth in 1977.

TEAMWORK — Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr. spent years working behind the scenes with his father, Dr. Jerry Falwell Sr. Here, they discuss building the Campus East tunnel.

A4/Liberty Champion

March 2, 2011

photography archives

PAST AND PRESENT — (ABOVE) An aerial shot of Liberty University’s campus, which was mostly undeveloped in the 1970s.

(LEFT) Liberty’s campus has grown immensely in the past 40 years. The school has built dozens of buildings, including the newly renovated Williams football stadium that seats nearly 20,000.

40th celebration commences les schofer

JONATHAN PARKER

online operations, and possibly the School of Worship.

“That’s going to be a big project,” Falwell said.

A new athletics practice facility will be built behind the Vines Center, along with a physical education building adjacent to the LaHaye Center.

The university will complete renovations on the third and fourth floors of DeMoss, providing additional classroom space.

The Campus East athletic fields will also receive upgrades.

jparker17@liberty.edu

L

iberty University kicked off its 40th anniversary, ushering in a new era of growth this week.

Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr. said Liberty is marking the occasion by celebrating the university’s history and preparing for the future.

“It really is a new era and it just so happens to be our 40th anniversary,” Falwell said. “We’ve come about as far in the last four years as we thought we would in the next forty years.”

Liberty put up 40th anniversary banners around campus and launched a promotional campaign to highlight the university’s distinct characteristics this week.

The celebration will culminate at this fall’s Homecoming and other special events.

“It just dawned on me one day that we are entering into a new era because it is totally different circumstances than we’ve ever seen before,” Falwell said.

The university benefits from access to significant financial strength and increased student growth.

“Our mission of training Champions for Christ remains the same,” the chancellor said.

“But we now have the resources to really achieve our goals in all of these areas and really create what Liberty was intended to be in the beginning — a world class university,” Falwell said. “It’s going to allow us to fulfill our mission in unprecedented ways that we would have never dreamed of doing before,” he said.

During the next 18 months, Liberty will undergo a variety of changes and improvements, Falwell said.

Spiritual life The university and Thomas

photos provided

GROWING UP — (Above) Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr. recently announced plans to create a new commons area behind DeMoss Hall and build a stateof-the-art, freestanding library.

(RIGHT) Jonathan Falwell with his father, Dr. Jerry Falwell, at his 1988 graduation from Liberty. (FAR RIGHT) Dr. Jeannie Falwell Savas pictured with her father Dr. Jerry Falwell.

Road Baptist Church will work together beginning this fall to create a new contemporary service for college-aged young people at the church, Falwell said.

Johnnie Moore will serve as a teaching pastor for Thomas Road, leading the service, which will be open to Liberty and other college students across the region.

“I grew up hearing sermon after sermon about how only a local church can be a local church,” Falwell said.

Falwell said it is important for Liberty students to connect and engage with a local church.

Spiritual life programs will be placed in a Student Resource Center, likely the old David’s Place, Falwell said.

“It will be the hub for spiritual life on campus,” the chancellor said.

Building projects The university will begin work on a visitor’s center this spring.

The center, located on the former Hancock building site, will welcome students and families.

The visitor’s center will include representatives from financial aid, student accounts, alumni affairs, and the registrar office.

The center will give visitors a trip down memory lane, housing a Liberty Museum with a room dedicated to each of the university’s four decades and the Jerry Falwell Museum.

A commons area will be built behind DeMoss Hall with a stateof-the-art library, Falwell said.

“I wanted to do something for academics similar to what we did for athletics with Williams Stadium,” Falwell said.

The university also plans to build a 100,000 square foot building across the highway from Candler’s Station for a math emporium,

Increased growth Falwell expects the university to boost its residential enrollment in the coming years.

“If financially everything continues to perform as it has the last few years, we are going to go ahead and increase the size of the residence program by several thousand students,” Falwell said. “That’s a huge investment, but I don’t think it’s that far away.”

Falwell said the university is better equipped to grow and further its mission.

“We are really poised to accomplish our mission in ways we never thought was possible so early in our history,” Falwell said.

University leaders continue to look for ways to strengthen academic programs, spiritual life offerings, athletics, and campus facilities, Falwell said. ”Now that we have all these resources, we have to make sure we wisely invest them for Liberty’s future,” the chancellor said.

The university launched www. liberty.edu/40years to promote the anniversary and upcoming events. uPARKER is a news writer.

photography archives

photo provided

FIELD OF DREAMS — Dr. Jerry Falwell announced to his family plans to build Lynchburg Baptist College in 1971.

WELCOME HOME — A new visitor’s center will be the centerpiece of a busy year of construction in the university’s 40th year. The center will include a Liberty Museum.

March 2, 2011

Liberty Champion/A5

Opinion

March 2, 2011

Has Social Networking Goo Goo for Gaga Become an Epidemic?

ANDREW GULA jagula@liberty.edu

In the past decade, social networking websites have exploded onto the scene. First Myspace, then Facebook, and now Twitter, each one increasingly important to how we interact with one another.

The sad reality is that online interactions are becoming even more common than faceto- face conversations. The important thing to ask yourself is whether these changes are for the better.

The answer: Absolutely not.

The repercussions of an electronicallycentered social life are obvious. Finding new friends has become easy, and without ever having to meet them. Discussion forums can turn individuals into nameless “users,” each one as anonymous and empowered as the next.

In short, friends you will never meet and arguments you have no place being in are just a few mouse clicks away.

“

In short, friends you will never meet and arguments you have no place being in are just a few mouse clicks away.

— Gula

”

“Texting, Facebook, Twitter, etc. have provided a way to stay connected in a more efficient manner, but at what cost? While we are exercising our social media muscles, our face to face social interaction muscles just might be losing strength. It is about balance…we need to exercise both muscles,” Dr. Daniel Logan said. Logan is psychology professor at Liberty University.

The main “evil” of these social sites is not the time you spend on them. The anonymity is the true danger. The internet tends to turn a unique and independent individual into just another user.

Even worse than becoming just another default picture on a forum is a person’s ability to take on the identity of someone they are not.

An extreme example of this is the case of Megan Meier, the 13-year-old Missouri girl who committed suicide after being dumped and harassed by a boy she met on Myspace.

Her parents later discovered that her “boyfriend” was, in fact, a local mom who wanted to know what Meier thought of her daughter.

“Cyber-bullying” has become all too common in the last few years. Ask the parents of Holly Grogan, or Kameron Jacobsen, or Tom

google

AMY ROYALL

Mullaney — three teenagers, all of whose suicides were linked to bullying via Facebook — and they will tell you that even Facebook keeps skeletons in its closet. “(People) are not protected from cyberbullying, even when they are in their own bedrooms. It is 24/7, (people) saying things to one another online that are really hurtful, and that they would never say to one another face to face,” Susan Schenberg said. Schenberg is a member of the Missouri State Committee for Legislative Issues in a ChicagoTribune.com article.

Even worse are the innumerable anonymous bloggers and forum posters who are given every right to say whatever they want without consequence. On those sites, the worst that can happen to them is that a comment can be removed — a virtual slap on the wrist.

“Consequences for our actions are what cause us to pause and think about our actions in the first place. Would the anonymous commenter with negative things to say be willing to say them to the targeted person face to face?

Hmm…consequences. The fact that the commenter was anonymous in the first place would suggest that he/she had thought about the consequences,” Logan said.

There are researchers in areas besides psychology who have seen the growing trend of interactions via the internet, and are growing concerned. Researcher Nicholas Carr, who was inspired to use the topic of social networking in his book, “The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains.”

“Researchers say that we need to be quiet and attentive if we want to tap into our deeper emotions, Carr said in a NYTimes.com article. If we are constantly interrupted and distracted, we kind of short-circuit our empathy.

If you dampen empathy and you encourage the immediate expression of whatever is in your mind, you get a lot of nastiness that would not have occurred before.”

So is it really that shocking to hear that perhaps we have begun to put a little too much into our online social interactions? Is it any surprise that the value of a human is so skewed when each of us has begun to slowly devalue our own individuality?

