Liberty Champion Oct 6 2015

Volleyball defeats the Bulldogs

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Scaremare event to begin

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Lynchburg, Virginia

Volume 33 | Issue 5 Tuesday, October 6, 2015

splish splash

Leah Seavers | Liberty Champion

PUDDLES — Students trekked to classes last week through torrential downpours intermixed with drizzling rain and heavy wind.

Rain, rain go away

Lynchburg receives surplus of rain after experiencing a minor drought Sarah Rodriguez srodriguez70@liberty.edu

Bundled in raincoats with umbrellas in hand, students braced for Hurricane Joaquin that was predicted to hit the East Coast last weekend. Though Lynchburg was spared that natural disaster, earlier heavy and sustained rains ripped through Lynchburg and the central Virginia area causing widespread flooding and dangerous conditions.

From Friday, Sept. 25 to Tuesday, Sept. 29, Lynchburg received a total of

5.54 inches of rain, according to the National Weather Service.

George Flickinger, the chief meteorologist at WSET-TV, said September has been the wettest month since November 2009. From Sept. 1, 2015 to Sept. 30, Lynchburg received a total of 7.13 inches of rain. Flickinger said the city was in a minor drought for 2015 before the recent storms, but now Lynchburg has surpassed the needed amount of rainfall.

During the morning and afternoon of Tuesday, Sept. 29, heavy rainfall in

a short period of time caused major problems on the campus of Liberty University. Scott Starnes, the vice president of field operations at Liberty, said the university was on alert and monitoring potential areas of concern. The university addressed the problems as it was notified of them.

“Tuesday at the school of education entrance … the ground was so saturated that we had water starting to work into the front entrance,” Starnes said. “Also, on the back of DeMoss (Hall) where they are building the new

student center, we had water working through the construction zone into Sub Connection.”

Starnes added that the Science Hall also took on some water because the ground was so saturated. In addition, Starnes said there was a minor washout on Regent’s Parkway that was addressed immediately, and indoors, there were a few minor roof leaks.

Due to water flooding into the school of education, Starnes said a handful of

See STORM, A7

Wellness expo Annual fair promotes healthy living

Kara Sherrill kesherrill@liberty.edu

Leah Seavers | Liberty Champion

REFRESHING — Student have decided they prefer Coke over Pepsi on campus.

Coke conquers

Pepsi to stop being served on campus Quinn Foley qfoley@liberty.edu

Carbonation controversy split the campus when President Jerry Falwell let students voice their opinion in a decision between having Coke products or Pepsi products on Liberty’s campus. The announcement was made during Convocation Sept. 23 and students were able to text either “Coke” or “Pepsi” to 24502 to cast their vote.

After the votes were cast, Falwell tweeted Sept. 24 that 2,985 students voted for Coke and 2,713 students voted for Pepsi, indicating that the entire campus will switch to Coke products.

Louis Cambeletta, director of food service operations, said that the transition from Pepsi to Coke will happen by Jan. 31 but that the process will hopefully be finished a

See COLA, A6

Liberty University hosted its third annual Health Fair in the LaHaye Student Union Sept. 29 to promote healthy living throughout campus and the health initiative Live Healthy Liberty.

Jamie Swyers, associate director of the LaHaye Student Union, said the event connects students, faculty, staff and their families with available health resources and opportunities.

“The Expo provides a fun and exciting point of contact that builds awareness regarding health issues,” Swyers said.

There was a wide variety of different booths and vendors at the event.

More than 40 booths participated in the event, which included campus partners, health and well-

ness related organizations as well as local vendors.

More than 1,000 individuals visited the fair this year.

Weight lifting demonstrations, health screenings and a photo booth were also available for students, faculty and their families.

“Having an annual wellness-promoting event is important to help the campus community connect with the available programs and resources that promote holistic health,” Swyers said. “The Live Healthy Liberty Expo fits the bill and does it in a fun and engaging way.”

The event featured many different giveaways spanning from Fit Bits, gift cards, apparel,

INSIDE THE CHAMPION

News

Voter registration continues as Election Day draws near.

A6

Opinion

A student’s opinion on how the pope’s visit to the U.S. is still impactful.

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Sports

Feature

Liberty’s swimming and diving team finds success in new season.

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Habitat for Humanity club prepares construction on a house for the needy.

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personal training packages and free food.

“My favorite part … was the free samples,” exercise science student Jessica Heidebrink said. “They had a lot of cool new things to try like vitamins.”

Every year the health fair continually grows.

According to Swyers, this year the fair doubled in size from last year.

“I just really liked how personable everyone was and how they answered all of my questions,” sophomore Emily Dozier said.

“They also gave me a really cool shirt after signing up for one of their healthy living programs.”

The Live Healthy Liberty table gave out free T-shirts as people signed up to join a fitness team.

Each time a participant works out or attends a

See HEALTH, A2

News Opinion

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Sports Feature

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news

A2 | October 6, 2015 | Liberty Champion

Kallie Britton | Liberty Champion

OPTIONS — Students enjoy eating a variety of different foods at the many dining locations across Liberty’s campus.

Eat better, feel better For healthy living, students must make wise decisions when choosing food Taylor Frost tfrost2@liberty.edu

College students typically fear gaining the “freshman 15,” yet they find themselves living on tight budgets and buying less nutritious foods. At Liberty, the Sodexo dining team works to ensure that students have quality and healthy choices to choose from.

“I’m always looking for where we are going to put the healthy option in,” Kristina DiSanto, registered dietician for Sodexo, said.

There are a variety of healthy dining options available to students. DiSanto explained how almost every dining option on campus has a healthy choice. Students now have more healthy eating options and programs on campus to assist them in a nutritious lifestyle, according to DiSanto. Ultimately, eating healthy requires planning and thinking through your meal.

“I don’t think it’s difficult to make (eating healthy) happen,” DiSanto said. “I … think it just takes a bit of a conscious effort that people might not be used to putting in.”

DiSanto recommended that students focus on what their plate looks like. A plate that meets all of one’s dietary needs should be half a plate of vegetables, onefourth carbohydrates and onefourth protein.

Dieticians lead demonstrations to provide students with new knowledge on healthy eating options. DiSanto has a demonstration in the Reber-Thomas Dining Hall about once a month. On Sept. 30, she taught students how to make quick, healthy smoothies using three ingredients. An example is a green smoothie, which is made using a banana, pineapple juice and spinach.

“We make simple things that students can do on their own,” DiSanto said. “It’s also a little bit

Kallie Britton | Liberty Champion

MEAL — The Tilley Student Center offers a plethora of choices. of education and fun stuff to let people know that I’m here.”

A new eatery on campus is the Farmer’s Field located in the Tilley Student Center. This dining option appeals to many because of its use of fresh ingredients from the local campus garden.

Hand-tossed salads are personalized and made to order. DiSanto recommended this option to students but warned against

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- Fall Break Canoe/Kayak Trip 9 a.m. | James River State Park - Scaremare 7:30 p.m. | 2300 Carroll Avenue - Training Clinic 6 p.m. | Camp Hydaway - School of Music: Christian Artist Series II 7 p.m. | Towns Auditorium - Campus Artist Series 8 p.m. | LaHaye Event Space - Art Expo 8 p.m. | LaHaye Event Space - Apple Orchard Trip 9 a.m. | TBD - Fall Festival 1 p.m. | Camp Hydaway - Open Mic 7 p.m. | LaHaye Event Space

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using too much salad dressing or caloric toppings.

While there are a variety of different selections, DiSanto said that within the dining hall, a healthy option is always accessible. Sometimes it might require choosing foods from different stations to make a meal.

“There are a lot of options,” DiSanto said. “It can be overwhelming. Take the time to look

HEALTH continued from A1 wellness event, they log that information in their LU Portal. Being on teams encourages accountability to reach personal fitness goals, Swyers said.

In addition to helping people achieve their goals, the event also featured vendors that provided healthy eating resources. At one table there were charts that showed the healthy amount of fats needed each day. Students could take home pamphlets and brochures to keep them on the right track as they pursue healthy living.

Dietitians, doctors, trainers and

around … and look at the menus posted online ahead of time.”

Something unique to Liberty is the labeling program. DiSanto said that labels are provided for all foods so students know how many calories are in the food and if there are allergens.

“This is a program you don’t find at other schools,” DiSanto said.

Macey Lutz, marketing intern for Sodexo and a student, said that the options on campus allow her to make healthy choices. She appreciates being able to go to any place around campus and be able to decide how to choose the best food for herself.

“It’s a major factor,” Lutz said.

“I can monitor what I eat.”

DiSanto said that eating healthy is a lifestyle choice “Sit down, take time to enjoy your food,” DiSanto said. “You will be a lot more satisfied and appreciate it so much more.”

FROST is a news reporter. public health professionals were all present at the event to assist students and faculty in achieving their healthy living goals.

Even though the Live Healthy Fair was a single event, Live Healthy Liberty is a long-term initiative for the entire university.

“Live Healthy Liberty is a campus wide initiative that seeks to educate, motivate and empower Liberty students, faculty and staff to adopt and maintain healthy lifestyle behaviors,” Swyers said.

For more information go to www.liberty.edu/livehealthy.

SHERRILL is a news reporter.

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SMILE — Students took pictures in a photo booth during the health fair.

news

Liberty Champion | October 6, 2015 | A3

Defending Christianity Dr. Michael Youseff addresses the danger of watching America's faith decline Elizabeth Lapp elapp@liberty.edu

Dr. Michael Youssef, founding pastor of The Church of The Apostles and Leading the Way global ministry, warned students during Convocation Sept. 30 of the destruction of the Christian principles that serve as a foundation for American society and the need for revival in America.

Youssef ’s message focused around Proverbs 22:28, which warns against the removal of the boundaries and landmarks laid down by forefathers. While the verse was written primarily concerning the boundaries of the Promised Land, Youssef expanded it to describe the moral and spiritual landmarks and boundaries that are a part of American history and serve as the foundation for the Constitution and American society. As the ancient Hebrews considered it to be a high crime to remove the ancient landmarks, so does Youssef see the modification and removal of spiritual landmarks laid down by America’s Founding Fathers.

