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Datlg (Ear Uppl Students, Grandparents Meet at Crossroads Campus Crossroads has set up an Adopt-a-Grandparent program that pairs students with rest home residents. By Moira Vanderhoof Staff Writer Justin Wright started the Campus Crossroads program this year hoping to provide a church alternative for stu dents wanting to learn more about God through Christian fellowship. Wright, a former UNC student who graduated from the East Coast Bible College in Charlotte, said the group provided a relaxed atmosphere for stu dents who wished to build and strengthen their faith. “We do things like have picnics on the quad, and we go bowling,” Wright said. But after voluntarily washing win dows on Franklin Street and taking Christmas gift baskets to the elderly residents at the local Britthaven Nursing Home in December, Wright also found that the group enjoyed and found encouragement in serving the community. “We realized that so many of these people (in rest homes) don’t get visit ed,” Wright said. “That’s when it hit me that we should try to pair students Local Blazes Fuel Town Sprinkler Debate Several area officials say sprinkler systems should be considered for off-campus housing, despite high costs. By Kevin Krasnow Staff Writer A rash of area fires has pushed local officials to consider whether sprinkler systems should be installed in all off campus rental facilities. Fires at Timberlyne and Foxcroft apartments in Chapel Hill last week, coupled with recent fires at Seton Hall University in New Jersey and at Bloomsburg University in Pennsylvania, have fueled the debate. None of the buildings in the incidents had sprinkler systems. Robert Bosworth, deputy fire chief for Chapel Hill, said area fires had brought the issue to the forefront for good reason. “The fires bring this issue to light,” he said. “I’ve been to way too many fires where sprinklers would have controlled fires - they are a whole lot better than other devices.” University Mourns 3 Former Faculty Members Former Professor Irene Rains designed costumes for more than 200 plays during her tenure at UNC. By Harmony Johnson Staff Writer The University mourns the loss of three former faculty members who con tributed to the University community through their research and enthusiasm. A memorial service this month will honor the loss of a former University professor who is remembered for her love of students and dedication to her profession. Irene Rains, a costume design pro fessor from 1942 until 1969, died in her Chapel Hill home April 20. She was 95. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. May 13 at the Chapel of the Cross in Chapel Hill. UNC also mourns the loss of Professor Emeritus Harriett Rheingold, who died Saturday, and Distinguished Professor of Music Emeritus William S. Newman, who died Thursday. During Rains’ 27 years as a faculty member, Rains designed costumes for more than 200 plays, said Scott Parker, director of the UNC Institute of Outdoor Drama. “She was clearly one of the most influential professors in the history of the drama department,” Parker said. “She taught coundess numbers of stu dents the value of good costume design.” During her tenure at the University, Rains taught several notable theater personalities, including Andy Griffith and William Ivey Long, a two-time Tony Award-winning costume designer. Long has designed costumes for six plays currendy mnning on Broadway. Rains is also remembered for her with them.” The idea caught on with the Campus Crossroads participants and grew into the Adopt-a-Grandparent program. Wright said a challenge for the stu dents was that many of the “grandpar ents” had trouble communicating with them. “Some of these people in rest homes cannot speak,” Wright said. “Some will talk your ears off, but if you just spend five minutes with them it means so much. It’s just a huge need I’ve found.” And the pro gram has gained support from both the elderly and student partici- “It’s encouraging to know that just by being there you have brought them a little hope and made them feel a little better. ” Jennifer Leonhardt Adopt-a-Grandparent Participant pants. “We definitely saw a need for it,” said Jennifer Leonhardt, a sophomore from Denver and participant in Campus Crossroads and Adopt-a- Grandparent. Jana Wilson, another participant, said she felt the program filled a void by keeping the adopted grandparents company. “There are a lot of elderly people out there who do not have family that comes to visit them,” said the sopho more from Morganton. “They are peo Taking the lead in fire safety, the City Council in College Park, Md., has pro posed that all sorority and fraternity houses, apartments and rental homes be equipped with sprinkler systems. The proposal is geared toward ensur ing the safety of students at the University of Maryland at College Park. Some steps have already been taken by officials in Chapel Hill and Carrboro to install fire preventing sprinkler systems in new housing developments. Bosworth said a 1996 Chapel Hill ordinance required that all future resi dential complexes “Our fire chief always says there has never been a death in a sprinkled building. ... So how could it be too costly ?” Jacquelyn Gist Carrboro Board of Aldermen Member and University housing must be equipped with sprinklers, stemming from a 1995 fraternity fire at Phi Gamma Delta, killing