The answer, I hope, is obvious. u GULA is an opinion writer.

You know that scene in E.T. when the disproportionate alien waddles breathlessly to the window in a bright blonde wig and points with his bony, bejeweled finger to the window cooing, “E.T. phone home.”

“E.T. phone home.”

Well, I know exactly how the little alien feels. In a sense, I’ve been working towards home my entire life.

I’ve never truly felt at home or settled in one place. I could be labeled a “rolling stone,” but I haven’t done a lot of rolling — I just know that I’ve always had the desire.

aroyall@liberty.edu

Be careful collegiate ears what you hear.

Lady Gaga’s popularity is increasing across Liberty’s campus and some are wondering, “Are Liberty college women finding their guidelines for a good role model in the Bible or in tabloids?”

With that being said, for whom are the women that young women turn up the volume for?

Too often Christian college women look to fad celebrities to as role models, when instead they should be looking to godly women who display the character traits found in Proverbs 31.

COED Magazine assembled a list of the 50 most searched women on the Internet in 2010. Unfortunately, there are no women on this list that are devout Christians that commonly speak out about their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Instead, a woman known for her controversial songs and eccentric attitude was found to be the most searched woman on the Internet — Lady Gaga.

During an interview with Larry King on CNN news, he asked her about her religious views.

She gave the following response, “I am quite religious.”

Gaga says she believes in Jesus and God but there is no evidence to backup this claim.

Gaga may believe that Jesus was a man, but she must not believe that he was the Son of God or else her life would display the affects of such a life changing belief.

“Although Gaga has exceptional musical and artistic talent; I would not classify her as an acceptable role model due to her risqué lyrics, costumes, and performances,” Liberty Junior Ashley Shaw said it well.

Everyone knows that Gaga’s antics are not one’s to be tried at home.

“I’m telling you a lie in a vicious effort that you will repeat my lie over and over until it becomes true,” Lady Gaga said.

In contrast, the Bible gives a much different view on the quality of speech of a role model. The majority of an individual’s character is discerned by his words. Why listen to a lie?

Unlike Gaga, Beth Moore has implemented the proverbs into every aspect

Up until this point in my life, I have done everything possible to speed things up and change my surroundings.

I grew up in Charlotte, N.C. but I honestly feel little loyalty to the city. As a senior in high school, I completed my entire first year of college because I was so restless. Now, I will graduate Liberty a year earlier than I should but I couldn’t be happier. I began feeling the itch to move on as a freshman and another year in the same place could prove to be a challenge for me.

The feeling has always troubled me. If I dwell too long on what it could mean for my future, I usually end up as breathless as E.T. Will I ever be able to settle down with someone? Will I be happy taking a job and sitting behind a desk every day? Why do I feel this way in the first place?

I’ve always felt wrong for feeling this way. My family has always supported me in every life-changing decision that I’ve announced at the dinner table, but I don’t think they’ve ever understood why I would want to pick up my life and relocate to the unknown.

I was talking to a friend on Facebook chat last week, and he told me that as Christians, we are technically homeless until we reach our eternal home with the Lord. I had been paying minor attention to the conversation until he said this, but in just those few simple sentences, my self-doubt and years of feeling crazy were rectified.

of her life. The best selling author, Beth Moore, has impacted millions of women internationally through her biblically based organization, Living Proof Ministries since 1994.

“We’re going to have to let truth scream louder to our souls than the lies that have infected us,” Beth Moore said in her book “So Long, Insecurity: You’ve Been a Bad Friend to Us.” Moore has consistently followed the Lord for the past 35 years through her obedience in evangelizing and discipling God’s daughters.

On the official site of Living Proof Ministries, Moore’s biography is provided with a powerful testimony stating when and why she has decided to unconditionally and irrevocably follow Jesus Christ.

Following her profession of faith, Moore became living proof of the grace and purpose God promises in the Bible.

Moore uses all mediums to teach God’s word. Moore hosts a television show on LIFE Today titled “Wednesday’s with Beth.”

Similarly, Moore teaches on a radio show, “Living Proof with Beth Moore.” Finally, she leads in conferences which have been attended by 421,000 women according to Life Spring Community Church.

“Beth Moore is considered as a woman of the four P’s — purpose, preparation, prayer, and passion,” according to The Online Vine.

So why are many of the same women who participate in Beth Moore’s Bible studies curling up with popcorn to watch the latest Lady Gaga video debut?

Moore has proven to be hard working, charitable and concerned for the needs of others, which match up with the Proverbs 31 standard, while Gaga has openly admitted to perpetuating a lie to her fans. As Christians, is it wise to lend an ear to the secular entertainment industry?

Be careful collegiate ears what you hear, the principles of the Sunday school song still hold true in adult life.

u ROYALL is an opinion writer.

I am an alien.

In John 17:16, Jesus says of his disciples, “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.”

I could travel to every country and make my home anywhere, but I will never feel settled because, in a sense, I am only visiting. Sure, my eagerness to pick up and leave can probably be partly attributed to middle child personality characteristics, but it’s also who God made me to be.

As a Christian, I won’t ever feel like I am truly home until I depart this world. E.T. slowly gets sick while on earth and must return home, just like I will too. It’s OK though — aliens usually don’t survive very long on other planets and sooner or later they have to go back to where they came from.

I am an alien.

March 2, 2011

OPINION

Liberty Champion/A7

Presidential campaign funds finance strike Chaos ensues in Wisconsin’s capital KATIE BELL kebell2@liberty.edu

MASON MOYER msmoyer@liberty.edu

When an individual has insufficient funds in his bank account to make a purchase, their card is either denied or is charged an overdraft fee. When states run out of money, certain items in their budget must be cut or reduced. The search for the proverbial money tree has rendered fruitless, and therefore these are the fiscal realities of life.

Facing a tremendous fiscal deficit, republican lawmakers in WisP P G consin decided to trim fat off their PROTESTS — Wisconsin high school students join throngs of protestors. budget deficit off $3.04 billion.

Protesters say the bill being passed will take away the Teachers Union’s collective bargaining rights. teachers who are not as efficient or They were eventually found stay- at rapidly increasing numbers. On Collective bargaining occurs when teach poorly will be paid less then ing in the same hotel in an attempt Wednesday Feb. 17, an estimated a group of people, in this case teach- they are now they will not benefit to hide from the media. Once they 30,000 teachers were in Madison ers unions, are represented by elect- from the group effort to monopo- came back to the senate room, the protesting. ed leaders control working condi- lize their contracts. senators remained in session till Unions originated as a result of tions and increase wages. Since The 14 democratic senators in midnight when Senator Kaufert ac- poor working conditions during collective bargaining with unions the Wisconsin Senate were highly cused the democrats of grandstand- the industrial revolution of Ameriends up costing the state more and outnumbered in the senate and ing for the protestors outside. ca. When assembly lines preceded more money every year, Gov. Scott cannot gain enough votes to stop “I’m sorry if democracy is a little the robotics of today, the majority Walker sought to end the program the bill for their union constituents. inconvenient, and you had to stay of the workforce was impoverished and save the state millions.

There is an old adage, which up two nights in a row,” democratic European immigrants. The workIf collective bargaining rights are states, “If you can’t beat them and if Senator Mark Pocan said. “Is this in- ing conditions were at the very taken away from the teachers, they you can’t join them, RUN!” convenient? ... It’s inconvenient. But least hazardous, and loss of life or will have to individually re-new Which is exactly what the demo- we’re going to be heard,” according limb was common. Thus the birth their contracts. Salary increases crats did — they left the senate to FoxNews.com of labor unions. Those laborers will not be for everyone. Since the room one by one and disappeared.

Wisconsin’s schools are closing who went on strike were striking hoto

rovided by

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to get safe work environments with enough pay to feed their families.

Today’s unions, however, are much different than when they were originated. The unions of today do not reward added effort and good work like non-union companies. If one worker is lazy, he receives the same amount of pay that an industrious and efficient worker would receive.