“Today we are seeing with our own eyes, right now, at this very moment, the moral and spiritual crime of moving these ancient landmarks set by the Founding Fathers,” Youssef said. “They have been removed far from their place to the point of the landscape being unrecognizable. … Today we have evil forces that are working behind the scene and even in front of the scenes to obliterate these landmarks.”

Among the early landmarks that Youssef referenced was the Mayflower Compact, which placed God at the center of the new government and was the first step towards the creation of the U.S. Constitution. The Declaration of Independence was another landmark, as it depended on the presence of an almighty God declaring that all men are created equal and are given, by their creator, certain unalienable rights. Youssef said this landmark has been destroyed through the shift to society’s dependence on the government so that the people can never come to depend on God. The beliefs the Founding Fathers included are also listed as moral landmarks in the founding of America. Youssef described how 24 of the 57 signers of the Declaration of Independence had the equivalent

Leah Seavers | Liberty Champion

UNITED — Students worshiped in Convocation while they prepared to listen to Youseff speak about the need for a revival in America. of a seminary degree and how many members of the Constitutional Convention saw the Bible as the foundation and the rock upon which to create the Constitution.

Youssef warned that America is seeing these founding principles being destroyed now more than ever as the Christian faith has come under attack.

“In the last 50 years we have had court after court busily removing these ancient landmarks,” Youssef said. “Education department after education department, both sides of the aisle … have been busily rewriting the history of this great nation. The history of America has been distorted by removing these historical ancient landmarks from history books.

Schools no longer teach the truth about the Founding Fathers.”

Youssef reminded students that while politicians attempt to offer a solution to the declining state of American society, there is only one solution to stopping America’s decline — redemption through Jesus Christ.

“I know we were promised hope and change by politicians, and that all sounds good, but the only hope and change that they (have) deliver(ed) so far has led to hopelessness and suffering,” Youssef said.

Youseff said that Christ is the only answer.

“The only hope and change that is worthy of these words is the hope in Christ and the change that leads to repentance of sin and the forgiveness of our sins through the shed blood of Jesus Christ,” Youseff said. “… The only change that is worthy of the name is when the hearts of our leaders turn

from their selfish ambitions and serve the living God … when we bow not to foreign dignitaries but to the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.”

Youssef left students with a reminder that they are to be champions for Christ, and as members of the church, they are called to start a revival beginning with their own repentance.

“Every awakening that came in this country, it began by God’s people repenting,” Youssef said. “I’m not pointing fingers at others, I’m beginning with me, and I pray to God that it begins with you.”

LAPP is a news reporter.

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OPINION

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October 6, 2015

Boehner resigns from speaker Shocking announcement signifies a shift in the Republican Party leadership Lee Sutherland lsutherland6@liberty.edu

Congressman John Boehner shocked the world Sept. 25 by announcing he would be stepping down from speaker of the House. Boehner becomes the fifth speaker to resign in U.S. history, according to the National Constitution Center.

Originally, Boehner rose to the speakership on the support of the tea party movement in 2010, yet throughout his six years in this position, he never garnered the full backing of the party’s most conservative factions. The group that pushed the speaker out, known as the Freedom Caucus, is on the far right of the Republican Party and was unhappy over Boehner’s unwillingness to shut down the government in order to defund Planned Parenthood.

One of the more interesting comments in the post-Boehner fallout was from Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who is also running for the Republican presidential nomination.

Speaking at the Value Voter Summit, Rubio announced the speaker’s decision and then said, “I’m not here today to bash anyone.

But the time has come to turn the page and allow a new generation of leadership in this country.”

“I realized that none of the problems I got elected to solve are going to be solved if we keep promoting the same people to higher and higher ranks within our government,” Rubio said.

Rubio’s call for a “new generation of leadership” is what has been needed in the Republican Party now for a number of years. A new class of young, reformminded Republican politicians is emerging across the nation, pushing against the establishment for change in policy and in leadership within the party. Governors such as Scott Walker in Wisconsin and Sam Brownback in Kansas used smallgovernment policies to raise their states to prominence. Congressmen like Rubio, Tom Cotton, Paul Ryan, Tim Scott and Mike

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RESIGNS — Rep. John Boehner was pushed out of the speaker position by Freedom Caucus members.

Lee have actively sought to restrict federal government expansion and enact laws that create growth across the nation.

Rubio’s comments are an appeal to unleash this class of politicians. Yet it does not seem this will happen in the case of Boehner’s successor. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, the majority leader in the House and assumed successor to the speaker of the House, “is viewed more favorably by the House’s more conservative members” than Boehner, according to the New York Times.

However, McCarthy has not handled the new spotlight well, committing a number

of gaffes over the past week. On Sept. 28, he appeared on “Hannity,” and when asked about what he will do differently than his predecessor, he launched into a discussion of how the Select Committee on Benghazi has primarily served to hurt Hillary Clinton in the polls, seeming to imply it was not only about discovering the truth.

“Many of us actually thought the Benghazi investigations were driven by a desire to get the facts of a tragedy in which four people died and the administration’s response veered from misleading to dishonest,” Peggy Noonan wrote in the Wall Street Journal. “Instead they’re driven by a

merely partisan agenda?”

This incident and the congressional Republicans’ poor handling of the recent Planned Parenthood hearings are examples of the need for new leadership in Washington. Leadership that will not back down from challenges both at home and abroad.

Leadership that does not seek to politicize events for its own political gains but seeks to work across the aisle for the benefit of the nation as a whole.

SUTHERLAND is the opinion editor.

Walker out of 2016 race

Scott Walker must learn from his mistakes to be prepared for another run Leah Depiero ldepiero@liberty.edu

Gov. Scott Walker’s withdrawal from the 2016 Republican presidential race is a rather multi-faceted issue.

Walker, the governor of Wisconsin and former Republican presidential candidate, announced Sept. 21 that he would be suspending his campaign, causing Republicans and Democrats alike to speculate on what went wrong.

In his speech announcing the suspension of his campaign, Walker expressed his hope that he can “lead by helping to clear the field in this race so that a positive, conservative message can rise to the top of the field.”

Walker was also “running low on campaign cash, sliding sharply in opinion polls, losing potential donors to rivals and unnerving supporters with a stream of gaffes, like saying he would consider building a wall along the Canadian border,” according to a New York Times article.

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SUSPENSION — Poor money management doomed Scott Walker.

These issues, culminating in a mediocre performance at the Sept. 16 Republican debate, sealed Walker’s fate. However, none of these likely impacted Walker’s decision more than the low finances for his campaign due to the amount of money he spent on his campaign in Iowa. The Washington Post reported that the Walker campaign had accumulated a

debt of approximately $700,000 and that in order for him to maintain his campaign efforts in Iowa, it “would still cost around $1 million a month.”

“He was never a force in the Republican race for money, running far behind rivals like former Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida and Mr. Cruz,” Patrick Healy and Alexander Burns wrote.

If Walker decides to run for the 2020 election, he must strongly rethink his strategy.

Working to gain more supporters who will donate would greatly benefit him, and he could do this by making sure he does not utter statements that will isolate supporters. He could also benefit from rethinking how he spends the money and by redirecting his target audience to reach out to include other early primary states besides Iowa, including states such as South Carolina and New Hampshire.

But would Walker have had to worry about these issues if he had started off with better momentum? The New York Times reports Walker’s “early glow as a Republican presidential contender was snuffed out with the rise of anti-establishment rivals” such as Donald Trump and Carly Fiorina.

These non-conventional candidates can partially credit their prowess in the polls to the media attention they are gaining, and perhaps one of Walker’s

biggest faults on the campaign trail was his inability to gain large media attention.

Media plays a large role in politics today, and this year’s race is no exception, as unconventional candidates have attracted more media attention than the traditional politicians. This means that career politicians such as Walker must learn to court the media and present themselves well on television and radio, something Walker was not strong with. In both of the debates Walker participated in, he was outshined by louder voices, like Gov. Chris Christie, Sen. Ted Cruz, and Trump, as well as more popular individuals, such as former Gov. Jeb Bush.

In order to compete in future elections, Walker must learn how to take advantage of the media exposure given to him and better manage and distribute his funds.

DEPIERO is an opinion writer.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICIES & INFO Nate Haywood editor-in-chief

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CONTENT

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opinion

Liberty Champion | October 6, 2015 | A5

Pope’s power still relevant Francis continues to make strong statements in his recent visit to the U.S. Kimberly Stefanick kmstefanick2@liberty.edu

History was made late September when Pope Francis visited the U.S. and became the first pope to address Congress. Many questions were raised when Francis first began his journey on American soil as he addressed social, moral and political issues through his services and speeches.

His views have been called into question the past few weeks, but one thing remains true: Francis still has immeasurable influence.

Roman Catholicism, the denomination over which the pope rules, is practiced by an estimated 1.2 billion people worldwide, according to BBC. With so many people a part of the denomination, stances taken by the pope and the Vatican impact the world greatly.

“The Catechism of the Catholic Church,” written by Pope John Paul II in 1992, describes the pope as holding “full, supreme, and universal power over the whole Church, a power which he can always exercise unhindered.”

Seen clearly in history, the pope’s power in the Catholic Church is almost unlimited as the primary decision maker.

“Kings knelt before popes; crusades were launched by popes; the calendar was redefined by a pope; Latin America was divided between Spain and Portugal by a pope,” James Carroll of The New Yorker said.

Francis, however, is breaking this pattern of papal supremacy. The first non-European pope in more than 1,200 years, according to the New York Times, has spent time taking a stand on social, moral and political issues and humbling himself among people all over the world while changing the tides in what defines Roman Catholicism.

In addition to opting out of living in the papal apartment of the Vatican and choosing to live in the guesthouse, according to the Washington Post, Francis also skipped a lunch with politicians during his visit to D.C. last month to spend time with the homeless population in Washington.

“The son of God knew what it was to be a homeless person,” Francis said, according to The Huffington Post. “What it was to start life without a roof over his head.”

Taking time to serve those in the community so openly and freely is something we have not seen from a pope in years. In addition to serving those less fortunate than himself, Francis also uses his power to

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CATHOLIC — Pope Francis visited the White House last week in his tour of the Western Hemisphere. take a stand for what he believes in.