five UNC students. “It requires any structure greater than 6,000 square feet or any building with a major renovation to have sprinklers installed,” he said. “All fraternities and sororities must also have sprinklers installed within five “(Rains) was clearly one of the most influential professors in the history of the drama department. ” Scott Parker UNC Institute of Outdoor Drama Director personal guidance to students and fac ulty. “She was a house mother in many ways,” Parker said. “She took a great per sonal interest in her students.” In 1984, Rains received the North Carolina Theatre Conference’s Distinguished Career Award, an award that recognizes a lifetime of service in theater. Parker, who made the presenta tion speech for the award, said Rains was either the fourth or fifth recipient of the award. In 1977, she also received the jyrxxxxxxxxxxxxxtxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxll- 7^if I Hideaway I Half Price] VnS&il Lunch or Pinner Buy any lunch or dinner at the regular price and n Jj| get the second of equal or lesser value at half price. Jjj Limit one coupon per table. ;i , rHF expiressii9/oo 137 E. Franklin St. • Chapel Hill I Hideaway 1 SJSit£ m 22. B lS'iS a i 933-6133 fiixxxxzxxxxixxxrxxxxxxxxixxxxxx XXXXXXXXTXXXXXXZ XX XX XXX XXXXX *i pie too. They get a lot of enjoyment out of having young people come visit them.” But it is not always easy for the vol unteers to communicate with their adopted grandparents. “It’s uncomfortable at first," Leonhardt said. “It’s hard for them to respond to you.” Three to four students are usually paired with one “grandparent,” and Leonhardt said they tried to go to the rest home to visit as often as possible. Some students go once a w'eek. The volunteers target those resi dents who do not have family that visit them and those who do not get a lot of cards and atten tion, Wright said. “I encourage the students to find out their birthdays and send them birthday and holiday cards,”.he said. Leonhardt said the students tried to ward off the elderly people’s loneliness. “When we go we just try to sit down on their beds and talk to them. Some of them seem really lonely,” Leonhardt said. “It’s sad because some of them just sit and talk to themselves. “But the more you go, the more years.” Bosworth said that while he wished sprinkler systems could be installed in every building, he felt the town had moved in the right direction to ensure fire safety. Chapel Hill Town Council member Pat Evans said the town had not consid ered a proposal similar to College Park’s plan because it would be too expensive to fund. “To require every resident to have a sprinkler system would be excessive,” she said. “Budgets are tight, and there’s no free ride - someone’s got to pay.” But some local officials said they felt that installing sprinklers was of utmost concern and a fire safety measure not to be ignored. Carrboro Alderman Jacquelyn Gist said sprinkler systems should be installed in all buildings because they were the most effective way to prevent fires. Gist disagreed that cost should pre- Distinguished Service Award from the Roanoke Island Historical Society for her many years of ded ication to “The Lost Colony.” Rheingold, 92, was one of the nation’s most renowned devel- opmental psychologists. She was nationally recognized for her research on the social and exploratory capacities of infants and young children. She died in Carol Woods Retirement Center after a long illness. Newman, 88, served on UNC’s fac ulty from 1945 until his retirement in News ___ ■-* ” ' '•■^■ ; j,®*/ f'- S' .-, .. -a^ t" V||| DTH/EMILY SCHNURE UNC students Jana Wilson (left) and Jennifer Leonhardt visit with residents of the Britthaven of Chapel Hill nursing home as part of the Adopt-a-Grandparent volunteer program. comfortable you get and the more they start to recognize your face." Besides sitting and chatting with their adopted grandparents, the stu dents have done things like send them Easter baskets. “Just by sitting and talking to them you can find out their backgrounds and the things they like,” Wilson said. “They might like to go out on the porch and talk, or they might have a favorite candy ... or they might like to go outside and look at the flowers. We try to tap into those things.” The main focus of the Adopt-a- Grandparent program is to give the vent the community from taking the ini tiative in fire safety. “Our fire chief always says there has never been a death in a sprinkled build ing,” she said. “So how could it be too costly? “How many lives does it have to save for them to be implemented?” Gist said she wanted to find a way to make installing sprinkler systems less expensive. “We need to look at why these sys tems are so expensive,” she said. “One reason is the hook-up fees. The question is whether the expense is justifiable or if there is a cheaper way to install them.” Charles Douthit, manager of Foxcroft Associates LLC, said installing his build ing with sprinklers would be too costly, even though a fire at the complex, locat ed at N.C. 15-501 in Chapel Hill, leveled 12 rental units last week. “It really gets to be expensive to go back and retrofit all of the units,” he said. “One of the things we are trying to do is put smoke detectors in attics.” Douthit said the 12 units that burned down would be rebuilt with installed sprinkler systems. The City Editor can be reached at citydesk@unc.edu. 