As with any major strike and walkout there is always another side to the story.

The largely untold portion of the story is that The Democratic National Committee’s Organizing for America segment, the remnant of the 2008 Obama campaign, is playing an integral role in organizing protests against the Wisconsin Governor’s attempt remove most public employees bargaining rights on their contracts, according to Politico.com’s Ben Smith.

To date, OFA Wisconsin’s field efforts include filling buses and building turnout for the rallies this week in Madison, organizing 15rapid response phone banks urging supporters to call their state legislators, and working on planning and producing rallies, a Democratic Party official in Washington said according to Politico.com.

Unfortunately, it is “politics” as usual in Madison as well as Washington, D.C. The same president who has ardently spoke about the importance of reducing the national deficit is the same president whose leftover campaign fund is financing the protests aimed at further increasing Wisconsin’s deficit. u BELL is the opinion editor. u MOYER is an opinion writer.

Obama ignores deficit, focuses on gay marriage KATIE BELL kebell2@liberty.edu

As usual, the Obama administration is not on the same page as the rest of the world.

Last week, legislators that walked off the job in Wisconsin fled to Illinois. The unrest in Egypt, Libya and Yemen played out on the International stage. President Obama announced that the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which banned the federal government from recognizing gay marriage, was unconstitutional.

It is difficult to believe that with all that is going on at home and abroad President Obama chose last week to further advance legalizing gay marriage.

Obama’s progressive attitude towards gay marriage has permeated his presidency.

While Obama decided to ban federal courts from recongizing DOMA, the entire state of Wisconsin is being affected because Governor Scott Walker wisely decided to stop spending in efforts to reduce the state’s deficit and yet the Obama administration is behaving as this is a shameful act. This is coming from the same president who said: “We need to take responsibility for our deficit, and reform our government. That’s how our people will prosper. That’s how we’ll win the future. And tonight, I’d like to talk about how we get there,” President Obama said in the State of the Union adress according to ABCnews. com.

It is no secret that the Democratic National Committe’s Organizing for America branch, the remmant of Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign is responsible for funding the protests.

The act is clearly ruse. Obama gives the illusion of attempting to reduce the deficit, yet he turns his back on governors who actually take the necessary steps at reducing the deficit.

His leftover campaign funds are footing the bill.

“This is a political move designed to distract attention from debates on public-sector unions and the budget that are not going the president’s way. It’s also a departure from Obama’s fundamental strategy of downplaying social issues and foreign policy so as to build a broad-based coalition around issues of economic populism. That was the approach of Obama’s organizing mentors, and I argue in ‘Radical-in-Chief ’ that Obama has adopted it for himself,” Stanly Kurtz of the National Review said in an online article.

Obama’s decision to ban DOMA drew national media attention and high praise from liberal media outlets such as The New York Times.

“President Obama, in a striking legal and political shift, has determined that the Defense of Marriage Act — the 1996 law that bars federal recognition of same-sex marriages — is unconstitutional, and has directed the Justice Department to stop defending the law in court, the administration said

Demonstrations in Libya, Egypt and Wisconsin Die l l i I W artyr AM

ll I Wi Down Step

No Comment

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Wednesday,” Charlie Savage and Sheryl Gay Stolberg said in their New York times article, “In Shift, U.S. Says Marriage Act Blocks Gay Rights.”

The language in the New York Times article is most interesting, “President Obama, in a striking legal and political shift, has determined…”

The nature of the United States Constitution is such that there exists a separation of powers. The executive, legislative and judicial branches were constructed in such a way that no one branch would have more power than any other. President Obama can’t simply “determine” that a federal law is unconstitutional.

“The president has concluded that given a number of factors, including a documented history of discrimination, classifications based on sexual orientation should be subject to a more heightened standard of scrutiny,” Attorney General

Holder said. The key provisions in the law “fails to meet that standard and is therefore unconstitutional.”

It appears as though Obama is using media attention garnered from his ban on DOMA to divert attention away from the matter at hand — the deficit.

“So tonight, I am proposing that starting this year, we freeze annual domestic spending for the next five years. This would reduce the deficit by more than $400 billion over the next decade, and will bring discretionary spending to the lowest share of our economy since Dwight Eisenhower was president,” Obama said in his State of the Union adress.

The president’s actions this week have made it perfectly clear that the reducing the national deficit is little more than a joke to him. u BELL is the opinion editor.

NEWS

A8/Liberty Champion

March 2, 2011

Liberty’s virtual ‘Second Life’ BRITTANY LAIRD bhlaird@liberty.edu

Liberty’ University’s School of Education became interested in the virtual classroom concept after asking a simple question: “How can we figure out a way to get our student teachers more connected?” Dr. Randall Dunn and Dr. David Holder believe that they have found the answer in the social network known as Second Life.

Liberty’s School of Education has more than 100 student teachers in its program, Holder said. Many of Liberty’s student teachers reside all over the world, reaching as far as Australia.

The locally based student teachers are involved in a mentoring program that the school provides specifically for them. Unfortunately, the students who do not live in the general area have been unable to take advantage of the opportunity at least until now.

Second Life is a virtual 3-D world created

by Linden Lab. As of 2011 this social network has had approximately 20 million user accounts created, according to the Second Life website.

The School of Education has realized the potential that this network has in the world of academics. The student teachers can now interact with their professors and peers in this virtual setting, whereas before they were only able to do so through Blackboard and e-mails.

“We used Second Life to get that cognitive

Photo Provided

VIRTUAL REALITY — Liberty University has joined the 3-D network of “Second Life.”

presence, that social engagement,” Holder said.

One of the first steps of this process is the creation of an avatar to represent the student in Second Life. The avatar allows them to connect with their professors and fellow student teachers, verbally and visibly in a social context.

An avatar can be anything the person wants. The typical avatar is human in appearance and can be created to closely resemble the person it is representing.

“My avatar is a real life reflection,” Holder

Student receives Gates Scholarship MARY SEILKOP mlseilkop@liberty.edu

Krystal Heard is a junior education major at Liberty University, but more than that, she is one of 1,000 minority students nationwide chosen to receive the Gates Millennium Scholarship.

Each year, a select number of high school seniors are awarded the Gate Scholarship which covers 10 years of education according HEARD to their website. Two years ago, Heard went through the application process at her high school in Louisiana.

“The whole time I was on faith.

I said, ‘Okay God, if You want me to leave the state or go to Liberty, provide the way to go,” Heard said.

She started the application process in January of her senior year of high school along with more than 20,500 minority students. In conjunction with academic achievements, the students are picked based on community service and leadership potential according to the website. The students must be nominated, send in recommendation letters and write eight essays.

In April she found out she had been accepted.

“It means the world to me because I would not have been able to go here or anywhere outside of Louisiana,” Heard said. “You can imagine just how surprised I was with no other scholarships available. I said, ‘Thank You, Jesus!’”

Dr. Michelle Goodwin, assistant dean of the education department and licensure programs coordinator at Liberty, remarked that Heard is a very dedicated young woman.

“I’m very proud of her. She always goes above and beyond and always does more than what is required of her,” Goodwin said.

“My life verse is Luke 12:48, to whom much is given much is required,” Heard said. “I guess it’s why I am so ambitious. I was given a lot.”

For the past two summers, Heard worked with the Children’s Defense Fund Freedom Schools

as a Servant Leader Intern (SLI) for fourth graders in Baton Rouge, La. It is a six-week program for students K-12 during the summer or an after-school program in 29 different states according to their website.

“We have books that are the center of the lessons we do,” Heard said. “They learn things in ways they can relate to through a fourth grader.”

The typical student reads 20-30 books throughout the program. Heard listed a number of books that her class read through including “Letters to a Soldier,” “Grandpa has Changed” and cultural books.

The main character is the same age as the students so that they can experience situations through a perspective they understand.

Heard said that the SLI’s teach in story fashion and create activities to help explain concepts. For “Grandpa has Changed”, Heard organized her students in a circle and had them pretend they were neurons. When she pointed for one of them to leave the circle, the neuron “died” thus portraying Alzheimer’s disease.