During his visit to the U.S., Francis became the first pope to ever address Congress, according to the New York Times.

“

agree with, Francis is making an honorable effort to bridge a gap between the leaders of the Catholic Church and the people.

The Golden Rule also reminds us of our responsibility to protect and defend human life at every stage of its development. — POPE FRANCIS

During the speech, he reminded members of Congress about the need for hope in today’s world.

“Our efforts must aim at restoring hope, righting wrongs, maintaining commitments and thus promoting the well-being of individuals and of peoples,” Francis said.

Even with many left-leaning comments made in recent months about gay rights and climate change that I do not

“The Golden Rule also reminds us of our responsibility to protect and defend human life at every stage of its development,” Francis said according to the New York Times.

As a Catholic myself, I view the pope in a different light than those who do not identify with the Catholicism. Nevertheless, the pope’s influence cannot be negated. As the leader of one of the largest denominations

in the world, the pope holds a special seat in the world’s eye, traveling the globe and bringing the Bible with him. “[The best moments of Francis’ visit] were when the schoolchildren sang to him, when he greeted prisoners one by one, when he encouraged refugee families,” Elizabeth Dias of TIME said. “Each place we went, thousands, sometimes hundreds of thousands of people, had been waiting for hours to catch a glimpse of him, sometimes on roads, in fields or in churches. …

Presidents fawn over him, children run to him, and he commands the situation, even without signaling he is doing so.”

While changing the Catholic Church, Francis is making history and using his influence on about 1.2 billion people around the world to create a positive influence.

STEFANICK is an opinion writer.

ENGAGING IN CULTURE Sean Astin’s visit to Liberty University Sept. 21 revealed one big thing: Film is a massively important, emotional tool for engaging culture, and this semester Liberty has taken big steps in using it well. While so much of adult life feels like choosing the lesser of two, or a host of evils, Astin’s character Samwise Gamgee’s actions stem from his belief that “there’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo. And it’s worth fighting for.” Especially in the field of film, great stories, the ones that really matter, provoke a proper sense of idealism, leading to action.

Film is the mirror culture holds up to reveal its problems, often with the goal

NOTES A

“I am a Christian.” A declaration I proudly and willingly make. And because of the liberties we have in this nation, I can do so without heavy persecution.

HAYWOOD Sure, some disagree with my religious views. Nonetheless, I, along with all in this nation, still have the freedom to proclaim and exercise those beliefs.

However, in a land where we are free to say what we believe, a group of

of shocking complacent people into action or changed beliefs. And shock value has value: I cannot imagine anyone seeing “The Passion of the Christ” and just shrugging it off. “Boyhood” definitely had some rough spots but also provided fascinating, troubling insight into a “typical American childhood.’’ If we want to be a school about engaging the culture for Christ, we must be tuned in to the most thoughtful, widespread conversations, and those are happening around film.

However, until now, any steps Liberty could take in that direction were hampered by the movie rating policy. In my film analysis class, the professor continually

college students were heartlessly murdered while simply doing just that.

In another page of one of our nation’s darkest chapters, nine students were ruthlessly gunned down at Umpqua Community College in Oregon. Reports from survivors who experienced this horrendous tragedy are chilling and heartwrenching.

The assailant, who CNN reports committed suicide during a shootout with police, was armed with six guns, extra ammunition and a flak jacket. He allegedly barked various commands to the students right before he shot them.

According to CNN, he told a woman to get out of her wheelchair and then get back in it, yet he never gave her the opportunity to return. Other reports indicate he selected a specific student to leave a message for the police — he also made that student watch as he

referenced films we could not see, and the idea of graduating from a film program without having seen, for example, five out of the eight films nominated for the Oscar for Best Picture this year is absurd, like an English major graduating never having read Shakespeare. Removing the R-rated movie ban shows that we are committed to listening to culture’s big questions and joining the conversation with hope and truth.

Perhaps the rule change is just a symbolic one with no real effects. The best reason for having the ban in place – keeping on-campus dorms a safe, positive environment – is still upheld, since leader-

executed classmates.

While each aspect of this heinous crime breaks my heart, there is one particular report that stands out to me.

According to some survivors, the shooter asked if anyone in the classroom was a Christian. And those who said yes were instantly shot. Granted, some declined and were shot as well. But it begs the question of why even ask in the first place.

It is too early to determine if Christians were intentionally targeted or not.

Right now, the primary focus should be on helping a hurting community to heal.

I have intentionally withheld the suspect’s name. He has been identified, and if you are so inclined to find out the name of this sick man, feel free to look it up. Rather, I am going to mention the following names: Lawrence Levine, Lucero Alcaraz, Treven Taylor Anspach,

ship can get involved if there is a genuine problem with a student’s “discretion.”

The people who wanted to watch R-rated movies watched them when it was against the rules, and the people who think doing so is wrong probably will not change their behavior now. However, there is still a subgroup of students who value both engaging the culture well and honoring the authority to which they voluntarily submit themselves. Removing the R-rated movie ban demonstrates that our school values cultural interaction over insulation.

KELLY KRAMER, Liberty junior

Rebecka Ann Carnes, Quinn Glen Cooper, Kim Saltmarsh Dietz, Lucas Eibel, and Jason Dale Johnson.

These are the names of the eight students and their professor (Levine).

These are the names of the men and women whose lives were senselessly taken from them. These are also the names of people who belonged to families who are currently experiencing immense and unimaginable pain.

That being said, I give you these names so you can know the families that need prayer right now. I give you these names so you can know what families and friends need a heavy dosage of God’s comfort. In fact, you should probably add the shooter’s family in that list as well. Right now, they need it. They all do. God is the only one capable of shining any sort of light on this dark situation.

news

A6 | October 6, 2015 | Liberty Champion

Patients come first

Medical care clinic near Liberty’s campus is ready to serve the community Taylor Coleman tcoleman64@liberty.edu

A new full-service medical care facility has opened near Liberty University just in time for cold and flu season.

The Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine (LUCOM) has partnered with Central Virginia Family Physicians (CVFP) to create a location close to campus for employees, students and community members to use.

Liberty Mountain Medical Group (LMMG) is located beside KMart on Wards Road. It is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Unlike an urgent care center, LMMG, which opened June 29 of this year, will offer only primary care to its patients.

The clinic will provide women’s health services, internal medicine, family medicine, joint rehabilitation, sports medicine, pediatrics, and osteopathic manipulation among other resources. LMMG also includes X-ray and lab capabilities.

Dean of LUCOM Dr. Ronnie Martin said one of the reasons CVFP was chosen as a partner was due to its philosophy of patient-centered care and that the medical home concept matched Liberty’s view.

“We believe that primary care is more about the patient than treatment of the disease,” Martin said.

Martin said the location on Wards Road was selected due to the proximity to campus. Although the facility is not only

Michela Diddle | Liberty Champion

CLINIC — Liberty Mountain Medical Group opened to the public in June 2015. for students, due to the fact that Liberty has an on-campus medical center located at Green Hall, Martin hopes LMMG will be a “major resource and provider for the Liberty family” as well as the community.

Martin explained that in opening the facility, they did not want to be a negative influence on other medical practices or create competition in the area. Their intention is to show that Liberty strives to serve

those in need.

“The standard for medical colleges is to provide medical assistance to the community,” Martin said. “We feel responsible to do what we can to improve the health of the community.”

LMMG can handle approximately 200 patients daily and accepts various forms of insurance, including Medicare, Tricare and some Medicaid and uninsured patients.

A combination of physicians from CVFP and medical professionals from LUCOM will jointly staff the clinic as the business begins to grow.

For students studying sports medicine and nursing, the medical clinic will also be a classroom.

Starting their third year, medical students will shadow the professional physicians as part of their clinicals as they care for patients.

While they will not be assessing a patient on their own, students will still get handson experience at LMMG. “Clinical education of all student work is provided under direct supervision of a medical professional,” Martin said.

In opening a medical center, Martin said his two main objectives are to provide a location to train the medical students and to improve the overall health of the community.

According to LUCOM’s website, their purpose is to be “dedicated to not only training competent and compassionate doctors, but to putting that competence and compassion to work for the benefit of surrounding communities.”

To schedule an appointment with a physician, call the Wards Road office at (434) 582-2273. Same-day appointments are accepted. More information can be found at www.cvfp.net/cvfp-liberty-mountain.html.

COLEMAN is a news reporter.

Exercising their right Students prepare to vote for local and state officials on Election Day Nov. 3 Shannon Ritter sritter2@liberty.edu

Liberty University is encouraging students to register and vote on Election Day taking place Nov. 3, 2015.

Liberty’s Dean of Students Office works to ensure all students have the opportunity to register and vote every election season. A student turnout is very important for various reasons, according to Director of Commuter Services Bradley Milks, who helps the Dean of Students Office with voter registration.

“Students have the opportunity to exercise their right to vote, which should not be taken lightly,” Milks said. “Students live in Lynchburg for nine months out of the year.

Local issues, such as taxes, directly affect them on a daily basis.

Other issues of local importance affect their tuition.”

Titus Folks, a senior at Liberty and Virginia State Coordinator for Students For Rand, agreed that student voting is crucial to every election. As a student who is heavily involved in politics, Folks sees the need and the importance of Christians getting out to the polls and making their ballot count.

“Preparing students to register and vote every year is part of Liberty’s task in training champions for Christ,” Folks said. “A thousand students could essentially decide the election for our district in almost any given race. … Elections are won based on turnout, and low turnout in the evangelical community can lose an election.

We have a role in redeeming our government, and we shouldn’t turn down that chance.”

Voting opportunities for students at Liberty have grown each year. Since a polling station is available in the Vines Center

COLA continued from A1 few weeks sooner when the Reber-Thomas Dinning Hall officially reopens after winter break.

Although dining services are trying to push the changes to be made sooner, Liberty’s contract with Pepsi officially ends Jan. 31.

“Really it came down … to the students,” Cambeletta said. “Financially there wasn’t much difference between Coke and Pepsi.

