Fort Hays State University - Reveille Yearbook (Hays, KS)

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A large crowd gather- ed to listen to music and en- joy barbequed chicken at the university’s first-ever free picnic. K to by ty Davis) University staff, faculty, students, and all other members of the Hays community gathered together at the beginning of the year for an old- fashioned, barbeque style Picnic T ' he Fort Hays State University family held a first-ever free picnic Monday, Aug. 26, attracting 3,095 people to the quad area of campus. We ' ve had picnics before when not everybody was invited. This year, we decided to have a picnic for everybody. After ail, this is everybody ' s university, Dr. Gerald Tomanek, president of the university, said. Four groups comprised the family : FHSU students, faculty, staff and all other members of the Hays community. This is the biggest picnic Fort Hays State has ever had by far,” Dr. Bill Jellison, vice president for student affairs and organizer of the event, said. People could be seen tossing frisbees and kicking hacky sacks, eating, talking, and dancing to the music of the band Stardust. It was a night for renewing friendships...a feeling of good times was what it was all about, Jellison said. The purpose was to get together - ail of us, the students, faculty and townspeople. SAGA, the campus’ food service, provided the meal of barbequed chicken, potato salad, baked beans and watermelon. The Pepsi-Cola company provided Pepsi for the crowd. Jellison said what made the picnic a success was that people did not have to buy tickets. If we would have sold tickets we wouldn ' t have sold 50, he said. It cost the university $1 .65 per meal served, but they received over $1,000 in donations. We still have to come up with $2,500, Jellison said, but considering that 3,100 people enjoyed a good band and a festive occasion, it was a minimal fee. Jellison said the remaining money would come from non-state sources. Tables covered by red and white checked cloths were set up with the food, it was pretty terrific that nobody had to wait -- everybody just walked through, Jellison said. The food wasn ' t bad — it beats my own cooking, Ray Bjorklin, Holyoke, Colo., special student, said. Jellison said he received a coupie of complaints indirectly about the food, but that no menu would satisfy everybody. I thought the food was good-everybody likes barbequed chicken, Don Kennel, Portland, Ore., senior said. It ' s a good thing they ' re doing here. One-fourth to one-third of the crowd were Hays residents, invited for the first time to this campus event. In years past, the picnic has welcomed faculty members and staff back to school. in the future, the picnic will be an annual event, Tomanek and Jellison both said. Jellison said the menu might be cold fried chicken next year, to eliminate the messiness of the barbeque. The Memorial Union Activities Board sponsored Stardust, who recently competed in the Wrangler Country Showdown, a competition in Nashville. The band is really good, Karen Wright, Greensburg freshman, said. It ' s a good idea to have a band because it keeps everybody going. Wright said she saw the picnic as an opportunity to meet new people and make new friends. Campus organizations saw the event as a chance to promote themselves and do recruiting. Many groups set up tables on the sidewalks of the quad. The quad grass is normally off-limits to pedestrians, and some were concerned that it would be damaged by the heavy traffic. Tomanek, a grassland specialist, said, I think the grass can take it once.” All it takes is a little loving care. The grass is to be used and enjoyed, and it helped make the picnic, Jellison said. It ' s a matter of how often you walk on it. After it’s mowed and watered, one month from now you won ' t be able to tell. I think I received a hundred compliments about this picnic, Jellison said. Nobody told me it wasn ' t great. by jill grant and david burke 12 - Picnic

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REVEILLE - SUBTLE DIFFERENCES nri Life in western Kansas is one rich in tradition with a blend of progress. Fort Hays State has been an important part of this area since her birth. The campus-sponsored events provide entertainment and culture to an area that is predominantly rural. While farming and oil may be the mainstay of the citizens of northwest Kansas, FHSU is the source of music, theatre, art and dance for these people. In addition to providing entertainment for the area, many groups at FHSU exist for the pleasure of the students. They provide the extra touch needed to make college life just right. They spend countless hours organizing events to furnish students with a total, well- rounded education. Without these people and their events, life would be ordinary and average. They provide the subtle difference, the added touch, to make campus life here something to be remembered. - dr Campus Life -11

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Karen Poncelow, Hays junior, joins in on the chicken dance at the university picnic. Ail students, faculty, staff and Hays residents were invited to the picnic, (photo by Monty Davis) A youngster relishes the taste of watermelon at the university picnic, (photo by Monty Davis) Picnic - 13