“Freedom School encourages students to enjoy reading, learning, and being active participants in the community,” Heard said. “It was founded on the fact that education is the way out just like the Gates Scholarship was for me.”

Goodwin said Heard is considering teaching overseas and has been looking into a position in Haiti for after graduation. As far as Goodwin knows, Heard is the only Gates Scholar in the education department and she said she is honored that Heard chose to come to Liberty.

“She has an open mind to wherever the Lord leads her whether it is an urban school or international schools,” Goodwin said. “She has energy, enthusiasm, ethics, Christian values and is a hard worker.” u SEILKOP is a news writer.

said. “Some are fantasy (darth vader, purple teletubbies etc.). While mine is a reflection, it is still a romantic fiction of myself.”

Student’s avatars have to be granted access to the university’s portion of land before they can interact with the professors and other students. This prevents any potential distractions or dangers from being present in the academic setting.

Like many other universities, Liberty rents a section of an island owned by the New Media Consortium. The professors have constructed rooms in which the avatars can con-

gregate and interact with one another, giving the students a sense of community. Many of the ideas for the rooms came from students themselves.

One of these rooms is simply known as “The Woods.” This is not your typical classroom setting. The scene displays trees, rocks and foliage; there are even some small butterflies to complete the effect.

Other rooms include a winter cabin, a planetarium and a lobby. Each is well-designed and fascinating to explore. A presentation board is present in every room, allowing professors to use slide shows, PowerPoint and other visual tools.

“We’ve had lots of positive feedback,” Dunn said.

“We’re getting more dialogue out of these guys than in the live classroom,” Holder said.

Liberty is one of few institutions doing research on this new classroom with actual students. They are very pleased with the progress they have made so far, according to Dunn and Holder.

Dunn and Holder encourage students who are interested in learning more about this virtual classroom to contact them. Students are welcome to either visit them in Second Life or to e-mail them with any questions they might have.

Dr. Dunn’s e-mail address is rdunn@liberty.edu Dr. Holder’s email address is deholder@ liberty.edu u LAIRD is a news writer.

health exhibit

Ashley Elia

DESIGNED — Students were reminded of the dangers of poor body image during the three-day exhibit held in the Student Care office.

Learning to recognize worth Seminar focuses on self-perceptions CRYSTAL A. HEAVNER cheavner@liberty.edu

Jesus says I am saved, cherished, free, precious, loved the way I am, accepted, a man of God, made in His image, a new creation.

Sticky notes scrawled by student visitors with these descriptions decorated the last wall of the Student Care Office’s “Expressions from the Inside Out” exhibit.

The exhibit focused on mediainfluenced self-perceptions in today’s society and sought to counter them with biblical truth. The event was held in the Student Care Office on Wednesday, Feb. 23 and held through Friday, Feb. 25.

“The whole goal of the event is to promote awareness,” senior care officer Cara George said, “To let students, faculty and staff walk through and become aware of these issues and how (some of them) can even develop eating disorders and how to work through them.”

The exhibit was a walk-through event that worked through the skewed self-perceptions engrained into individual minds by society, starting in childhood and stretch-

ing through maturity, that eventually culminate in negative thoughts and self-loathing.

The last stage of the event displayed God’s view of people and His desire for their view of themselves. It also offered tips for physical, mental and spiritual health and featured useful book titles such as “Lies Women Believe and the Truth That Sets Them Free,” “The Masculine Mandate,” “He’s Looking for a Bride and Get Out of That Pit.” “I hope that the attendees will be able to take a personal look at their own lives, and I hope everybody takes a look at what God’s Word says and is able to say, ‘Am I believing any of these lies of the enemy?’”

George said.

The last table of the exhibit featured piles of helpful information for those dealing with issues like eating disorders, severe disordered eating patterns, body image, self injury and suicide so they know where to get professional assistance.

“I hope that it will provide good personal reflection, but also, if there’s anyone who struggles with a more serious issue I hope that

they would be challenged to get help,” George said.

Freshman Liberty student Amanda Baird enjoyed the exhibit and found it instructive.

“I think everybody should stop by and see it. It’s really nice and creative,” Baird said.

Student care and conduct worker Mark Misiano helped to work and set up the event. He said that it was important that Liberty openly address this issue that so often goes unmentioned because it affects everyone. He felt the event was “really sobering for people.”

“People are realizing, ‘I don’t have to feel this way,’ which is really exciting,” Misiano said.

The event drew a considerable response from students. According to Misiano, during one 30 minute interval he was stationed at the door, more than 50 people attended.

“Classes, dorms and prayer groups are coming (to the exhibit) together,” Misiano said.

For more information on similar events or how to get assistance with identity problems addressed at the event, contact studentcare@ liberty.edu. u HEAVNER is a news writer.

March 2, 2011

community outreach

Flames No. 2 seed in tourney NATE BROWN nbrown4@liberty.edu

The Flames men’s basketball team returns home to the Vines Center for the first round of the Big South Championship tournament after dropping their fourth-straight game in two weeks.

The four-game slump marks the Flame’s bleakest stretch of the season.

Les Schofer

FOLLOW ME — Liberty University uses hockey as a medium to minister to athletes during the summer. Above, Liberty DI assistant hockey coach Jeff Boettger demonstrates good backpedal technique.

A new kind of school Hockey, ministry unite at Liberty University Hockey School KATHERINE LACAZE kelacaze@liberty.edu

T

he month of July has plenty of sounds — like the sound of the ocean and the sound of laughter. But this July, the sound of skates cutting ice and hockey sticks slapping pucks will be heard at the Liberty University Christian Hockey School (LU-CHS), where hockey and the love of Christ come together.

The Christian-based camp will take place from July 24 to July 28 according to camp director Jeff Boettger, who is also the associate director at the LaHaye Ice Center and Liberty’s D1 assistant men’s hockey coach. Boettger said that last year there were more than 100 campers who came to the camp, ranging from ages 7 to 18.

LU-CHS is both a day camp and a residential camp. Females can participate as day campers, but according to Boettger, it is targeted more towards boys. The residential campers stay in the dorms on Liberty’s campus and their activities take place mostly at the LaHaye Ice Center.

The campers are split into three dif-

Les Schofer

TIP DRILL — Students at the Liberty University Christian Hockey School receive focused training directly from Liberty coaches and personnel.

ferent groups, depending primarily on age, and they spend a majority of their day practicing on the ice, developing skills and conditioning off of the ice, participating in activities and going to an afternoon chapel service.

The camp is staffed with counselors on a 10-to-1 ratio, approximately, as well as on-ice instructors, the chaplains, a visiting nurse and an instructor for the off-ice conditioning, Boettger said.

Boettger said that although hockey

is often looked at as a rough sport that is filled with a variety of tough characters, the LU-CHS can give it a positive light by having a Christ-centered focus.

“We want to build relationships, get these kids exposed and see the Christian kids grow,” Boettger said.

See HOCKEY on B2

Far from home The Flames wrapped up their regular season play in Clinton, S.C., falling to Presbyterian 66-73.

Dale Layer’s team finished the season with a 6-9 overall road record. Four of those losses were to conference opponents. In the Vines Center however, the Flames posted a 12-3 regular season record.

During the current losing streak, the Flames dropped games in Lexington, Va., to VMI, Rock Hill, S.C., to Winthrop and finally in Clinton to Presbyterian. Liberty’s loss to Iona Feb. 19 was the only home loss in the month of February.

In Liberty’s home games this season, the team posted a game differential of +8.26 points per game. On the road however, the Flames average a differential of -3.3 points per game.

Playoff Picture At press time, the Flames enter the Big South tournament listed as the No. 2 seed with a 13-5 conference record and will spar off with No. 7 High Point Tuesday, March 1.

Scandal-ridden Coastal Carolina enjoys the No. 1 seed with a 16-2 conference record and will take on No. 8 Gardner-Webb at Coastal.

UNC Asheville, VMI, Winthrop and Charleston Southern fill out seeds three through six respectively.

