Kansas State University - Royal Purple Yearbook (Manhattan, KS)

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Pomps set PURPLE PRIDE Afloat For students involved in building Homecoming floats, time became a precious commodity. Time usually spent studying and sleeping was sacrificed for completion of the float. For the team of Lambda Chi Alpha and Sigma Sigma Sigma, that sacrifice was well rewarded as they placed first in the float competition sponsored by Blue Key senior honorary as part of Homecoming activities. For the team of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity and Alpha Chi Omega sorority, about 250 hours were spent working on their float from the initial design stage to the Emal judging, said Brad Alstatt, senior in computer science and Fiji Homecoming coordinator. Kappa Kappa Gamma and Tau Kappa Epsilon worked about seven hours a day on the float during the two weeks prior to Homecoming, said Kiley Crill, sophomore in business and Homecoming co- chairwoman. Before the float construction could begin, the design of the float had to be determined. The Lambda Chis and Tri Sigs added a new twist to the float design process as they used a computer to determine what materials were needed for construction. The dimensions of the float were fed into the computer, and it determined the amount of wood, chicken wire and tissue- paper pomps needed. When we needed to make corrections we just punched into the computer the changes, and it made all the alterations for us, said Thad Blondefield, senior in journalism and mass communications and Lambda Chi Homecoming chairman. Float design was limited only by the Homecoming theme Ride the Tide of Purple Pride a $1,000 spending limit and each group ' s imagination. The spending limits for this year ' s float were specified more clearly in the rules, which allowed only $1,000 total expenses to be spent on each float, said Clark Atkinson, senior in civil engineering and Blue Key president. Each float was also to represent the Homecoming theme in some way. The average amount spent by the groups was between $750 and $950, said Keenan Beauchamp, senior in agricultural engineering and Blue Key float competition coordinator. The greatest construction expense was the tissuepaper pomps which averaged between $100 and $300 per float, he said. Although float building required an investment of time, creativity and money, those who made the sacrifice found it to be worth-while. All the time, effort and money were definitely worth it, because the work we put into (the float) built a lot of friendships, and it wasn ' t whether we won or lost, but the fun we had doing it, said Steve Bowden, junior in business administration and Sigma Chi Homecoming chairman. —Jada Allerheiligen Last minute pomping on their Homecoming float is taken care of by Lisa Shipley, a member of Alpha Xi Delta. (Photo by Jim Dietz) Lifting the car onto the roller coaster float so it can Ride the Tide of Purple Pride are members of the team of Alpha Xi Delta and Sigma Chi. (Photo by Jim Dietz) Float Preparation

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VCRs 25

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