(This) is rare (because) usually Pepsi has won out financially, but

on Election Day, student turnout is important. While this is not a presidential election year, and candidates are running unopposed, one of the reasons students need to vote is to show their interest in and use of the on-campus precinct.

In order to prepare students for registration, emails have been sent out alerting students to take advantage of the opportunity and right to vote in Virginia while attending Liberty. In a previous Convocation where Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders spoke, voter registration forms were available to students.

Announcements during Convocation are also made throughout the semester, informing students about voting.

“Many individuals will think, ‘What is one vote?’” Larry Provost, who also helps the Dean of Students Office with voter registration said. “But one vote is very important, as we have seen in Liberty’s vote being the deciding factor in several local elections.”

Both Milks and Folks said students should prepare for the upcoming election season by investigating candidates beforehand to gain a better understanding of what each one stands for and what issues he or she finds important.

“Students should do their own research on the candidates,” Folks said. “As Christians, we should make votes based on wour conscience.”

More information for Liberty students can be found at www. liberty.edu/studentaffairs/deanofstudents.

Most Liberty students live in either the 22nd or the 23rd District. Students living on campus are part of the 23rd District for the Virginia House of Delegates and the Virginia Senate. The voting precinct for on-campus students is located at the Vines Center. Many off-campus students in the surrounding area are in the 22nd District and should check with their registrar to find their polling location.

STATE OFFICIALS MEMBER HOUSE OF DELEGATES

MEMBER SENATE OF VIRGINIA

22ND

22ND

DISTRICT

(CONTAINS BEDFORD COUNTY, CAMPBELL COUNTY, FRANKLIN COUNTY, LYNCHBURG CITY)

DISTRICT

KATHY J. BRYON

Republican Incumbent - Unopposed

23RD

DISTRICT

(CONTAINS AMHERST COUNTY, BEDFORD COUNTY, LYNCHBURG CITY)

THOMAS A. GARRETT JR.

Republican Incumbent - Unopposed

23RD

T. SCOTT GARRETT

Republican Incumbent - Unopposed

(CONTAINS AMHERST COUNTY, APPOMATTOX COUNTY, BUCKINGHAM COUNTY, CUMBERLAND COUNTY, FLUVANNA COUNTY, GOOCHLAND COUNTY, LOUISA COUNTY, LYNCHBURG CITY, PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY)

DISTRICT

(CONTAINS BEDFORD CITY, BEDFORD COUNTY, BOTETOURT COUNTY, CAMPBELL COUNTY, CRAIG COUNTY, LYNCHBURG CITY, ROANOKE COUNTY)

STEPHEN D. “STEVE” NEWMAN Republican Incumbent - Unopposed

LOCAL OFFICIALS SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DIRECTOR ROBERT E. LEE DISTRICT: LYNCHBURG CITY JULIUS A. SIGLER JR.

Independent Incumbent - Unopposed

The last day to register to vote by submitting forms to the Dean of Students Office is Oct. 9. Forms can be submitted online until Oct. 13. Virginia voter registration forms are available online at elections. virginia.gov as well as the Dean of Students Office.

RITTER is a news reporter.

Coke really stepped up and put a proposal together that was very good. At the end of the day, the president decided that since it was so close financially that he would let the students decide.”

The transition will remove all Pepsi products on Liberty’s campus.

“Anything that is owned by Pepsi … will no longer be served on our campus,” Cambeletta said.

“All of the main brands that you see now … will go (away). Really the only brand that will stay on campus is Dr Pepper but only

in the fountain. We won’t be able to sell bottles of Dr Pepper, but we will be able to pour it from our fountains.”

According to Cambeletta, Coke products will be served in vending machines and at all of the dining services locations on campus.

Some of the new additions will include Coke, Diet Coke, Mello Yellow, Monster drinks, Vitamin Water and Powerade. Even the tea will change from Lipton to Gold Peak and the juices will change from Dole to Minute Maid.

Cambeletta said that he will

be overseeing the communication between the Sodexo team and Coke team to ensure that the transition is going smoothly.

“As you can imagine, with as large as our campus is, every single vending machine will have to be changed out,” Cambeletta said.

“There is just a lot to do.”

Cambeletta said that the length of the partnership is still undetermined at this point but that it will most likely be a five-year contract with Coke.

Sophomore Adam Shull said that he is on board with the

transition to Coke products.

“I usually use the vending machines to grab a drink between classes,” Shull said. “I prefer Coke to Pepsi, but I will miss the …

Mountain Dew (Code Red).”

Shull also said that he prefers Minute Maid juice to Dole juice, and he is excited to see the brand on campus.

“Overall though I think that it will be a good change,” Shull said.

FOLEY is the asst. news editor.

news

Liberty Champion | October 6, 2015 | A7

Leah Seavers | Liberty Champion

DRENCHED — Students needed to use their umbrellas and rain boots to stay dry from the rainstorms that hit Lynchburg last week.

STORM continued from A1 classes had to be canceled while the flooding issue was being addressed.

Starnes said that because students would miss valuable class time, the goal was to not cancel classes, but with water in the building it was necessary.

“Our number one priority here on campus is the well-being of the students,” Starnes said.

Starnes said approximately 100 people worked to repair the damages to the university Sept. 30.

On Oct. 1, the potential for Hurricane Joaquin to come ashore in the mid-Atlantic

region caused local crews to continue to prepare for more potential flooding.

However, as the week progressed, weather models confirmed that Joaquin would stay offshore, diminishing the amount of additional rain predicted for the area.

According to Starnes, university workers prepared for more rain Friday, Oct. 2 through Monday, Oct. 5.

“It was a big team effort,” Starnes said. “We (monitored) the lake levels. … We (had) a team inspecting potential problem areas. Sandbags were added in some problem locations, one being the school of education. In some of the construction sites, because they are not developed at this time, we added trenching to

help divert the water away from the building.”

Teams also checked the drainage systems to ensure there was no blockage.

In the Lynchburg area, Paula Jones, communications manager for the Lynchburg District of the Virginia Department of Transportation, said the city prepared the best it could for the sustained rains.

“We (met) with other industry representatives as well as the Virginia State Police, other government agencies, including public safety,” Jones said. “We typically have these (meetings) associated with winter storms, but we’ve also had them associated with other storms. … We are doing that, and we are preparing.”

Jones also acknowledged the

danger of flooding in the Lynchburg area, saying to avoid low-lying areas if possible.

Nick Fillo, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, also warned citizens about the hazard of flooding.

“Flooding is obviously dangerous because the water will flow very quickly, and even the best swimmers in the world can’t fight the current when water flows very quickly,” Fillo said. “The water is very also very murky … (and) … very hard to see, so if somebody goes under it’s next to impossible to find them.”

When there is potential for heavy and prolonged rains, Flickinger said it is essential for the public to get their weather information from meteorologists who are qualified to

predict the weather.

“Don’t rely on social media meteorologists,” Flickinger, who has 20 years of meteorology experience in Virginia, said.

Though the large amount of rain from Hurricane Joaquin missed the Lynchburg area, earlier rainstorms did some damage to Liberty’s campus. However, Starnes recognized how much worse the storms could have been.

“God’s blessing was with us, but also our team was prepared,” Starnes said.

RODRIGUEZ is the news editor.

We now accept Flames Cash!

$1.00 OFF

on your next visit Limit one per person | Expires 10/31/2015 18013 Forest Rd, Forest, VA 24551 | (434) 385-9300

news

A8 | October 6, 2015 | Liberty Champion

Taking time to laugh Comedian Tim Hawkins visits Liberty to ease students’ mid-semester blues Amid applause and cheers, comedian Tim Hawkins walked onto the stage and lifted Senior Vice President for Spiritual Development David Nasser off his feet for an exaggerated hug to start his routine at a Liberty University Convocation Oct. 5.

Though Hawkins is a Christian comedian, it did not mean he shied from controversial subjects or was dull. Hawkins used everything from homeschoolers to hand raising to Nasser’s skinny jeans as fodder for his humor.

Dan Bolton, director of spiritual programs at Liberty, said that Hawkins was a popular choice for students who recommended speakers on Liberty’s website.

“A lot of students had asked for Tim Hawkins, and we have had a lot of good feedback,” Bolton said. “He has been by far

one of the most popular choices we have had for this semester.”

According to Bolton, Hawkins’ appearance amid speakers such as presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders, International Mission Board President David Platt and Fox News Channel host Gretchen Carlson was different but still impactful. “(In) Convocation, you think, you learn, you listen but also you laugh,” Bolton said. “One of the ways we can stop, reflect and glorify God is just to laugh (…) and (enjoy) humor.”

Hawkins, who preforms over 100 sold-out shows each year according to timhawkins.net, said that he believed it is OK to have fun and laugh as he danced and acted out parts of his routine.

“God wants us to enjoy our lives,” Hawkins said. “He ain’t no buzzkill y’all. (God) isn’t sitting up above going after people who

are having fun.”

Pulling material from church, sports, pop culture and even making fun of laughter, Hawkins’ broad range of topics appealed to the crowd.

“Everybody around me was laughing at some point,” junior Amy Moser said. “Everybody’s all stressed out and he was just making us laugh. That was just my favorite part, just laughing at everything.”

While booking Hawkins for Convocation, Bolton said that Hawkins was “really excited” to come and speak to Liberty students.

For Hawkins, who lives in Missouri with his wife and four children, Liberty was a stop on the way to a show at a women’s conference in Roanoke, Virginia.

Bolton said that Hawkins was able to let people laugh during an important time in the semester.

“We brought him in because we’re at that six, seven week mark right before fall break, and everybody is just worn out already,” Bolton said. “We wanted it to be a time where students could just relax and recuperate from the past weeks.”

And laugh they did. After impressions, singing atheist worship songs on his matte black guitar and poking fun at numerous states, Hawkins ended his time with a ‘God Bless the USA’ parody about Chick-fil-A. Students took out their smartphones and waved them to the music as Hawkins wrapped up.

“I felt so much love today, and I love you guys,” Hawkins said.

Hawkins then hugged and picked up Nasser again before he walked off the stage.

STEPTOE is a news reporter.