In the semifinal round Thursday, March 3 at Kimbel Arena, Conway, S.C., the winner of Liberty vs. High Point will play the winner of UNC Asheville’s Tuesday game against Charleston Southern.

In the adjacent bracket, the winner of the Coastal vs. Gardner-Webb game will play the winner of Tuesday’s VMI vs. Winthrop matchup.

The final leg of the tournament to decide the Big South Champion will be played Saturday, March 5 at the highest remaining seed, between the two winners of the semifinal round.

The semifinal round will be aired on ESPNU and the championship will be aired on ESPN2.

Check libertyflames.com for updates. u BROWN is the asst. sports editor.

Young gymnastics team earning wins KELLY MARVEL krmarvel@liberty.edu

Bars. Vault. Beam. Floor. These terms are common words used every day, but when used together, few people understand their meanings. These four words in tandem describe gymnastics events that athletes all over the country work every day on mastering.

Liberty University’s gymnastics team works at perfecting these events to compete in the National Association of Intercollegiate Gymnastics Clubs (NAIGC). The team was started last year, spurred by the encouragement of captain junior Rachel Steele.

“When I got to Liberty, there was no team,” Steele said. “I came (to

the Lynchburg Academy) my freshman year and talked with Lori, the owner, and we discussed having a Liberty team … she talked to people at Liberty and we got the club started.”

An assistant coach at the Lynchburg Academy, Mariah Dailey, took the team on as her own. Dailey, who has been competing in gymnastics since she was two years old, has a passion for coaching and hopes to take the team to the next level.

“I started training in gymnastics when I was two, and I’ve been in the sport ever since,” Dailey said. “I’ve loved the sport ever since I was a child.”

The team competes in meets against other college gymnastics clubs during the spring semester.

Photo Provided

BALANCED — Rachel Steele, Steven Lucia and other members of Liberty’s gymnastics team won podium placements at JMU.

The team had a particularly successful meet Feb. 19 at James Madison University, competing against colleges like Virginia Tech, the University of Virginia and Tennessee.

Steele placed second in all-

around competition, meaning she had the second best total score of all the women competitors. She placed first in the beam and floor competitions and third on the uneven bars.

Junior Jill Wippermann, who had not competed for five years before coming to Liberty, also had a solid outing for the Lady Flames, placing fourth all-around and second in the vault and floor competitions. “(My standout moment has been) conquering little fears of stuff that I haven’t done in a long time,” Wippermann said.

Junior Steve Lucia, captain of the men’s team, had a standout performance with a first place finish in floor, second in vault and third on the high bar. “(My favorite thing) has been just to compete for the school,” Lucia said.

See GYMNASTICS on B3

SPORTS

B2/Liberty Champion

March 2, 2011

bythenumbers CLUB SPORTS

Men’s Hockey DII at Regionals, Philadelphia, Penn. ◆ Won vs. Kentucky 6-4 ◆ Loss vs. Temple 2-1 DIII-at Blue Ridge Hockey Tournament ◆ Friday-Win 7-2 ◆ Saturday-Loss 3-2 Ultimate Frisbee Liberty X-Finished 2nd place of 10 in weekend tournament Liberty Y-Finished 9th place of 10 Men’s Volleyball Won tournament with 4-0 record Played UNC-Wilmington, Duke and Elon Crew-Individual event Open women’s category-1st place Brooke Morely Varsity women’s lightweight-2nd place Amy McGowan Novice men’s lightweight-Tied 1st place Jordan Marshall Gymnastics David Tighe-1st place floor, pommel horse, high bar and all-around Steve Lucia-2nd place high bar, 3rd place floor and all-around Rachel Steele-1st place floor, 2nd place all-around, 4th place bars, 6th place beam, 7th place vault Jill Wippermann-4th place all-around, 5th place vault, beam and floor Tiphani Comena- 9th place vault and all- around

Les Schoffer

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT — Young hockey players run drills with instruction from Liberty hockey coaches at the Liberty University Christian Hockey School.

HOCKEY continued from B1 “(We want them to) know they can be athletes in a competitive, perceptively violent sport, but maintain integrity with their faith.”

According to Boettger, there are two different chapel services, one for kids ages 12 and younger and one for teenagers. David Semenyna, an assistant coach for Liberty’s D2 hockey team who will be counseling for his third year, said it is the most prevalent way that the campers experience the spiritual aspect of the camp. However, Boettger also said that the counselors reach out to the kids on more of an individual basis through their counselor groups and even just

when they are hanging out and doing different activities.

“That might be a time where the kids are asking questions,” Boettger said. “So (the counselors) can speak into their lives or share their own story at some point. We encourage them to take that opportunity.”

The counselors do work to build relationships with the campers. They love getting to see the different personalities of the campers, according to Mike Binnie, goalie coach for Liberty’s D1 hockey team. He said a lot of the kids will come back multiple summers, which allows the staff to get to know the campers and have the opportunity to keep in contact with some of them over their hockey seasons. Semenyna

said he has even begun giving private lessons to some of the campers.

“When the kids get there … you always get excited to start the week off,” Binnie said.

“You can kind of see how the kids progress throughout the five days that they’re on the ice. They’re on the ice a lot and they do improve a lot, and that’s a rewarding thing.”

Boettger also said that it was a very rewarding experience.

Although he said it can be stressful for him at times, he has fun getting to go on the ice and coach the campers.

“When you’re the organizer you don’t always see the growth as far as the spiritual side of things because you’re not with the campers as much,”

Boettger said. “ It’s giving them an opportunity to seek it out a little bit more and in a context they enjoy. When they see other people, even guys that they look up to like Liberty hockey players, being part of that and sharing their stories.”

Registration for LU-CHS is currently open and the Early Bird deadline is April 15. LUCHS is also looking for 12-15 male student athletes to serve as counselors from any sport who have a heart for kids and for ministry. More information on the camp can be found on the Liberty University hockey team’s website or at LaHayeIceCenter.com. u LACAZE is a sports writer.

SPORTS

March 2, 2011

Liberty Champion/B3

Regatta rowers Crew comes to Liberty after 38 years GABRIEL FOWLER gfowler2@liberty.edu

Photo Provided

SHOW ON THE ROAD — LU Radiance traveled to Lake Placid, N.Y. in February for the Eastern Finals competition. As the only team in Virginia, LU Radiance has to take its show on the road.

LU Radiance shines Synchronized skating team represents the art in competitions JESSICA GRIGG jgrigg@liberty.edu

The chill of the rink. The tingle of adrenaline. The audible slice of blades cutting the ice. The red fingers and numb noses. The bloody knees. The unforgiving audience.

The glory.

This is not hockey. It’s synchronized skating at Liberty University.

Meet LU Radiance.

Headed by captain Sarah LaRoche, and coached by Tatiana Gomez, LU Radiance is currently the only college team in Virginia.

There are eight skaters in LU Radiance, the minimum number required for competition.

“It is definitely a team sport,” member Lindsey Wethington said.

“If a person skates how they want

to, it throws off the count and will mess everyone else up, causing the routine to look bad.”

The team has to practice multiple times a week to perfect their synchronization and to get a routine down.

“We currently practice two to three times a week,” Wethington said.

Practices are from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m.

“Team members must be motivated and passionate about the team and the sport so that they will be committed to coming to practice on time,” Gomez said. “Dedication is definitely my number one requirement of my skaters.”

LU Radiance competes in the Open Collegiate section of the United States Figure Skating Association synchronized skating division. The team goes head to head against teams all over the country, including Boston College, Northeastern University and the University of Delaware. LU Radiance hosted an Eastern Regional com-

GYMNASTICS continued from B1 Meets like this are preparing the team for the NAIGC national competition April 6-9, said Dailey. The team has high hopes for nationals, coming off of the performance at last year’s competition.

“Last year at nationals, we took six people and we had two days of competition,” Steele said. “It was just really awesome to compete.

We competed with almost 1,000 other people.”

