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INSIDE: SPOUTS: Women^scmss country team captures Big SoufhUik p,5 OPINION: Edgertofi’Webster should be a mokl for all students p. 2 The Blue FEAJUHES: Events planned for COMICS: CuU Idiocy Quiz: Beasts of International week p. 4 Ballads p. 6 "The invariable mark of wisdom is to see the miraculous in the common. " — Ralph Waldo Emerson BANNER WEATHER: Sunny and warm on Saturday. Mostly cloudy with a chance of showers Sunday. Highs in the 60s. Lows in the 30s. VOLUME 23 UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT ASHEVILLE NUMBER 9 STUDENTS WILL BRAVE THE COLD TO RAISE PUBUC AWARENESS Greg Deal Staff Writer Members of the Panhellenic Association at UNCA, a national association of sororities, will be participating in an overnight sleep-out on the quad beginning at 8 p.m. on Nov. 4 to raise money for a homeless shelter in Asheville. “It is to symbolize the homeless situation in Asheville, and make the students aware of how big a problem it is,” said Janie Phelps, UNCA sopho more, and one of the event’s organizers. Students who will be participating in the sleep- out will only be allowed to bring with them a box or a sleeping bag. “We thought tents would be too much,” said Phelps. Phelps said the money raised through pledges will be donated to Asheville Bun combe County Christian Ministries (ABCCM), a local homeless shelter. “We chose ABCCM shelter ministry because they not only help the homeless, but they will only help the ones who will help themselves,” said Phelps. “If a man comes in there and can work and does not work, they kick him out. They only let people stay that are willing to find a job and are willing to educate their children.” Phelps said that each sorority within the Panhellenic Association has set a minimum amount of money that they must obtain from pledges in order to participate in the event. “I know within Alpha Xi Delta (Phelps’ sorority), we have set a minimum of $20 per member,” said Phelps. “Each group has gone to its individual members and has set goals of their own.” She said the Alpha Xi Delta has already met its goal, and she said that she feels strongly that other groups will also meet their goal. Phelps said that the overall goal for the event is to raise $2,000. “(Members) go to people within the community, and also the faculty and staff on campus, and ask for pledges,” said Phelps. She said that Panhellenic Association is also working with Greek Council in preparing for the sleep-out. “They are helping us raise money,” said Phelps. “But, all of the organi zation of the event was done through Panhellenic. ” The Panhellenic Association chose Nov. 4 as the date to hold the event The event’s organizers have taken certain precau tionary measures to combat any cold weather that might occur on the night of Nov. 4. Phelps said that the organizers plan to have four or five metal barrels, which are approved by the fire depart ment, in order to have a fire with lumber that will be provided by Asheville "We are just trying to let the community, and the faculty and staff, see that the fraternities and sororities do a lot for the community and others. "--Janie Phelps because of the chilly temperatures, accord ing to Phelps. She said that sleeping out in colder weather would help symbolize the homeless situation in Asheville. “We are j ust trying to let the community, and the faculty and staff, see that the fraternities and sororities do a lot for the community and others,” said Phelps. “We are not just in (these organiza tions) for friendship and fun, but also to help others.” Lumber Company. “We will have a fire, throughout the night,” said Phelps. “That will help, as far as the heat goes.” There will also be hot chocolate and coffee at the event, which will be provided by Marriott of Asheville, according to Phelps. Phelps said that Panhellenic is trying to get the Please see "Students," p. 8 Students Learn About Career Options Over 300 students attended the Career Fair held on campus last week. It was the largest career fair held at UNCA in recent history, with nearly 40 organizations participating, according to Kerri Day Keller, assistant director at the Career Center. by [g| i^gy Group Forms To Deal With Equality Issues Greg Deal Staff Writer An new organization, the members of which say that its goal is to promote equal rights for all individuals, has been initiated on campus this semester. The organization, SMOCE (Sexual Minori ties on Crusade for Equality), meets on Thursday nights at 6:30 p.m. in the Highrise conference room. “We formed it, basically, to educate people and promote awareness about sexual minority issues,” said Amanda Farrell, UNCA freshman and one the founders of the organization. “We re ally encourage anyone, even if they are not homosexual, to come and listen. Even supporters of equal rights are in vited to come.” Farrell said that SMOCE is different from previous gay and lesbian organiza tions on campus, in that it is more inclusive and deals with a variety of equality issues. “We came here and saw that GALA (Gay and Lesbian Association) had dis persed. The people that had organized it before were seniors and they gradu ated,” said Farrell. She said that there is definitely a need for an organization like SMOCE on campus. SMOCE applied to SGA (Student Government Association) in Septem ber to be recognized as an organization on campus. They were accepted, and have been meeting for