Michela Diddle | Liberty Champion

Cassandra Steptoe cbsteptoe@liberty.edu

POSE — Hawkins performed a humorous Convocation.

Fresh from the farm Lynchburg residents enjoy local produce and goods at Community Market Lauren Creekmore lcreekmore@liberty.edu

Leah Seavers | Liberty Champion

OCTOBER — Fresh pumpkins were available for purchase.

With pumpkins on display and warm drinks in hand, members of the Lynchburg community spend many of their October days at the Lynchburg Community Market.

Filled with farmers selling local produce and artisans selling handmade creations, the Lynchburg Community Market has existed since 1783 in downtown Lynchburg.

The venue is located downtown on 12th and Main Street, where it hosts

a variety of items for their Tuesdays through Saturdays from 7 a.m. - 2 p.m. year round.

From baked goods to flowers and produce, there is plenty to browse through at the market. Vendors set up inside and outside to display their products and share their stories with interested customers.

According to Carter Hailey of Rivermont Specialty Baking, participating in the community market has been pivotal to his bakery’s success.

“We started here on (July 29),” Hailey said. “My wife

... has been making our signature Orange Blossom, which used to be very popular around the Lynchburg area. People kept asking us about our Orange Blossoms, so we decided to sell them to the public. One of the great things about the Lynchburg Market is that it draws multiple aspects of the Lynchburg community.”

The Hailey’s are just one example of several vendors who are able to advertise their local home businesses to the public with a table display at the market.

The Lynchburg Mar-

ket is also active on social media. With its hashtag “Lynchburgisforlocavors” visitors are able to engage with market vendors by posting pictures of purchases made during their visit to the market.

For more information about the Lynchburg Community Market, visit www. lynchburgcommunitymarket.com.

CREEKMORE is a news reporter.

REDVOLUTION TOUR OCT. 22 • 8 P.M. LAHAYE EVENT SPACE STUDENT $8 ADV PUBLIC $12 ADV DOORS $15 P U R C H A S E O N L I N E A T L I B E R T Y. E D U / S A FOR TICKET INFO CALL (434) 582-SEAT FOR EVENT INFO CALL (434) 592-3061

SPORTS

October 6, 2015

W. Soccer

Volleyball

W. Soccer

Liberty

Campbell

Liberty

GW

Liberty

UNC-A

3

1

3

1

1

0

B1

Volleyball Liberty

Football

UNC-A

Liberty

GSU

2

41

33

3

spike it

Pigskin update Flames ready for Big South Joel Schmieg jaschmieg@liberty.edu

Michela Diddle | Liberty Champion

TEAMWORK — Liberty middlebacks Sirena Vorster (21) and Caroline Douglas (10) attempt a block against UNC Asheville.

Victory in Vines Lady Flames stay undefeated in Big South with two wins Kallie Britton kbritton@liberty.edu Greg Castel gcastel@liberty.edu

Lady Flames vs.

Gardner-Webb The dynamic duo of Jade and Sirena Vorster “killed” the Gardner-Webb Bulldogs volleyball team with a combined total of 29 kills at a .556 pace for the 3-1 (25-16, 25-15, 18-25, 25-19) win at home on Friday Oct. 2.

After a rocky pre-season coming off a six-game losing streak, Liberty carried the momentum from their Big South opening win against Radford into its game against the Bulldogs, advancing to 2-0 in the Big South and 6-8 for the season.

The Bulldogs capitalized on a few errors by the Flames early in the first set, leading 5-2. Regardless of the slow start, Liberty surged ahead with a 15-2 rally, aided by four kills from Sirena Vorster, to take the lead 17-7.

After a series of consecutive kills, the Flames finished 25-16.

The majority of the second set remained neck-in-neck as the Bulldogs closed in, tying it at 14-14. The Flames remained patient and calculated, until Jade Vorster scored four kills, sparking a seven-point run for Liberty, outscoring the Bulldogs 11-1 to win 25-15.

WE’LL SEE YOU AT THE GAME

Lacking some intensity after the intermission, Liberty fell to Gardner-Webb 6-1 at the beginning of the third set. The Flames kept fighting but continued to trail the Bulldogs throughout the set, eventually losing 25-18.

The fourth set was a hard fought battle resulting in back and forth leads. Jade Vorster helped pick up the pace with three kills and a block, increasing the intensity on the court, which finally lead to breaking the 11-11

“

Regardless of the lack of intensity at the beginning of the game, Liberty remained tenacious and fought throughout each set even when they were not in the lead, Head Coach Shane Pinder said.

“Not every night are you going to play exactly how you want and as clean as you want, but the good teams find a way to get it done,” Pinder said. “I thought that’s what we showed tonight, even though the rhythm wasn’t

Not every night are you going to play exactly how you want ... but the good teams find a way to get it done.

— SHANE PINDER

tie with another seven-point run.

As the Flames took the lead 18-12 in the fourth set, excitement filled the air as the crowd stood to their feet with hands in the air. Gardner-Webb caught up within five points, 22-17, before Liberty finished the final set 25-19 for the win. Jade Vorster performed a perfect set, hitting eight for eight while the Bulldogs recorded 13 kills in the set.

Liberty overshadowed Gardner-Webb with 59 kills hitting a .255 pace while the Bulldogs recorded 40 kills at a .124 pace. The Lady Flames led 75-58 in digs and 7-4 in aces, while the Bulldogs out blocked Liberty 7-6.

what we wanted, they stayed together and kept working.”

Friday was a night for the books as Jade Vorster recorded a career high of 19 kills hitting .571, a match-high of four block assists and also notched her 400th career block. Her sister, Sophomore Sirena Vorster, added 10 kills hitting at a .529 pace, while Sophomore Anna Willey recorded a double-double setting a career high in both assists (48) and digs (13).

“That’s kind of a weird night, usually middles don’t get that many kills,” Jade Vorster said.

“But it’s good it just means the setter and I are connecting, and the passers are doing their jobs

M. Soccer vs. GWU

W. Soccer vs.

High Point

Oct. 10 @ 12 p.m.

Oct. 10 @ 4 p.m.

so hopefully we’ll just keep that high and run with it.”

Liberty continued to advance in the Big South after edging out UNC Asheville 3-2 on Saturday, Oct. 3. This puts the Flames at 3-0 in the conference and 7-8 for the season as they take on VCU Tuesday, Oct. 6 at 6 p.m. in the Vines Center.

Lady Flames vs. UNC Asheville On the very last play of the overtime set, sophomore Anna Willey already had 49 assists, which was one more than her career-high that she achieved the previous night against GardnerWebb. Saturday Oct. 3 in the Vines Center, her collegiate career would reach another milestone as she assisted her teammate, senior Haley Jeffcoat, on the very last play to give the Lady Flames volleyball team its second win in as many days. This was Willey’s first collegiate career 50+ assist game.

Coming off a 3-1 victory against Gardner-Webb, Liberty’s Women’s Volleyball team faced another conference school in the Vines Center, UNC Asheville, who stepped into this matchup with a 2-0 Big South Conference record.

The Vines Center hosted 570 in attendance

W. Tennis ITA Atlantic Regional

Oct. 15-19

See VICTORY, B2

Field Hockey vs.

UVA Oct. 15

@ 4 p.m.

The Liberty Flames football team wrapped up its non-conference schedule Oct. 3 in the Georgia dome with a victory over Georgia State to give them a winning record, an FBS victory and a much easier upcoming Big South schedule.

The Flames have had quite an eventful three weeks since playing West Virginia in Morgantown.

Immediately following the loss to the Mountaineers, Liberty played arguably one of the biggest games in program history Sept. 19 in front of a record-setting crowd of 22,551.

No. 15 Liberty played No. 8 Montana in the first ever top-15 matchup in Williams Stadium history. Liberty jumped out to an early lead and never relinquished it as they beat the Grizzlies 31-21.

The game was monumental for the Flames as they proved that they could win the big one.

After a big week at home, the Flames took off for their first of four straight road games. The Flames came into the game No. 10 against the unranked Southern Illinois Salukis. The Salukis scored 20 points before the Flames ever got on the board and the Flames never truly got back into it.

The Flames were troubled by costly mistakes as quarterback Josh Woodrum had two fumbles and placekicker John Lunsford missed two field goals, making that six misses on the season. The Flames also had two failed fourth-down conversions.

One of the lone bright spots for the Flames was redshirtfreshman wide receiver B.J. Farrow, who had eight catches for 101 yards. Sophomore Todd Macon also added his second roadrushing touchdown, more than any other back on the team at the time.

The Flames eventually lost the game 34-13.

Liberty had to shake-off the loss quickly as they went on the road to Georgia State the next week. The Flames entered their second FBS game of the season with a .500 record and not wanting to fall below that mark for the first time of the season. The Flames had dropped to No. 18 after their loss on the road the previous week.

The contest was a back and forth one that saw the Flames surpass 500 yards offensively while possessing the ball almost three quarters of the game. Despite these numbers, the Flames did not put the game away until the Panthers last drive of the game with less than two minutes to play, when Flames redshirt-freshman

See PIGSKIN, B3

W. Volleyball

vs. CSU Oct. 16 @ 7 p.m.

Follow @LUChampSports for Flames athletics coverage

sports

B2 | October 6, 2015 | Liberty Champion

Liberty remains in control

Lady Flames drive away Lady Camels to stay undefeated in Big South play Denton Day dday26@liberty.edu

The Liberty women’s soccer team (5-5-1, 3-0) continued its winning streak Sept. 30 at Osborne Stadium with a 3-1 victory over Big South rival Campbell (7-4, 2-1).

The Lady Flames offense controlled the ball on the Lady Camels side of the field early. Just minutes into the game, sophomore forward Jennifer Knoebel had the ball in the offensive zone and sent a pass toward teammates. Lady Camels goalkeeper Alexis Connors was fully stretched out and saved the ball from finding the back of the net.

The Lady Flames found themselves with another good chance in the eighth minute when senior midfielder Brittany Aanderud lobbed the ball over the defender’s head and Knoebel was able to chase it down.

With only the keeper to beat, Knoebel snuck the

ball into the back of the net to give the Lady Flames a 1-0 lead.