The national competition, held in Richmond, will host more than 1,000 athletes from many different schools. The level of competition is elevated from regular season meets.

“I think we have a lot of talent and I think we are looking really awesome this year,” Steele

petition and traveled to Lake Placid for the Eastern Finals competition in February.

Gomez said skaters simply have to make themselves aware of what everyone is doing, and then be able to do the exact same movements.

It’s all about teamwork, not skating as a singles skater.

“A skaters ultimate goal is to consistently improve, to reach certain levels, pass certain tests and strive for the overall goal of being a better and stronger team as a whole because of everyone’s individual hard work and practice,” Gomez said.

Wethington has been skating for seven years and doing synchronized skating for five years. Many of her team members have also been skating for multiple years she says.

“I would recommend this sport to anyone,” Wethington said. “You make a lot of friends, and it’s a lot less scary than skating by yourself.” u GRIGG is a sports writer.

said. “I think we made a good impression last year at Nationals. People didn’t know that Liberty had a team.”

Liberty’s team has high hopes from all of its members for Nationals this year. Dailey even set a goal for her team.

“I set a goal for them to bring back three top 10 finishes at Nationals,” Dailey said.

Before nationals begins, the team still has to complete its regular season. This last weekend, the team traveled to North Carolina State University. For results, check out the club sports score update on B2. They travel again to UNC on March 26 for the last regular meet of the season. u MARVEL is the sports editor.

As the slim, yet sturdy man powered boat approaches the finish line first, gasps of air, and cheers seem silent as team members hoist the coxswain — boat navigator — through the air and into the water in celebration of victory.

It took Liberty University 38 years to put together a men’s and women’s crew team. But the spring of 2009 brought high hopes and a determined coach and team.

“I had rowed in high school and felt like that was the only thing Liberty was lacking for me,” former captain Brittany Tedder said.

Feeling the same emptiness was current men’s varsity captain, Austin Coombs.

“I found out that Liberty had no men’s swim team,” Coombs said.

“I was mad at first … I thank God because that allowed me to get into the sport of crew.”

Although it is his first coaching position, head coach Mark Furler rowed for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and also held other leadership positions throughout his college career.

“My role was making sure the effort was focused and finding resources,” Coach Furler said. “This wasn’t something you could just post flyers on the walls around campus.”

Despite having little publicity and only a handful of students coming to the first meeting, by the end of their first season, the women’s team landed a spot at fourth, while the men’s team placed second in Head of the South competition in Georgia.

The teams have grown in numbers, and show promise of more eager competitors after each semester. The team has also grown in

facilities, with continued progress on Ivy Lake and a boathouse to store their equipment.

“Of the 50 people, two have rowed before coming to Liberty,” Furler said. “But the normal for most schools is about 5 percent.”

While they prepare for a race, the teams hold nothing back, including a time of prayer.

“We always do our best at regattas to represent Christ with our attitudes so other schools will see Him through us,” Tedder said.

The team is extremely unified, despite having members hail locally from Virginia and internationally.

“As soon as I started, it was like coming into a family,” women’s varsity member Amy McGowan said.

“We travel so much, and spend a lot of time together, you get very close very quickly.”

Liberty will host its first Regatta on March 26 hoping for more supporters.

“We usually have a couple parents come to away matches … with our first home match we are excited and hope college students come and support us,” men’s varsity boathouse captain Brent Ausink said.

In mid April, they plan to participate in the Southern Intercollegiate Rowing Association Regatta in Tennessee, and a select few will have the opportunity to travel to Philadelphia for the Dad Vails Regatta the weekend after finals.

“I hope that our shells can medal and show the rapid growth of our team against the other colleges,” Coombs said.

“This year we hope to continue to do well and gain respect and recognition for Liberty but ultimately for Christ,” Tedder said. u FOWLER is a sports writer.

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FEATURE

B4/Liberty Champion

March 2, 2011

Arielei Kinzer

MAKING WAVES — Students and community members raised money at the Hill City Polar Plunge for the Piedmont region Special Olympics.

MARY SEILKOP mlseilkop@liberty.edu

Students braved freezing temperatures to raise support for the Hill City Polar Plunge Festival, which was held at Camp Hydaway

on Saturday, Feb. 26.

The festival included a battle of the bands, an appearance by Humble Tip, a costume contest and food provided by Liberty Dining from 10 a.m. until the plunge at 2 p.m. This year surpassed the previous years

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to these individuals to be able to be a part of the Special Olympics.”

Patrick O’Hara, a sophomore biology major, also plunged for the first time. He said he felt “really stoked” and was excited to be a part of the cause.

“Last year I really wanted to do the plunge, but I found out too late to raise the funds,” O’Hara said. “As soon as I found out this year, I was totally set. I put up a notice on Facebook, asking people to donate just a dollar, and within an hour some anonymous donor had given me all the $100 I needed. I was shocked and amazed.”

The top individual fundraisers raised $893.47 followed by $351.92 in second place and third place raised $325.75. For teams, the Liberty psychology team came in third, the Liberty women’s volleyball team came in second and Liberty women’s soccer came in first with $1,168.60.

In the battle of the bands, the Paul Davidson Band won first place which included a three hour photo shoot and an appointment at a recording studio that was worth $1,500 to $2,000. Prizes provided

by Panera, AT&T and CiCi’s Pizza were handed out to the winners of the fundraising contest.

It’s something new to try for a good cause.

— Hannah Spear

in numbers of plungers as well as money raised, according to Josh Walker, director of Special Olympics in the Piedmont region.

More than $12,000 was raised compared to the $8,000 the year before.

“Today we’re going to run into a freezing cold body of water, and you might have gotten those looks from people — I know I did,” Walker told the crowd before the plunge. “Our athletes get those looks sometimes when they tell them they play basketball or are swimmers. We tell people all the time that the more people meet our athletes, the more lives get changed. This is what it is all about. It’s about our Special Olympics athletes.”

Hannah Spear, a junior in women’s ministry, said it was her first time plunging and was a little nervous to be running into the cold water.

“It’s something new to try for a good cause,” Spear said. “In my part time job, I work with mentally challenged people. I am back-up care for people who take care of them, and I know how much it means

u Seilkop is a news writer.

FEATURE

March 2, 2011

March 3-8

Coffeehouse Tryouts Student Activities will hold Coffeehouse tryouts in the Tilley Student Center. Tryouts will be held Monday, Feb. 28 through Thursday, March 3 and Monday and Tuesday, March 7 and 8, beginning at 5 p.m.

This year’s theme is Coffeehouse: At the Movies! Those planning to tryout should prepare something related to moments in movie history. Tickets are available at the student activities page or the Vines Center box office. For more information, contact student activities at 434-592-3061 or studentactivities info@liberty.edu.

March 3

Invisible Children: ‘Tony: Lose All. Gain Everything’ Liberty’s Invisible Children (IC) club is hosting the premiere of “Tony: Lose All.

Gain Everything.”The event, which will be held at 7 p.m. in the Virginia Conference Room at the Residential Annex, will feature three IC Roadies and a Ugandan advocate. Attendees are requested to dress in semi-formal attire. The event is free and open to the public and food and drinks will be provided. There is limited seating and the doors will open at 6:45 p.m. For more information visit invisiblechildren.com/congo or find the event on Facebook.

March 4

‘Enchanted April’ This month will feature the Theatre Arts Department’s third play of the semester, “Enchanted April.” The play follows the lives of two London housewives, along with two English women, who rent a villa in Italy in the hopes of briefly escaping from their bleak marriages. Tickets can be purchased at the Vines Center box

Liberty Champion/B5

office, online or by calling 434-582SEAT (7328). For more information, visit the Theatre Arts department’s website which can be found through the Splash page.

March 7

Spring Biblical Studies Symposium The School of Religion (SOR) will be hosting a Spring Biblical Studies Symposium in the Towns Alumni Lecture Hall. The event will feature various sessions where Dr. Robert Chisholm, department chair and professor of Old Testament at Dallas Theological Seminary, will be speaking.

For more information and for specific session times, contact SOR at schoolofreligion@liberty.edu.