approximately one month, according to Farrell. “Our constitutional goals are, basi cally, to educate and make people aware that equality can be achieved,” said Farrell. She said that the goals of the organization might be a little idealistic, but she hopes to see a unified campus in which everyone’s mind becomes more open to homosexual causes. Farrell said that the faculty at UNCA have been a help to the forming of the organization. She said that one profes sor, in particular, gave her advice and encouragement during the formulation of the organization. SMOCE had approximately 40 people come to its first meeting, but the num ber is about 20 members at the present time, according to Farrell. She said that, so far, the organization has had coming- out day events on campus. “We had booths in front of the Highsmith Center, and we handed out red, AIDS awareness ribbons and purple ribbons to support coming-out day,” said Farrell. Farrell said that there was good stu dent response to the events, and about 200 people signed a banner saying that they support equal rights for everyone. “We are trying to get a lot of AIDS speakers, since this month is AIDS Awareness Month,” said Farrell. “We are also [participating] in the Big Brother/Big Sister program with OUT FIT, one ofAsheville’s organizations for youth.” Campus-wide response to the organi zation has been good, according to Farrell. “There is a strong conservative element here, so I guess they aren’t too happy,” said Farrell. “But, everyone seems to really support us.” Farrell said that SMOCE did a chalk drawing on campus once to show that gay and lesbian individuals are just like anyone else. She said that someone came along and wrote a negative response over the chalking. “Some people weren’t too happy about [our chalk drawings],” said Farrell. Farrell said that someone once told her that if everybody came out in support of equal rights, equal rights would be achieved for everyone. “No one realizes that they have the great capacity of change that they do. So it goes unused,” said Farrell. “Hopefully, SMOCE can awaken that sense in people, and change could happen.” RCMKDS FOR HARD WORK HELP OFFSET S WNf'S PERSONAL HARDSHIP Dan Clifton Staff Writer For one UNCA senior, last semester was filled with many trials and tribulations. Brenda Edgerton- Webster was to receive three awards from the Multicultural Center and the Mort Cohn award from the mass communication department last spring. On May 1, 1994, at 1 a.m., Edgerton- Webster was involved in an auto accident with a drunk driver. “I was on my way to pick up my husband from work when a car came out of nowhere, said Edgerton-Webster. “The passenger side of his car hit the front of my car as it passed over the median. He was going about 90 miles per hour. His car flipped over my van and caught fire as we ran off into an embankment.” Aware of the burning car beside her van, Edgerton- Webster’s first thought was of her twin children, Lauren and Brandon, both almost five years old. I thought 'what about my babies? said Edgerton- Webster. After realizing that her children were not with her, she literally hopped on one leg to reach a safe distance away from the burning vehicle. Edgerton- Webster sustained a broken right knee-cap, a fractured right fibula and head wounds. She now has a plastic knee-cap, and a metal rod from her hip to the knee-cap held together by eight pins. Three days into her hospitalization, Edgerton- Webster received the awards from the Multicultural Center, and was told of being awarded a fourth. “I couldn’t believe it. I had absolutely no idea,” said Edgerton-Webster. “I thought ‘Gosh they really do care.’ Somebody noticed that I was working hard. It meant so much to me on a personal level, that the faculty and my peers think so highly of me.” After spending two weeks in the hospital, Edgerton-Webster’s fear was that she would never walk again. According to Edgerton Webster, her strong faith, and support from family, friends and UNCA faculty, helped her overcome that fear and gave her the will to walk again. “When I first started to walk, I had tears in my eyes. I just wanted t>j be in school come August 24, and the doctor said that I would be walking by then,” said Edgerton-Webster. Three months after the accident, on August 2, she began to walk. One of the places she walked into was the mass communication of fice, where a plaque hangs in honor of the Mort Cohn award recipients. “Something I was really looking forward to was to walk into the office and look at the plaque with my name on it,” said Edgerton-Webster. “It was one of the first things I did.” She also pointed out that the accident has changed her life. “It made me more appre ciative of life,” said Edgerton- Webster. “I’m doing things that make me happy and things that, as far as I control, make other people happy.” Edgerton-Webster was awarded the William E. Highsmith award for having the highest grade point average (GPA) at UNCA among African- Americans. She also received an award for displaying lead ership qualities as an African- American, and the Mary McCloud Bethune award for being an African-American with a GPA above 3.0. The Mort Cohn award is given to the outstanding ris ing senior in the mass com munication department. Cohn was general manager at WLOS-TV Channel 13, and was a well-known figure Brenda Edgerton-Webster Photo by Annemarie Riley Please see "Work," p. 8
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