“We were possessing pretty well in the first half to start,” Knoebel said.

“That always gets everyone in a groove. And then we were just finding a lot of

“

At the start of the second half the Lady Flames found more offense. Five minutes into the half, Knoebel once again took the ball up the right side of the field and sent it across. This time, the ball met the foot of freshman midfielder Alyssa

I think it will just build up on confidence for us going through the season.

— JENNIFER KNOEBEL

space behind the backs and I was able to exploit their outer back.”

Knoebel was not done there. Towards the end of the 12th minute, she dribbled the ball along the right side of the field and sent the ball across the middle where it found the foot of freshman forward Devon Jones who guided the ball into the back of the net giving the Lady Flames a 2-0 lead.

Hill who put the ball past the goalkeeper into the left corner.

“Before this game, we talked a lot about the fruit of the Spirit,” Head Coach Jessica Hain said. “Selfcontrol being one of the most challenging fruits of the Spirit. The girls came up with a mission statement for the year, which is to achieve a new aroma. A new aroma would mean a lot of self-control.”

The Lady Camels got on the board in the 82nd minute with a penalty kick scored by senior forward Ashley Clark. That cut the Lady Flames lead to 3-1, but that would be the only offense the Lady Camels could manage as the Lady Flames remained undefeated in Big South play.

“We were tied with Campbell for first we both had two (Big South) wins,” Knoebel said. “So right now that puts us as overall first place, and I think it will just build up on confidence for us going through the season.”

The Lady Flames will continue Big South play on the road against Presbyterian on Oct. 7. Their next home game will be Oct. 10 against High Point.

DAY is a sports reporter.

Michela Diddle | Liberty Champion

COMMAND — Forward Jaime Bouffard controls a pass.

Leah Seavers | Liberty Champion

DIG — The Lady Flames get low in a winning effort against Gardner-Webb.

VICTORY continued from B1 of both fans of the Bulldogs and Lady Flames.

Liberty began the game winning the first set 25-17, and the next set 20-25. In those two sets, the Bulldogs summed 17 errors to the Lady Flames’ seven. The energy that the Flames had after the first two sets would slip away in the third set, as the momentum swung into UNC Asheville’s favor.

“Even in the third set we were in control early, and a couple plays shifted the moment,” Pinder said. “It shifted quick and all of a sudden, we were on our heels for two sets.”

In the third set, a block error from Jeffcoat and a kill from UNC Asheville’s Cameron Pryor, who had three kills that set, brought the score to 5-8, Bulldogs. Pinder subsequently received a red card and the visiting team held on tightly to the reigns of momentum.

“There was a key moment on the third set … a couple exchanges on calls that

helped shift the momentum,” Pinder said. “We just kind of reeled from there.

You know what (though), it’s never on the refs. It’s about us, and us answering the moment.”

The fourth set held a game-high seven tied scores. Sirena Vorster had one of her two solo blocks in the brink of the Lady Flames high-energy push. She soon executed a kill to give Liberty a three-point margin at 20-17, causing UNC Asheville to call a timeout.

According to Sirena Vorster, the team talked a lot in pregame about blocking, knowing the hitter-tendencies and which way to throw their hands while the opponent attacks. Sirena Vorster led the team against UNC Asheville in blocks with 3.5.

After the timeout, the Bulldogs pulled away with eight points to one. Leading the Bulldogs to a 21-25 set victory, tying the game to two sets a camp.

In the fifth set, the Lady Flames pulled out the victory with 14 kills out of the 15 points. Jeffcoat dominated the set, spiking in five kills and Willey assisted on a gamehigh 12 points.

“We really had to refocus, and we had to

Michela Diddle | Liberty Champion

BUMP — Freshman DS/L Margaret Latchford bumps the ball in the win over UNC-A. shift the momentum,” Willey said. “(We) didn’t go in overthinking or overplaying.

We had to start off strong that set and do the little things. I think the first two plays in the fifth set, the rallies were long, but we tried to not make errors and to let them make the errors.”

Friday night against Gardner-Webb, Willey collected her career-high in assists with 48. However, while facing UNC Asheville, the setter from Iowa earned her first collegiate game with 50+ assists.

“One thing I try to do is to mix it up, and not to rely too heavily on my middles, only my right sides, or only my outsides; just to have different people going at different times,” Willey said. “It keeps the blockers honest and it opens up for our hitters to have one-on-ones.”

She assisted on the final four points to give the ladies a victory. She, fortunately, was not the only player to break a milestone. Jeffcoat accumulated her first double-double.

Freshman Margaret Latchford picked up her career-best 31 digs. Sophomore Lindsay Foreman started the game and recorded a career-high 14 digs.

“I’m proud of her. It’s tough when you start out on the bench and you’re looking for moments to play and she was over there waiting,” Pinder said. “When you get out on the floor you’ve got to take advantage and do the things that keep you out there.

Right now, she’s doing that.”

Liberty is now tied for first in the conference with Coastal Carolina, as the only undefeated teams in the conference.

“Today, they started just rallying each other and the energy went up. I think the defense sparked it. From there I think we just fought our tails off and won the victory,” Pinder said.

The Lady Flames will face Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Oct. 6 in Lynchburg as they hope to stay undefeated at home.

BRITTON is a sports reporter.

CASTEL is a sports reporter.

sports

Liberty Champion | October 6, 2015 | B3

Although football dominates the American sports landscape this time of the year, America’s favorite pastime turns the corner to the postseason as 10 teams AUL begin the quest for the VANDENBOSCH World Series crown. Here is a look at my predictions for this year’s Major League playoffs.

For starters, I have the Cubs beating the Pirates in the National League Wild Card game. The Pirates have all the tools to make a championship run this year, but unfortunately, the one thing standing between them and the NLDS is Jake Arrieta, who is 11-0 with a 0.41 ERA since Aug. 1.

Needless to say, Arrieta is the sole reason why I like the Cubbies in this game.

In the American League Wild Card game, the Astros will move past the Yankees. Astros ace Dallas Keuchel has had his troubles away from Minute Maid Park in Houston (5-8, 3.77 ERA on the road), but a surefire remedy for that is a struggling team that lost six of their last seven games of the season.

I will go ahead and fast forward to the NLCS and say that the Dodgers beat the Cubs in six games. The Dodgers have plenty of experience in the NLCS. That, combined with the inexperience of a young Cubs roster, will push the Dodgers over the hump in 2015 and take them to the Fall Classic.

In the ALCS, it will be the Royals defeating the Blue Jays in a thrilling seven

PIGSKIN continued from B1 defensive-back Chris Turner picked off Georgia State quarterback Nick Arbuckle. The final score was 41-33 in favor of the Flames.

“We’re heading in the right direction,” Coach Turner Gill said in the postgame press conference. “We got a good football program with great football players. We got a great coaching staff. I think everybody around the country can see that we can compete against anybody in the country.”

Redshirt-senior Desmond Rice’s three touchdowns and 87 yards rush-

game series. This series will be a shootout, but the difference will be pitching, and the advantage there goes to Kansas City, especially late in games. The Royals bullpen had the second-best ERA in the Majors in 2015 (2.74), which makes it very hard to play from behind against this team. And because they are one of the most (if not the most) balanced teams in baseball, the Royals will repeat as American League Champions.

This year’s World Series will see the Royals emerge as champions after beating the Dodgers in six games. This club was quietly one of the best teams in the Majors in 2015, but it will make plenty of noise when all is said and done. While the Dodgers have a formidable one-two punch in Clayton Kershaw and Zack Grienke, the Royals have everything else, which will be more than enough to give Kansas City its first major sports title since 1985. *Editor’s note: all stats taken from ESPN Stats & Info unless otherwise noted

Baseball in October — is there anything better?

Well, besides football in January, basketball in March and soccer every four years in the summer.

But that is beside the point, I think.

The Major League Baseball playoff field is set with the Pirates hosting the Cubs and the Yankees hosting the Astros in the wild card round.

Fortunately for the Yankees, their fans are paying attention because the Patriots just had a bye week so they are not too tired from getting on and off the bandwagon.

In the National League, one of the top three teams will fall before the divisional series and another will fall before the championship series. This leaves the top team left from the NL Central to take the pennant in the National League.

According to Back to the Future, the Cubs are going to win the World Series this year. I know what you are thinking, that was supposed to happen last year, and the year before that? While the rumor has gone around pretty much every year since the movie came out, this is the actual year predicted in the iconic movie.

Unfortunately for the Cubbies, I do not think they will make it all the way to the World Series. But cheer up — you will beat the Pirates.

As for the American League Wild

PICK A SIDE

VANDENBOSCH is the sports editor.

ing earned him Big South offensive player of the week honors. Macon added two more touchdowns to pace the Liberty backs this season with four rushing touchdowns on the road.

Lunsford had his best game of the season, going 2-2, including a 56-yarder with 2:27 to play in the game. While Lunsford’s season and career numbers are below average compared to the rest of the NCAA, he continues to impress with his abnormally strong leg.

“It was a good win for us,” Woodrum said in the postgame press conference. “Great for our team, great for Liberty and we are really excited going into conference play.”

SCHMIEG is the asst. sports editor.

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The Flames first Big South matchup of the season will be on the road in North Carolina against the Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs for their homecoming game.

Gardner-Webb enters the game with a 1-3 record. The team’s only victory came over Virginia Union, a Division II team.

The Flames look to prove that they can win the games they are supposed to win and not falter on the road against inferior FCS teams.

The Flames will kick-off in Boiling Springs at 7 pm, Oct. 10.

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Card matchup, the Astros should be commended for improving such a vast amount over the past two years, but the Yankees will win and move on to a matchup with last year’s AL OEL pennant winners, the SCHMIEG Kansas City Royals.

As for the divisional series, I have the New York Mets continuing to stun the world and making it to the NLCS where they will face-off against the St. Louis Cardinals.

On the opposite side of the playoff field, the Rangers will continue their postseason dominance that we have seen in recent years and beat the Blue Jays to advance to the ALCS against the beardless Bronx Bombers.

