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Tuesday, October 4, 2011

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Issue 32

PUBLISHED SINCE 1906 http://utdailybeacon.com

Vol. 118

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VOLstars help those in need over break UT students travel to Tuscaloosa, Ala., help rebuild after tornado fallout after five months,” Tucker Hunley, undecided freshman, said. “Most people don’t realize how close to the university this actuStaff Writer ally was … what if this had been UT? How would we react to it?” Stephens explained to the group exactly what she saw that “It’s ridiculous, the highlight of my academic career,” day and told stories of the friends she lost and the lives that Spencer Cagle, junior in economics and Alternative Fall Break were saved. She feels that the tragedy, though it brought forth Tuscaloosa member, said. much suffering, also connected the students like nothing but Fall Break 2011 went a little differently for a fortunate few tragedy can. She said that even though school was dismissed UT students who were chosen via interview process to particiseveral weeks early, nearly the whole student body refused to go pate in this year’s Alternative Fall Break. TeamVols hosts both home, and instead stayed to help clean the streets and nurse the alternative break trips annually and allows wounded. students to donate their time, usually spent The final day of the trip was split into two resting, to the less fortunate. The students parts, starting with volunteering at the are never told the location of their trip until Forrest Lake Baptist Church and ending weeks after they have been selected. This with the Tuscaloosa volunteer center wareensures a team of true Volunteers, who wish house. The church had become a place of nothing but to serve others to the best of refuge after the storm, hosting and nursing their abilities. Once the interview process is people daily for five months. It was just now complete, the remaining students are secable to begin functioning as simply a church tioned off into hand-picked groups, each routagain. The members told stories of food ed to separate locations in need of assistance. shortages and miracles that seem to happen As many are aware, earlier this spring — every time they were nearly out of a supAlabama was hit hard with its share of natuply, a person would find them and give them ral disasters, leaving many of its resident’s just what they needed. homeless, without schools and at the mercy Most remarkable, however, was even in of its surrounding states in their quest for their time of tragedy they were still focused restoration. TeamVols selected one volunteer solely on what they could do for someone group to help make a difference in the heart of else, even going as far as surprising the the destruction, Tuscaloosa. VOLstars with a full-course, home-cooked The Tuscaloosa team, more affectionately meal just for being there to help move some known as the VOLstars, started their service furniture around and clean up. on Sept. 29, volunteering at Lloyd Wood The volunteer center was no different. Middle School. The middle school is playing Home to some secret Volunteer fans, affechost to a group of elementary students from tionate older men, who spend their time colHolt Elementary’s afterschool program, lecting goods to give out to the poor for free, • Photo courtesy of TeamVOLS whose previous location was destroyed in the never ceased in offering them what they Over Fall Break, students paint the outside of a home damaged from the storms that tornados. The VOLstars spent the remainder wanted from the piles of necessities they of their day finger-painting, singing songs and, hit Tuscaloosa, Ala. last spring. On this year’s Alternative Fall Break trip, students were supposed to be bagging. most importantly, bringing joy to the faces of worked to repair damaged homes and played with children whose lives had been As the trip drew to a close TeamVols children who have had their daily lives and affected by the storms. Coordinator Kate Humphrey summed up the routines uprooted from beneath them. Lloyd is feelings of all. just one of many schools trying to deal with the overcrowding pride with people and I am glad we could restore just the small“In a troubling world it’s refreshing to find someone who still issue seen all over southern Alabama. est bit of that pride to the people here,” Anna Freels, junior in has time to be kind, someone who still has the faith to believe On the final day of September the VOLstars worked with nursing and Team Leader, said. that the more you give the more you receive,” Humphrey said. Brush of Kindness, a service group under Habitat for This term applies not only to the citizens of Alabama but to Later on that night they were given a tour of University of Humanity’s housing umbrella. This section provides fresh coats Alabama by student and Brushes of Kindness helper, Hannah the Tennessee students as well. The examples set by the stuof paint and household restorations for people in less fortunate Stephens. dents not only at home but around our country really allow the neighborhoods. “It was pitiful to see how bad of shape they were in, even world to see what it means to be a volunteer. “The fresh coats of paint made a huge difference, but you

Taylor Mcelroy

look around and see all the other destroyed houses and it makes you sad to know you can’t help them all,” Melissa Mullins, undecided sophomore, said. The community really responded to the volunteers’ work, according to participants. Many of the residents even stopped and commended the work. As the volunteers worked on two adjacent houses in a neighborhood, one woman remarked that no one ever does anything about the damage here and thanked the volunteers. “People’s houses and what they look like are a real sense of