1977. He taught piano, music apprecia tion, history and graduate musicology. He was also an accomplished concert pianist and author of the three-volume series “The History of the Sonata.” Aside from Newman’s professional work, motorcycles were his hidden pas sion. In 1953, he arrived at a University concert tour from Chapel Hill to Seatde by motorcycle. He was also an avid sports car fan who did his own repair work. He died from complications of a stroke and no service is planned at this time. Assistant University Editor Kim Minugh contributed to this story. The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu. f'arhk>m elderly people a chance to communi cate and connect with others. Even though the program is run through a Christian organization, Wright said students did not have to be either part of Campus Crossroads or Christian to participate. “I take my wife and my son,” Wright said. “And when you leave (the rest home) they’ve actually helped you. They have a lot of wisdom to share.” Leonhardt gets a sense of pride from spending time with the grandparents. “It’s encouraging to know that just by being there you have brought them a little hope and made them feel a little City Strives for Fire Safety Sprinkler system mandates for College Park, Md. aim to protect town residents and students living off-campus. By Alex Kapi un Staff Writer The City Council in College Park, Md., has drafted a proposal aiming to protect town residents from apartment fires, but particularly University of Maryland students living off-campus. City Council members in College Park, where the University of Maryland is located, are examining a proposal to place sprinklers in all rental housing in the city, including Greek houses. The proposal comes on the heels of a residence hall fire at Newjersey’s Seton Hall University that killed three stu dents and injured 50 others this year. Five UNC students were killed when the Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity House burned down in 1995. College Park city regulations already require sprinkler systems in all new housing, but there are no such regula tions for existing residences. Council member Lisa Blevins said most members of the council supported the proposal, but the group would host a public hearing next week before set ting a date to vote on the issue. Blevins said the proposal aimed to protect college students renting resi dences in the city. “The idea is, when you are a homeowner, you’re a little more cautious then renters,” she said. She said it was likely that one oppo sition to the proposals might come from landlords who would have to pay for the sprinkler systems. “There will be some out-of-pocket cost increase for landowners,” Blevins said. She also added that some residents might not see the need for sprinklers. “One of the arguments for not having sprinklers is that we’ve not had a major fire in College Park in 10 years.” LOW Student Airfares Europe • Africa Asia • South America More Than 100 Departure Cities! Eurailpasses Bus Passes Study Abroad _ _ student jC** universe •com StudentUniverse.com 800-272-9676 Tuesday, May 2, 2000 better,” he said. “It makes you feel good and uplifted.” About 10 students participate in the Adopt-a-Grandparent program. Wright said he hoped the program would con tinue to grow and allow them to volun teer in other rest homes. “Our job is to make them feel spe cial, to have an emotional relationship with them and give them something to look forward to each week,” Wfilson said. “They need to feel special and loved and cared for.” The Features Editor can be reached at features@unc.edu. But Jim Robbinson, UMd.-College Park coordinator of life safety systems, said sprinklers were necessary to keep students safe. “Because of the lifestyle of students, it’s difficult to protect them, but this is a step in the right direction.” He said fire detection and prevention technology should be efficient enough for sober students to evacuate a burning building before the fire reaches danger ous proportions. Robbinson said technology for effec tive sprinkler systems had only existed for about 10 years. He said landlords should update the fire prevention tech nology of residences that were more than a decade old. He added that while the fire at Seton Hall had received national attention, no campus was devoid of fire-related inci dents. “I’m not sure that there is any campus that hasn’t experienced a fire in one form of another,” Robbinson said. Wei-Lin Yang, a UMd.-College Park freshman from North Potomac, Md. and a member of Zeta Psi fraternity, said the university community was already well-protected against fires. “Our house already has (sprinklers), but I think it’s good that the university is trying to protect its students." The State & National Editor can be reached at stntdesk@unc.edu. SCREAM 3 Daily 7 10 9 50 Sat/Sun 1:45, 4:20, 7:10. 9:50 WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH (PGI3) Daily 7:00. 9 *0 Sat/Sun 1:30. 4 10. 7:00. 9:40 NEXT FRIDAY (R) Daily 7:20 Sat/Sun 2:00. 7:20 WHOLE NINE YARDS (R) Daily 9 30 Sat/Sun 4 30. 9 30 L EASTERN i |L Uum FEDERAL A mm THEATERS . PLAZA THEATRES N I ■■ Elliott Rd. 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Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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May 2, 2000, edition 1
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