The final four teams are now (figuratively) set with the Yankees versus Rangers in the AL, and Mets versus Cardinals in the NL. While a popular prediction will be the Yankees against the Mets in the World Series, I foresee the Rangers meeting the Cardinals and history winning out, with the Cardinals beating the Rangers in seven games — just like in 2011 — the last time either team was in the Fall Classic.

The only difference this year? The Cardinals will have to win game seven on the road.

Timothy Isaacson | SADA Faculty

SACK — Juwan Wells takes down the GSU quarterback.

sports

B4 | October 6, 2015 | Liberty Champion

Preview from the pool Lady Flames swimming & diving set sights on conference championship Luke Dillard mdillard1@liberty.edu

The Liberty University swimming & diving team jumps into the sixth year of the program this fall, hoping to continue to build upon recent success.

The Lady Flames finished second in the 2015 Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association (CCSA) Swimming & Diving Championships, completing a top-2 finish in their conference for a fourth year in a row.

This season’s team returns three conference medalists and four additional swimmers who won medals during relays at the conference championship last year.

Head swimming and diving coach, Jake Shellenberger, posted a 55-21 dual-meet record in the program’s first five years and has earned two CCSA Swimming Coach of the Year honors, according to libertyflames. com. He believes the program’s success is a direct result of recruiting.

“We try to recruit the absolute best student athletes possible,” Shellenberger said.

“Then (we) train them to be elite athletes.”

Not only are those athletes trained in the pool, but they are challenged in different parts of life.

“We talk about HPP, developing highperformance people,” Shellenberger said.

“That’s one of our mottos here, (being) high-performance people in all areas of life. It’s not just spiritual. It’s not just academic. It’s not just athletic. It’s everywhere (in life).”

Regardless of how talented the athletes may be, no team will be able to function properly if they lack chemistry together.

That is not a problem with this group of ladies, according to senior Kendall Hough, who enters the season with program records in the 50 back (24.97 - L) and 100 back (53.98) while earning three podium finishes at the 2015 CCSA Championships, according to libertyflames.com.

“We have such good chemistry,” Hough says. “We are all close and (we) like each

Leah Seavers | Liberty Champion

CRUISING — A Lady Flames swimmer competes in the backstroke during a spring 2015 event at Liberty’s Aquatics Center. other so much. I love this team so much.”

Shellenberger believes that the people in the swimming & diving program strengthen the chemistry of the team.

“We love our culture,” Shellenberger said. “We have a lot of great people here, and we want to bring in more people like the people we already have.”

Sophomore swimmer Prudence Rooker won five personal events and five relay medleys last year in her first season in a Lady Flames uniform. Rooker, along with the rest of her team, looks to build upon that success.

“We want to get as (many) people as we can scoring at conference,” Rooker said. “I think that is the goal.”

Hough echoed Rooker when discussing the goal for the upcoming season.

“Athletically, (our goal is) to win the conference,” Hough said. “Our goal in general (is) to build up godly women who are leaders who strive after greatness in all aspects and especially in their relationships with Christ.”

Shellenberger knows that success in the pool is important, but his team does not swim just to win trophies, medals and

awards. The mission of the team remains that of the university.

The Lady Flames opened their season with a 171-120 win over the Campbell Camels. They won two relays and 10 individual events, including six in which the Lady Flames took both first and second, according to libertyflames.com.

Next, the Lady Flames will travel to Fort Worth, Texas to compete against Texas Christian University and Incarnate Word Oct. 9.

DILLARD is a sports reporter.

feature

Liberty Champion | October 6, 2015 | B5

Leah Seavers | Liberty Champion

AUTUMN — When this colorful season comes around, pumpkin products pop up throughout grocery stores and local restaurants, and markets indulge in the fall flavors as well.

Pumpkin everything How to make the most of seasonal favorites around the city of Lynchburg Katelyn Rutt kerutt@liberty.edu

For lovers of colorful leaves, sweaters and everything pumpkin, there are more than enough hot spots in Lynchburg to indulge in your seasonal favorites. Hopefully this will help you in your search for some local fall flavor.

The Muse Coffee Company, a local hangout, is the ideal place to try a pumpkin chai. The ultimate mixture of classic autumn spices, this drink is soothing, warm and perfect for tea lovers. Enjoy it with a muffin on a fall afternoon and watch your worries melt away.

Drop by Layman Family Farms to enjoy fall activities and a square of homemade pumpkin pie fudge. Made with farm-

grown pumpkins and spiced cinnamon, this creamy treat will leave you craving just one more piece.

Looking for a festive, yet wholesome snack? Grab a can of Blue Diamond pumpkin spice almonds, available for a limited time during the fall season. These toasted California almonds are drizzled in honey, sprinkled with spices and make an irresistible snack.

Indulge in an unforgettable chocolate experience at Cao Artisan Chocolates with a signature pumpkin spice truffle. Handcrafted with fresh, pureed pumpkin, the truffle is blended with vibrant autumn spices. Encased in dark chocolate and garnished with a sprinkle of nutmeg, this decadent treat is the perfect ending to an evening in downtown Lynchburg.

This autumn, Cold Stone offers a lim-

ited-time pumpkin pie-flavored ice cream.

Pumpkin is mixed with crumbled graham cracker, ribbons of caramel and swirls of whipped cream. This cold treat will give you a new appreciation for pumpkin’s flavor.

The next time you enjoy a breakfast at Panera Bread, swap out your usual pastry for the new pumpkin pie bagel. Baked to perfection, it is topped with crunchy cinnamon streusel and dusted with powdered sugar.

Take your scone or muffin to the next level with Dickinson’s Country Pumpkin Butter. Creamy and lightly sweetened, it is the perfect way to spice up any baked good.

Craving pancakes, but tired of the same old flavors? Try a fragrant stack of IHOP’S new pumpkin pancakes. Two fluffy, golden pumpkin pancakes are cooked to perfec-

tion, drizzled in maple syrup and served with a dollop of whipped cream.

Instead of grabbing your usual mint gum at the grocery checkout line, try Wrigley’s Extra Pumpkin Spice gum. Bursting with the flavors of pumpkin and cinnamon, it will give you a long-lasting autumn experience.

Rekindle your love of pumpkin pie at Magnolia Foods, one of Lynchburg’s hidden gems. Baked with a spiced graham cracker crust, it is filled with velvety pumpkin and topped with a swirl of freshly made whipped cream. Just one taste, and you will be wishing the season lasted forever.

RUTT is a feature reporter.

Helping to build a home Liberty’s Habitat for Humanity club assists potential Lynchburg homeowners Matt Pierce mpierce17@liberty.edu

This time next year, another family in Lynchburg can call themselves homeowners. The Johnson’s, thanks to the work of Liberty University’s Habitat for Humanity club, will begin to see their home-owning dream become a reality Oct. 8.

The “Liberty House,” as deemed by Greater Lynchburg Habitat for Humanity, is the very first home that will be built in its entirety by members of Liberty University. Volunteers are welcome and donations are needed to help fund the building of this house. Each Habitat for Humanity home costs $60,000 to build and so far $35,000 have been raised for this home according to Alison Pettit, the faculty advisor for Habitat for Humanity at Liberty.

“If each student gave $5, we’d be done,” Pettit said. “We would actually have money left over to start a second house.”

Upon construction, Habitat for Humanity will have finished 291 houses in the Lynchburg area. The 1,200 square foot house will have four bedrooms, two baths and be located at 3229 Maryland Ave. Crystal Johnson, the home buyer, has two children and will also live with her sister and her child.

Each applicant, including

Johnson, undergoes a screening process, takes a financial literacy course and learns how to take care of their home. The potential homeowners must also work 300 “sweat equity” hours on their home and another home so they can learn the value of the house and helping others. These steps must be completed before they can officially own a house.

“I want this to be where we build this house then we start our next one,” Pettit said. “I don’t want this to be just a one time thing. The students are great and I know they want to help out in the Lynchburg community.”

When finished, these homes are very beautiful according to Donna Vincent, the executive director of Habitat for Humanity for the Greater Lynchburg area. She thanked the volunteers and donors for all their hard work and gifts to make these homes possible.

Habitat for Humanity is a Christian non-profit that operates based on Christian principles. They also operate as loan originators where accepted applicants finance their homes through zero percent interest loan with Habitat for Humanity. Though Liberty has partnered with Habitat for Humanity in the past, it officially became a Student Government Association (SGA) club in September 2014.

A great deal of the supplies comes from construction com-

Photo Provided

SERVE — Members of Habitat for Humanity help fundraise the cost of the house currently being built. panies and funding comes from many avenues such as local businesses, organizations, schools and churches. One church, Mountain View United Methodist Church in Forest gave $5,000 to this project. The SGA helps provide some of the funding, but it is not enough to finish the building of a house.

Students can support the cause by attending a Halloween bowling night hosted by the Habitat

for Humanity club Oct. 29. Tickets are pre-sold and are $10 for bowling from 7-9 p.m. at AMF Bowling Co. Tickets can be purchased in Pettit’s office located in the College of General Studies.

Students are also encouraged to help with their hands. During Fall Break, Oct. 8 and 9, up to 30 students are needed to work from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the house. The next construction day occurs Oct. 24 and 20 peo-

ple are needed. For more dates, information to join the club and any questions about Liberty’s Habitat for Humanity club, please contact Alison Pettit at adpettit@liberty.edu.

To learn more about what Habitat for Humanity is doing in the local area, visit lynchburghabitat.org.

PIERCE is a feature reporter.

feature

B6 | October 6, 2015 | Liberty Champion

A look behind the masks

The Scaremare team spends hundreds of hours prepping for the large event Amber Tiller atiller2@liberty.edu

The creative director of Scaremare Pam Vandegriff and her assistant Jason Shockley stood in an old cabinet shop at 6:45 p.m. on a Friday night.

In a dark room illuminated only by a strobe light flashing on the body of a clown inside of a coffin, they played sounds from Shockley’s phone in an attempt to choose the best selection and amplify the creepy ambiance filling the room.

During the weeks nearing the first night of Scaremare, Pam Vandegriff and her husband Steve Vandegriff, director of Scaremare, spend many of their evenings much like this one in order to prepare for Scaremare.