March 8

The event will be directed by Kevin Chiarizzio and will be held in Performing Arts 101 beginning at 7:30 p.m. For more information, contact the Department of Music and Humanities at 434-582-2381 or musicandhumanitites@liberty.edu.

March 24

Sign-up for Married Students Dinner The Office of Commuter Affairs will hold a dinner for married commuter students from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Executive Dining Room.

The event is $5 per couple. There will be limited seating. Visit the Commuter Office, located on the second floor of the Schilling Annex, between 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to sign up for the event (bring your student ID). For more information e-mail the Commuter Office at commuter@liberty.edu.

Brass Chamber Ensemble

The ‘Designing Doctor’ visits Liberty JESSICA ROWELL jrowell@liberty.edu

With her shock of white hair and youthful vivaciousness, Margi Kyle can light up a room as quickly as she can design and redecorate one. The self-proclaimed “Designing Doctor” donned her signature accessory, a spray painted gold stethoscope, during her presentation to members of the Interior Design Society last Friday.

The national president of the Interior Design Society (IDS) is no stranger to

Liberty University, this was her second visit to the school, which holds the honor of being the first student chapter in the U.S. to join the national society.

“Being a member of the IDS, I met Margi at High Point during an IDS session. She and other officers encouraged us to join the society, and we have not been disappointed,” Ruth Gomes, the faculty advisor for IDS stated.

Her career background includes a degree in child psychology, a masters in interior design, running her own catering business, a

Liberty Dining Services

We would like to thank all of the students who participated in our Valentine’s Celebration.

You want it you got it!!

Based on survey results, a Managers Dessert Competition will be coming soon Tuesday March 29, 2011 at Reber Thomas Dining Hall

Hope to see you there!

For more info, contact us at: libertydining@liberty.edu 434-592-4751

stint as a television host on her own show, a design writer and much more.

“I’ve tackled all aspects of design, and I love all of it,” Margi Kyle said.

She is currently a member of several prestigious societies such as the Color Marketing Group, The Chamber of Commerce, American Society of Interior Designers. She also holds several executive positions, including the President of the Interior Design Society, WCAA Executive Board Member, Vice President of Window Coverings Program and Advisory Committee for the Art Institute of Charlotte.

“As the president of IDS Liberty Chapter, I have greatly benefitted from Margi taking the time to chat with the group and also one-onone,” Abby Smith said. “She helped us direct our focus on what we really want in life and as a career in interior design.”

Kyle instructed IDS members on various aspects of designing such as color forecast, trends, branding yourself, dealing with difficult clients and presentation.

Kyle also educated members on the importance of recognizing the relationship between fashion and interior design, building portfolios, writing company policies, and networking. She emphasized the importance of assertive business dealings with clients and buyers in the competitive world of design.

“You’re not there to make a friend,” Kyle said. “It’s a business.”

IDS members have inherited boundless knowledge from design veteran, who has

Soonwook Lee

become an encouraging mentor for those who meet her.

“Margi has always encouraged us to go big and to never give up on what you really love doing,” Smith noted.

Kyle continues to share her knowledge and experiences in order to further educate the future generation of designers. u Rowell is a feature writer.

FEATURE

B6/Liberty Champion

March 2, 2011

Eastbrook Grocery offers sweet treats Homemade, oldfashioned fudge sets store apart TYLER FLYNN tflynn@liberty.edu

Confectionery cooking is helping to reinvent an iconic establishment in the Lynchburg community.

Eastbrook Grocery, a longstanding convenience store located in Campbell County, has become the new home to Kimball’s Fudge, a family-run dessert company.

Larry and Joanne Kimball initially established Kimball’s Fudge as a way to “share (their) family’s rich recipes,” according to the company description on their website.

“My aunts were good cooks, and I was able to learn many of their methods,” Joanne Kimball said. “My mom was the one who taught me to make fudge.”

Beginning with just three flavors, Joanne Kimball first sold her homemade fudge at fairs in her native New Hampshire. The positive feedback and broadening word-of-mouth customer base eventually led to the formation of the company website in 2004.

In 2009, the couple relocated to Lynchburg, along with Joanne Kimball’s twin sister, to remain close to their niece, Sandra Rollins, a nursing major at Liberty University.

After the move, Larry and Joanne Kimball decided they wanted a physical location for Kimball’s Fudge, and purchased Eastbrook Grocery, intending to turn it into a candy store. However, based on the neighborhood’s nostalgic attachment to the building, the Kimballs decided to reopen

Arielei Kinzer

SMALL TOWN TREAT — Eastbrook Grocery, located in Campbell County, now features Kimball’s Fudge — homemade by the store.

Eastbrook Grocery as a convenience store Sept. 1, 2010.

Established in 1943 by local resident J.C. Dinkins as J.C. Dinkins Grocery, the building has gone through several changes, the most notable being the addition of a house in 1954 by its new owners, in which the Kimballs currently reside.

Joanne Kimball makes her desserts in a commercial kitchen inside a converted trailer behind Eastbrook Grocery, while her husband maintains the store.

With its faded brick exterior, original refrigeration units and antique-lined shelving, the Kimballs have preserved the store’s old-time feel.

ALL IN THE FAMILY— Joanne Kimball learned her family’s fudge recipe from her mother.

w

Since the establishment of Kimball’s Fudge in the store, Joanne Kimball’s local requests have increased, leading to a variety of other tasty treats including banana bread, sweet potato pie, and a greater selection of fudge flavors, such as white chocolate almond, raspberry cream and orange cream.

Despite the pressures of running two small businesses, Larry and Joanne Kimball remain involved in the Liberty community. Joanne Kimball recently took a ladies Bible class on the book of Jonah, and Larry Kimball meets Gene and Terry Falwell for breakfast each morning at the local Hardee’s.

The Kimball’s remain committed to their Christian values, faithfully attending the nearby Eastbrook Baptist Church. They also refrain from stocking alcohol, cigarettes and tobacco in the store.

“My favorite part of working here is running a Christian store — I get to meet people and witness to them,” Larry Kimball said.

The couple has expressed the desire that their daughter, Rosemary, who lives in Louisiana, will one day take over Kimball’s Fudge and Eastbrook Grocery. However, they are currently content in the fact that they are able to work together daily.

“I am proud to make a product nobody else can and am happy that the Lord keeps blessing me with avenues for continuing the business,” Joanne Kimball said.

Eastbrook Grocery is located at 3215 Eastbrook Road off of U.S. 501. For more information, visit kimballsfudge.com, e-mail jkimball@kimballsfudge.com or call 603-557-1578. u Flynn is a feature writer.

A ‘Bliss’ful event for brides SHELANNE JENNINGS snjennings@liberty.edu

Come

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Enjoy delicious food in an environment that is fun for the whole family.

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212 Liberty Mountain View Rd, Lynchburg VA, 24502 434-582-2888

Big band sound serenaded guests as they congregated at the Craddock Terry Gallery in the Riverviews Artspace for wedding ideas and excitement. Friends, mothers and brides-to-be filled the downtown venue for “Bliss: a Fine Wedding Fair, hosted by the Lynchburg’s bridal blog, Hill City Bride, Saturday Feb. 26.

“Bliss is a live version of the blog,” creator of Hill City Bride Jennifer Prince said as the guests took their seats and waited for the festivities to begin. “You will have plenty of time yet to mingle with vendors.”

Along with access to Lynchburg bridal businesses,

guests were given a chance to mingle, drink punch, eat cake samples and gain information from experts in the industry.

For Liberty University junior Lindsay MacInnis, who became engaged on Feb. 14, this event was a great way to survey her options.

The Artspace is located just up the street from another location dear to MacInnis and her fiancé.

“On the day we got engaged, we went to where we had dinner on our first date,” MacInnis said.

MacInnis said her and her fiancé love trains, so it was a place they enjoyed going together.

Unlike other bridal fairs, Prince designed Bliss to be a more personal, sophisticated affair than what she said is

usually expected at larger venues.

