The Compass
Thursday, September 20, 2001
5
THIRD ANNUAL ROTC RUN/WALK-A-THON A HIT
ECSU’s GROUNDBREAKING
PROJECTS FOR DORMITORIES
Chi’Mur Knight
Thewisestudent @ yahoo.com
One of the main concerns of
ECSU students year after year is the
lack of air conditioning in most of the
dormitories. Some students have
even wondered why the University is
going to build a new dorm instead of
installing the much-needed air condi
tioning in the existing ones, which are
Wamack, Bias, Mitchell-Lewis, Doles,
and Hugh Cale.
Freshman, Tiray Jones, who is a
Wamack Hall residence, said, “At
times it’s [the heat] unbearable, even
fans don’t help”. Jones thinks it would
be a good idea for the increase in
tuition and fees to go towards air
conditioning dormitories.
A sophomore. Social Work
major, agreed and said, “the money
we already pay out should include air
conditioning, we shouldn’t have to go
out and buy fans”.
Mr. Bruce Boyd, Housing Direc
tor, has indicated, “We hear the cry of
the students, and we have long since
anticipated the need for air condition
ing, however, identifying the re
sources has been extremely hard.”
Boyd also explained the Bond Refer
endum that the North Carolina voters
supported would cover the much-
needed air conditioning and other
needs of the dormitories. However, a
renovation such as this one will take
time. Aside from the Bond Referen
dum, there is another project under
way. Over the next eight years, each
dormority will be upgraded with new
furniture, Wamack is completed, and
aside from lack of air conditioning, it
is state-of-the-art as far as furniture
and (wiring for Internet Access.) The
complex is scheduled next for a
furniture upgrade.
Other major projects include
groundbreaking for a new dorm in the
spring of 2004. The proposed dorm
will have 200 beds, suite style, and
state-of- the-art facilities, including air
conditioning and wiring for Internet
access. “We want students to have a
nice, clean and safe environment,
one that promotes academic suc
cess”
In responding to the students
who asked about tuition including air
conditioning, Boyd said, “we keep our
housing cost affordable, and some
times finding resources including
private ones, to provide air condition
ing is difficult. Furthermore, heat is
important as well.” Boyd went on to
say the existing dorms would be
renovated, with air conditioning, but it
will take some time.
Lacey House
Contributor
The Third Annual Army ROTC
RunA/Valk-a-thon was held on Satur
day, September 8'^ There was a
significant amount of cadets and
community participation in the event.
Runners and walkers were
greeted by nearly perfect weather.
Excitement filled the air as partici-
pants-ranging from cadets, alumni,
the Unites States Coast Guard,
community members, and marathon
runners- warmed up and waited for
instructions.
The 4.8-mile race began on the
campus of ECSU at the Army ROTC
building and continued through
surrounding streets, including
Edgewood, Parkview Rd., Park Dr.
and Riverside. The cadets, who were
neither running nor walking, were
suited up in reflective vests and
positioned on streets to help guide
participants in the right direction.
Trophies were given to the top
three male and female finishers. The
cost of the evfent was $3.00 in ad
vance and $s!00 the day of the event.
This parjicular race was a first for
many participants, including Larry
Ormerod, 41, who came in first place
for the males of his age group with a
time of 31:20. When asked if he would
like to participate in the event again
next year, he said, “Oh yeah! if I’m
free next year, I’ll do it.”
The other two top male runners
were Ozzy Vera, who came in second
place with a time of 32:17, and
Joshua Dubois, who came in third
with a time of 32:18.
Pam Gensler, 36, came in first
place for the ladies, with a time of
41:58. Lisa Cratty, 39, came in second
place with a time of 41:59. Both ran
the event for the first time, but the
ladies have ran 2 half marathons and
3 10K’s in the past together.
Both runners would like to come
back next year. Cratty said, “We had a
good time. It was a lot of fun.” Gensler
added with a chuckle, “Next year,
we’ll get our daughters out...We’ll
beat them.”
ECSU junior, Miss Lavonne
Riddick made her fellow cadets proud
by coming in third, with a time of
53:52.