Steve Vandegriff also known as “Dr. V.” in addition to overseeing the event, also teaches as a Professor of Youth Ministries in the School of Divinity. The Center for Youth Ministries also sponsors this event, according to the website.

To make sure every eerie detail is perfect for Scaremare guests, the crew checks and rechecks the details until the opening night.

“We do scary, creepy, bizarre … (and) weird,” Pam Vandegriff known as “Mrs. V.” said.

The Scaremare crew prepared themselves for the event’s 43rd year of scaring people by setting up barriers between rooms, securing props to tables, floors and walls, and sound and light checks.

In addition, Pam Vandegriff also takes on the task of cleaning the laundry, vacuuming the house and building and scanning Goodwill stores and yard sales for

Courtney Russo | Liberty Champion

PREPARED — The Scaremare team must secure every prop seen to ensure maximum safety of all guests. appropriate props.

“You can’t even have a part time job (along with Scaremare), sometimes you get home at three in the morning,” Pam Vandegriff said.

Past the little details and the late nights, the purpose for the event has stayed an evangelistic outreach from the beginning, according to Steve Vandegriff. Pam Vandegriff echoed her husband’s premise for the event.

“People that will never go to church will come to this with their friends,” Pam Vandegriff said. “(And) for me, you only get one chance (at Scaremare with) these people to share the Gospel … (and) to be lost for eternity is a long time to be lost.”

Pam Vandegriff uses the phrase “Keep it on the cross,” ensuring the 180 Community Service (CSER) volunteers and additional

staff are always rooted in the Gospel even past the gory scenes and haunting effects.

From rooms with dolls silently staring to dark hallways closing in, Scaremare brings phobias to life, but there is a fine line for Pam Vandegriff as to what subject matter she covers in the “House of Death” theme.

“I don’t do Dracula,” Pam Vandegriff said. “I don’t do witches — any of that. We deal with the reality of death and that’s scary enough.”

Because the reason behind Scaremare is the gospel, the Vandegriff ’s make sure prayer is included in the preparation stage of the event.

The team will be praying over every room in the house and the building — praying God would work through this ministry. “(Scaremare) is held togeth-

er with duct tape, staples and prayer,” Pam Vandegriff said.

“We can put as (much) duct tape and staples in it as possible, … (but) if God’s not in it, then what are we doing here?”

In addition to keeping the event gospel centered, Steve Vandegriff mentioned the importance of scaring well.

“We have found that if we do a good job scaring (guests), they are more receptive to hearing us talk about faith in Christ,” Steve Vandegriff said.

The gospel has been received by thousands through the message of Jesus at Scaremare, according to Steve Vandegriff.

Overall though, safety stays at the front of the team’s mind.

From checking and rechecking props to having a walkthrough with the local fire marshal, Pam Vandegriff and Shockley clearly

stated that their ambition is to not only share the Gospel and enjoy the night, but to keep everyone healthy.

“It’s a constant battle (in outfitting the house and building) between what’s safest, what’s most effective (in scaring people) and what (actually) works (in the space allotted),” Shockley said.

The behind-the-scenes of Scaremare revealed hundreds of hours of prep, cleaning, and a year-round job of keeping the house and building safe through the off months. The Vandegriffs, who have overseen the event since 2000, take on the task of running the large-scale event. In addition, Steve Vandegriff participated in Scaremare as a student here during the early stages of the event.

Last year alone, the team catered to more than 27,000 people — walking them through the house, woods, the second building and then exposing them to the gospel during their nine production nights according to Steve Vandegriff.

This year, Scaremare will start around dusk Oct. 8-10, Oct. 1517, and Oct. 22-24. Tickets are $3 for college students or military Thursday night and $8 any other night.

The Scaremare team advises that young children do not attend due to various gory scenes.

For more information, visit liberty.edu/scaremare.

Research contributed by KAYLA HUMPHREYS. TILLER is the feature editor.

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feature

Liberty Champion | October 6, 2015 | B7

Sidewalk counseling Liberty students and residents of Roanoke peacefully protest for pro-life

Will Young weyoung@liberty.edu

On a pale gray, rainy Saturday morning, a rusted red Toyota turned into the parking lot of the Reid Jones Jr. Reproductive Health and Education Center in Roanoke, Virginia. The car came to an abrupt stop, and pulled up to the side of the lot to let someone out.

A woman stepped out of the car. She slammed the car door and walked briskly across the parking lot to the entrance of the health center, a central Virginia Planned Parenthood affiliate. A few feet away from the door, the woman stopped and looked over her shoulder.

There, a group of Liberty students and Roanoke community members stood in the rain participating in pro-life inspired peaceful protest and prayer, which participants call sidewalk counseling.

The woman paused to look at the crowd. This was different; not a lot of people care to give much attention to the group of sidewalk counselors. Through the voices of members calling out “We love and care for you,” the woman swiftly opened the door and walked inside. Silence echoed across the group with the click of the door.

Pats on the back, hugs and prayers between sidewalk counselors are the norm after a woman steps inside the Planned Parenthood in Roanoke; Saturday is the day abortions are performed.

Lifeline, Liberty University’s prolife ministry and club, has been dedicated to sidewalk counseling at the Planned Parenthood in Roanoke since before veteran members of the club can remember.

Though the Lifeline club holds a number of events throughout the year, sidewalk counseling has become a staple in the club’s agenda — it happens every Saturday.

Members participating hold signs in protest, pray for women considering an abortion and give out brochures with advice for those entering and exiting the building. Women going in receive a pamphlet of alternate options to abortion. Women coming out get a brochure with post-abortion resources.

“Sidewalk counseling is a tangible way that we can help to end abortion,” Lifeline President Rachel Brown and Liberty senior said. “It’s a great way to be active in the effort, and although it breaks you emotionally, it draws you closer to God in the end.”

Brown is not alone in her feelings of sidewalk counseling.

Being a few feet from an abortion clinic, several members in the pro-life group were quick to note the emotional and mental deterioration that comes with sidewalk counseling.

“It’s a hard thing to do,” Lifeline Secretary and Liberty senior Mary Boyette said. “No part of me wants to get up early and stand outside an abortion clinic, but I care about the women that go in there. Sidewalk counseling makes you realize these women (are) real; they’re not just a statistic.”

A part of the challenge is getting a chance to talk to the women entering the clinic. Sidewalk counselors are forced to stand on a medium between the parking lot of the Planned Parenthood and the road, as the parking lot is considered private property.

Rick Sink, a recent Liberty graduate and former Lifeline

RJ Goodwin | Liberty Champion

CLUB — The Lifeline team ministers to ladies going into Planned Parenthood in Roanoke on Saturdays. president who still participates in sidewalk counseling, said that the distance seriously hinders the group’s ability to influence women considering an abortion. At one point, clinic workers parked their cars to block the view of the sidewalk counselors.

“We don’t get a lot of people walking up to talk to us,” Sink said. “Most people seem to ignore us, but if we are able to influence the choice of just one person, then it makes all the difference.”

To several members of Lifeline, it is hard to see much change on a short-term scale from sidewalk counseling. The group strives to

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plant the seeds, to try to influence the choices of those considering an abortion through love and grace, even if they do not see the impact of their actions in the near future.

“In some cases we’ve seen women leave here without getting an abortion, and we know from national statistics that some women aren’t showing up to their appointments with Planned Parenthood,” Boyette said. “So in a broader sense, there really is an impact to sidewalk counseling.

Visible change or not, members of Lifeline have a shared commitment to sidewalk counseling.

Though members do not spend their Saturdays expecting to see changed minds around every corner, Brown said that it is still important to act, and that anyone who considers themselves as pro-life has a duty to come out and support.

To find out more about sidewalk counseling and the Lifeline club, you can e-mail them at lifeline@liberty.edu or check out their Facebook page at facebook.com/lulifeline.

YOUNG is a feature reporter.

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FEATURE

B8

October 6, 2015

fourty-three years of scaring

Courtney Russo | Liberty Champion

HOUSE OF DEATH — Scaremare visitors will walk through an old house, dark woods and a redesigned cabinet shop filled with horrors, eerie characters and gory scenes.

SEE B6 FOR FULL STORY

2015

FALL FESTIVALS Your Guide to Virginia Autumn Adventures

CRAIG COUNTY FALL FESTIVAL

SINKLAND FARMS PUMPKIN FESTIVAL Christiansburg Saturdays through October 31st Features the Punkin’ Chunkin’ World Champion demonstration. Music, food, crafts, dancing, kids zone activities, and so much more.

GRAVES MOUNTAIN LODGE APPLE HARVEST FESTIVAL Syria October 10-11, 17-18, 2015.

Features Bluegrass music, arts and craft vendors, good food, hayrides, and lots of apples and apple butter making. Also pick your own apples from the orchard.

CLIFTON FORGE FALL FESTIVAL Clifton Forge

New Castle October 10, 2015.

Four block of antique cars, local music groups, food, horse rides, and kids activities

FALL FOLIAGE ART SHOW Waynesboro October 10-11, 2015.

Downtown Waynesboro turns into an outdoor art gallery with over 150 artists.

STUART APPLE DUMPLING FESTIVAL Stuart

October 16-18, 2015.

Activities include live music, homemade foods, arts and crafts, and lots of antiques.

Find activities throughout downtown Clifton Forge.

SHENANDOAH FALL FOLIAGE BIKE FESTIVAL Staunton October 16-18, 2015.

A full weekend of sightseeing and riding.

Features breakfast and lunch activities.

CHOCOLATE FESTIVAL Charlottesville

Oct 17, 2015

October 17, 2015.

Chocolate Chase 5K Run & Walk

Apple Orchards RAVENELLE CORN MAZE RUSSEL FARMS Forest 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Saturday 1 a.m. - 6 p.m. Sunday

LAYMAN FAMILY FARMS

MORRIS ORCHARD

Blue Ridge

Monroe

Saturdays and Sundays till Nov. 8 Haunted Harvest October every Friday and Saturday night Flash light maze night Wednesdays October 7, 14, 21, & 28 6-9 p.m.

9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Monday - Saturday 1 - 5 p.m. Sunday

JOHNSON ORCHARD Bedford April - December 12 p.m. - 5 p.m.