Gala commemorates struggle Jamie Greig Staff Writer Nearly 900 people gathered last week in the Knoxville Convention Center to celebrate 50 years of African-American achievement at UT. The event was part of UT’s year-long celebration commemorating the first black undergraduates to enroll in the university. The large crowd honored UT administrator Theotis Robinson, the families of Charles Blair and the late Willie May Gillespie with a standing ovation. UT Trustee Anne Holt Blackburn, a 1973 alumna and Emmy-award-winning anchor for Nashville’s WKRN-TV, served as the mistress of ceremonies. “Today’s students owe a debt of gratitude to the brave men and women who broke down the walls of segregation at the university,” Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek told attendees. “The events of the past have brought us to where we need to stand today — a campus open to and committed to diversity.” The celebration, organized by the 50th Anniversary Committee, featured musical and dramatic performances highlighting the challenges and accomplishments of the last five decades. UT students, faculty and staff, along with community members, were part of the music and dramatic production. The 1970s were represented by a song and dance production of the song “Age of Aquarius.” The All Campus Theatre and Strange Fruit Productions student groups joined forces to produce a play highlighting the 1980s and the oncampus struggle for equality. The families of Gene Mitchell Gray, the first African-American graduate school student, and Lincoln Anderson Blackney, the first AfricanAmerican law school student, were also recognized at the celebration. Many African-American achievers attended, including Brenda Peel, the first UT AfricanAmerican undergraduate to obtain a degree; Lester McClain, the first African-American scholarship athlete, who played football in 1967; and Wade Houston, the first African-American basketball coach in the Southeastern Conference. Among the many other individuals and groups celebrated for achievement was the late Fred Brown, who founded UT’s Minority Engineering Scholarship program. Cheek noted the impact of Brown’s work and highlighted the efforts of the campus’ Love Gospel Choir and ME4UT student organizations.

Cheek also made note of Brown’s role in nurturing many students, including UT trustee Spruell Driver, a 1987 engineering graduate. Driver was named a Torchbearer upon graduation and went to Duke University to earn a law degree. He also was celebrated at the event as the first African-American president of the UT National Alumni Association. Music faculty member Donald Brown, a threetime Grammy nominee and internationally renowned jazz pianist, played “Someday We Will Be Free,” accompanied by vocalist Kelle Jolly. The program reflected on the role of sports in UT’s African-American achievement. Including Larry Robinson, the first AfricanAmerican to receive a scholarship for UT’s varsity basketball team; linebacker Jackie Walker, who became the first African-American football team captain; and Condredge Holloway, who was named the school’s first African-American football quarterback and UT alumna Benita Fitzgerald, who was the first African-American to win a gold medal in the Olympic 100-meter hurdles. The program gave credit to the work of Rita Sanders Geier, who filed a lawsuit against the state in 1968, which led to a long-standing consent decree and dedicated funding for minority recruitment, scholarships and faculty hiring at UT. Geier came to work at UT in 2007 as a special assistant to the chancellor and retires this fall. UT junior Jessica Session gave a riveting slam poetry performance, which was accompanied by vocalist Shana Ward, pianist Kristopher Tucker and cellist Jeremiah Welch, all of whom are UT undergraduates. The gala ended with the university’s Alma Mater, sung first in traditional style and then reworked into a modern arrangement for the grand finale, which showcased all the evening’s performers. Cheek thanked celebration co-chairs, Charles and Annazette Houston, and members of the committee for an enjoyable and inspiring event. Avery Howard, agriculture and natural resources leadership and table host at the Gala, remarked on the event’s meaning. “It was incredible to see the achievement of African-Americans who attended UT. It inspired me to see that I can make an impact just as they did,” Howard said. “African-American students at UT are not here solely because they want to be but because of the work of others who have come before us. Reflecting on the 50 years of accomplishments by African-American students makes me want to continue to make a difference for another 50 years.”

Madeline Brown • The Daily Beacon

Matt Butcher performs while comedian Dave Rasnake and host Lauren Lazarus listen during a live airing of 11 O’Clock Rock on Thursday, Sept. 29. The episode was the 500th for the program, which is broadcast from the Market Square offices of Knoxivi.com. The shows are open to the public Monday-Friday at 11 a.m.


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