Erika Hardy, 7 and Jeremiah
Hardy, 4, were by far the youngest
participants in the event. When asked
if they had fun, both responded, “Yes,”
with big grins. Erika added, “But we
didn’t finish.” Both ran with their father,
Major Wayne Hardy of the USCG.
Mr. Pedro Holley and his wife
crossed the finish line as spirited as
when they started the race. ‘This was
my first year, but 1 started 3 weeks
ago exercising with ROTC...preparing
for my next 50 years,” said Mr. Holley.
For Lt. Colonel Deas, professor
of military science, this was also her
first year participating in the event. “It
was good. More about helping the
cadets. I hope we get more commu
nity involved,” she said.
LITTLE STEPS TOWARD BIG IMPROVEMENTS
w
Denmark takes a moment to meditate before the walk
IN LOVING MEMORY
Miss Tia Simms of
Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority
Incorporated was killed in a
fatal automobile accident on
Monday, September 3,
2001. Sigma Gamma Rho
held a candle lighting
ceremony on September 6,
2001 in her memory. She
will be sincerily missed by
all of her family, friends,
sorors, and acquaintances.
The Compass sends their
prayers and thoughts to her
the family for their loss.
Student Body Meeting, August 24, 2000
DeTra L. Stith
DepotQ @ hotmail.com
On August 17, 2001, Kim Den
mark and a group of students from
Elizabeth City State University, in
cluding the Student Government
Association cabinet, some of the
ladies of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority
Incorporated, some of the ladies of
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated,
and other students joined in a walk
from Microtel Hotel to the campus of
Elizabeth City State University.
Demark was wearing her trademark
orange wind suit with a million signa
tures on it. Denmark is a native of
Dayton, Ohio. What is she walking
for? She is walking to improve the
welfare reform system. She is striv
ing to get the Welfare Reform Act of
1996 changed and enhanced to truly
assist people in need of governmen
tal assistance. At first she believed
that every person on welfare was lazy
and just wanted a free paycheck.
She also thought that all individuals
on welfare were black, but eventually
she found out that she did not know
as much about welfare and the recipi
ents of welfare as she thought.
Denmark used to own and oper
ate a company called Performance
Health and Temporary Service. This
company was very successful until
she ran into financial difficulties when
she tried to expand. The company
was improving the lives of many
people until the banks that she tried
to borrow loans from tried to take her
company. Before her company was
shut down, Denmark had an encoun
ter with a woman. This woman des
perately wanted to improve her life
and her children’s lives. This lady
came into Denmark’s office with a
baby on her lap and two children
around her ankles. Denmark says that
the sight of this woman was a wake-
up call for her, and it was then that
she decided to do something to help.
When Denmark saw how des
perate the lady with the children was,
she began to feel as if too many of
the nation’s unfortunate population
was falling through the cracks in the
welfare system. Ultimately, she feels
that they become dependent on
alcohol and then commit crimes, such
as theft and murder.
She got so depressed with
America’s way of dealing with welfare
recipients that she was on the verge
of having a stroke. In January 1999,
Denmark decided she would walk
and collect signatures for a petition
against welfare reform, in hopes of
collecting one million signatures. As
of now, September 2001, Denmark
has walked over 1700 miles through
Indiana, Ohio, Maryland, Pennsylva
nia, Virginia, New Jersey, New \brk,
Delaware, Washington D.C. and now
North Carolina, and has now col
lected 20,000 signatures.
“To walk with Kim was an experi
ence. I never knew welfare was such
a big issue. Kim is a very strong and
motivated individual. I was privileged
to be able to walk with her,” said Takia
Winrow, an ECSU sophomore.
Even though Denmark has never
been on the welfare roll, she hopes
that the walk will encourage single
mothers to be steadfast in seeking
work and to eventually encourage
them to start businesses, so they can
work for themselves.
FOR MORE
INFORMATION ABOUT
KIM DENMARK AND
WHERE SHE WILL
WALK NEXT,
GET ON-LINE AT
KIMWALKS.COM