“I’m happy to provide brides with an event that’s affordable, but at the same time upscale and educational,” Prince said.

Much of the day, which ran from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., was spent in the large open gallery, where broad arched windows cascaded light on the flowers and candelabras, as well as the framed portraits and baked goods that decorated the display tables.

For the full version of this article, visit our website at libertychampion.com.

u Jennings is a feature writer.

FEATURE

March 2, 2011

Liberty Champion/B7

Embracing the exceptional

Chris Mabes

HEART AND FOCUS — Liberty’s chapter of the Council for Exceptional Children hosted its first fundraiser of 2011, featuring local performers, games and prizes.

Chris Mabes

JESSICA STEARNS jstearns@liberty.edu

Food, games, music and hearts for children brought students together Thursday night to support Liberty University’s chapter of Council for Exceptional Children’s (CEC) at their Exceptional-A-Thon.

The event was CEC’s first big fundraiser of the year.

Students were asked to give five dollar donations which went toward the funding of future CEC events. The Exceptional-A-Thon was held in Liberty’s Tolsma Indoor Track from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. where students were provided with games and entertainment acts throughout the night.

The groups included D-Trex, Peacemakers Crew and Divine Call. Among the musical talents, was the headlining act, Bring the Arsenal, who closed the event with their loud, hardcore guitar riffs.

The event coordinator, Kristin Light said their CEC chapter is trying to branch out to not only the special education majors or all education majors, but to people who are not even in education.

“A lot of people, even if they’re not education majors, would really benefit from working with kids with special needs,” Light said. “They’re such a blessing to work with.

Kids are a blessing anyway.”

CEC is an international nonprofit organization. According to its official website, “CEC is

an international community of educators who are the voice and vision of special and gifted education” and/that “works to improve the educational success of individuals with disabilities and/or gifts and talents.”

Liberty’s student chapter exists to educate the special education majors with resources such as chapter meetings with guest speakers who have special needs themselves and events that give the students the opportunity to actually work with the children.

CEC partners with Thomas Road Baptist Church’s (TRBC) iKids ministry to hold special events for the children, in order to give their parents a night out or to simply give them a break

from what is sometimes a challenging daily routine, according to Light.

“We give them a date night, a few hours to go shopping and get things done and have a little break so we can love on their kids. It’s a great opportunity and an awesome way to witness and minister,” board member, Kaylan Reese said. “We’re able to provide care for the kids and show them Christ’s love.”

Reese said she loves having the chance to be part of an organization that puts these children first and provides education resources.

“A lot of people are scared of people who look different than them or who have special needs because they don’t know how to interact with them,” Reese said. They,

too, are made in the image of God. I think that it’s important for people to be aware of who these people are, what the special needs are, and that they’re made just as special as we are. I think it’s something that is ignored. The Bible does tell us to reach out to them and by reaching out to them, we are pleasing the Lord.”

“We try to do as much as we can for children with special needs,” Light said, “They are our heart. They are our focus.”

For more information about CEC, visit its website at cec.sped.org. For more information about Liberty’s CEC chapter and future events, find and join the group on Facebook. u Stearns is a feature writer.

The Lynchburg Hillcats are currently accepting applications for the following 2011 game-day staff positions.

• Cashiers • Food Prep/Runners • Cooks • • Stand Managers • Waitstaff • Gameday Ticket Staff •

Please fill out an application at Lynchburg City Stadium, Monday through Friday, 9 to 5. For more info call 434-528-1144.

March 2, 2011

Taking time out for tea The Ploughcroft Tea Room brings British tradition to America TIFFANY EDWARDS tredwards2@liberty.edu

T

he Ploughcroft Tea Room is easy to find on Commerce Street. The British flag waving over the sign is a big tip for curious passerby as to what the cozy storefront contains. Ladies share pots of tea and plates of desserts, sitting in the sunlight streaming through the large front windows. Whether the event is a ladies church luncheon or an intimate meeting with a close friend, The Ploughcroft Tea Room offers a quiet, traditional atmosphere for an afternoon tea.

Owner Patricia Hutto, a native of Dover, England, brought her heritage overseas when she moved to the U.S. in 1969. Hutto owned and operated a British tea room in Virginia Beach for 14 years before she moved to Lynchburg. She then worked as the director of dining services at Sweet Briar College, where she would occasionally host afternoon teas for students and the community.

“The reaction was wonderful,” Hutto said.

T E “(Americans) love the traditional feel.”

The tea room was named after Hutto’s TIME FOR TEA — Experience London, no passport required, by visiting The Ploughcroft Tea Room on Commerce Street. Reservachildhood home in England, and is run by tions can be made for lunch and afternoon tea, or for larger functions such as church luncheons and bridal showers.

Hutto and her daughter Ashley Mahne. The menu includes traditional British recipes, such as Shepherd’s pie, steak-and-ale pie and a Somerset cheese and onion tart. Prices vary from entrees priced under $10, to appetizers and endless pots of tea starting at $8.50 per guest.

“I try to stick with very British recipes to keep and authentic atmosphere,” Hutto said.

“The community response to the tea room has been simply overwhelming.”

Hutto’s aim is to bring her guests to another world when they visit her restaurant.

“I want them to walk through the door into a tea room in London,” Hutto said. “I want to bring that piece of British life to them.”

Hutto will host a Royal Wedding Celebration party on April 29, which will include a raffle for a piece of the Royal China.

The Ploughcroft Tea Room serves lunch and afternoon tea, and Hutto requests that guests make reservations. The tea room is closed on Sundays and Mondays for private parties, luncheons and showers.

For reservation information and daily business hours, visit their website at ploughcrofttearoom.com, or call 434-8327467. iffany

dwards

u Edwards is the feature editor.

Reaching the world — one pageant at a time Liberty student wins state title BRITTANY LAIRD bhlaird@liberty.edu

LU Online student and Lynchburg resident Rachel Travis won the 2011 Mrs. Virginia title Feb. 5. The pageant was held at the Hi s to r i c Colonial Theater in South Hill, Va. TRAVIS Trav i s, who previously attended Word of Life Bible Institute in Hudson, Fla., is has a double major in psychology and religion through

Liberty’s online program, in addition to participating in the pageant.

Entering only three weeks prior to the pageant, Travis was immediately caught up in the whirlwind that precedes the events. Preparing for the actual pageant is a time consuming, fascinating process. Few people fully comprehend the pre-pageant activities such as creating a platform, purchasing pageant wear and preparing for the interview.

The first section of the pageant is to demonstrate fitness, the second is a private interview and the final appearance is to model

“” It’s a huge opportunity to help others and learn more about yourself.

— Rachel Travis

an evening gown, according to the Mrs. Virginia official website. The interview is worth 50 percent of the score, while the remaining events make up the difference.

The score determines who will move on to the final round. Following this decision the finalists are given one last question before the judges declare the

winner.

Travis and her husband Mark Travis were married in Aug. 2006. According to Travis, her family and friends fully supported her decision to participate in the pageant.

“I couldn’t have done it without them,” Travis said.

When asked about her favorite part of the experience, Travis mentioned that it was making friends with her

fellow contestants.

Travis’ platform includes working with Freedom 4/24 and H.I.S. Ministries.

Freedom 4/24 is an organization that focuses on raising awareness on the sexual exploitation of women. H.I.S. Ministries is an organization which is involved in spreading the gospel to children and teenagers throughout the world.

Travis strongly encourages women who are interested in participating in a pageant to do so.

“It’s a huge opportunity to help others and learn more about yourself. Dream big — you only live once,” Travis said.

Travis is currently working

as a paraoptometric at the Virginia Eye Clinic as well as an Independent Consultant with Arbonne International.

The Mrs. America Pageant will be held March 31 to April 14 in White Sulfur Springs, W.Va., at the Greenbrier Resort.

Travis has been keeping a blog to record the events following the pageant. She invites students to follow her posts in order to keep up with the news as she continues on to the Mrs. America Pageant at www.mrsvirginiaamerica. tumblr.com. u Laird is a feature writer.