2008 Woodie Awards
More to GorillaFest than tailgating
Gerard Attoun
Issue date: 8/23/07 Section: After Hours
- Page 1 of 1
With the first football game of the season just around the corner, preparations are already under way for the 10th annual GorillaFest, a university-sponsored pregame tailgate party at Gorilla Village.
"This is an exciting time of year," said Ed Wirthwein, assistant director of the Overman Student Center for Campus Activities. "This is why I get up and do my job everyday."
GorillaFest offers many alternatives to just attending football games. For children, there will be activities like face-painting and games provided by the Health, Human Performance and Recreation Department.
Student groups also take this opportunity to sell items to raise money for their activities. Vendors will offer a variety of foods and will feature live entertainment before the game.
"Even if you don't like football, even if you're not a football fan, you could still come and have a good time," Wirthwein said. "And the nice thing is that it's free."
The live entertainment for the first game is Fresh Sunday, a high-energy Oklahoma City-based pop-rock group. For the rest of the season, Wirthwein has arranged a diverse selection of bands, ranging from blues to rock and country. Area 51, a rock-blues group from Pittsburg that is partly composed of PSU professors, will be playing at the second home game.
Those planning to attend should keep the weather in mind, cautioned Sgt. Thomas Duncan of University Police and Parking Services.
"We've had some bottled water that's been donated to us that we'll keep on our golf carts and backs of our trucks," Duncan said. He added that the Crawford County Sheriff's Department will have an air-conditioned trailer on site.
"It will be a cool-down facility in case somebody gets overheated," Duncan said. "They can go in there and sit and cool down if needed."
Duncan also said that the Crawford County EMS is going to have a "Gator," or small sports utility cart. Emergency medical personnel and Mt. Carmel Medical Center will aid any who may be overcome by the heat. The media room, located on the northeast side of the stadium, will be open as another cool-down room.
"Drink plenty of fluids if you're going to be here," Duncan said. "If you've got umbrellas or whatever, something to shade yourself, it would help."
Wirthwein says that GorillaFest is an event that must be experienced first-hand.
"Where else would you rather be on a Saturday in Southeast Kansas than at a football game? If you can find something better or cooler, let me know."
"This is an exciting time of year," said Ed Wirthwein, assistant director of the Overman Student Center for Campus Activities. "This is why I get up and do my job everyday."
GorillaFest offers many alternatives to just attending football games. For children, there will be activities like face-painting and games provided by the Health, Human Performance and Recreation Department.
Student groups also take this opportunity to sell items to raise money for their activities. Vendors will offer a variety of foods and will feature live entertainment before the game.
"Even if you don't like football, even if you're not a football fan, you could still come and have a good time," Wirthwein said. "And the nice thing is that it's free."
The live entertainment for the first game is Fresh Sunday, a high-energy Oklahoma City-based pop-rock group. For the rest of the season, Wirthwein has arranged a diverse selection of bands, ranging from blues to rock and country. Area 51, a rock-blues group from Pittsburg that is partly composed of PSU professors, will be playing at the second home game.
Those planning to attend should keep the weather in mind, cautioned Sgt. Thomas Duncan of University Police and Parking Services.
"We've had some bottled water that's been donated to us that we'll keep on our golf carts and backs of our trucks," Duncan said. He added that the Crawford County Sheriff's Department will have an air-conditioned trailer on site.
"It will be a cool-down facility in case somebody gets overheated," Duncan said. "They can go in there and sit and cool down if needed."
Duncan also said that the Crawford County EMS is going to have a "Gator," or small sports utility cart. Emergency medical personnel and Mt. Carmel Medical Center will aid any who may be overcome by the heat. The media room, located on the northeast side of the stadium, will be open as another cool-down room.
"Drink plenty of fluids if you're going to be here," Duncan said. "If you've got umbrellas or whatever, something to shade yourself, it would help."
Wirthwein says that GorillaFest is an event that must be experienced first-hand.
"Where else would you rather be on a Saturday in Southeast Kansas than at a football game? If you can find something better or cooler, let me know."
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