SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home NOTEWORTHY NEWS CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES Angel Wings program under way NOTEWORTHY NEWS November 23, 2009 Email This Post Print This Post Share | ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS Long-standing programs at Western Carolina University, Angel Wings and the Jackson County Christmas Store oer community members in need an affordable opportunity to acquire holiday gifts for their families. PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES The Department of Residential Living is coordinating participation in several ways. Financial donations and unwrapped, new toys and clothing to be donated to the Jackson County Christmas Store will be accepted at the residential living office in Scott Hall. For details about the program, click on the “Angel Wings” information link on the right side of the Web site for the Department of Residential Living. Call (828) 227-7303 for more information about how to get involved. CALENDAR Click here to read about a Toy Run Parade that WCU communication students assisted with to benefit the Jackson County 5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern Christmas Store. Minds 5/29/2017 Print Plus One: Beyond Click here to read a previous story in The Reporter about Angel Wings. LINKS Calendar Higher Education NewsWatch WCU Hub AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT © 2009 Western Carolina University. SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home TOP STORIES CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES Athletic training group completes fundraising run from WCU to ASU NOTEWORTHY NEWS November 16, 2009 Email This Post Print This Post Share | ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS Catamounts could be seen running along the Blue Ridge Parkway this past weekend, but these weren’t of the four-legged variety. It was a contingent from Western Carolina University’s athletic training program completing the second annual Mountain Jug Run for Research. PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES Nine WCU runners – including students, faculty and sta – began the 174-mile continuous relay at the WCU football stadium in Cullowhee early Saturday morning, Nov. 14, and completed it 30 hours, 14 minutes and 33 seconds later when the group reached the football stadium at Appalachian CALENDAR State University in Boone. 5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern Minds Named in honor of the annual football rivalry 5/29/2017 Print Plus One: Beyond between WCU and ASU, the Jug Run was LINKS organized to raise funds for the National Athletic Calendar Trainers’ Association’s Research and Education Foundation, a nonprot corporation that awards Higher Education NewsWatch research grants and academic scholarships in the WCU Hub field of sports medicine. AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT The inaugural Jug Run in 2008 oered up single- digit temperatures and snow for much of the rst 100 miles of the event, but the mild weather this year created perfect conditions for the A WCU athletic training group prepares for the second annual Mountain Jug Run for Research from participants as they took turns running ve-mile Western Carolina University to Appalachian State University. segments, said Jay Scifers, director of WCU’s athletic training program. Last year’s run was completed following roads that mostly run through valleys, but this year the group ran along the Blue Ridge Parkway for 150 miles, which meant the runners faced extremely long uphill and downhill sections. “Although the parkway was much more dicult to traverse than last year’s course, it provided a wonderful location for the event,” Scifers said. The six student participants – Heather Brown, Emily Whittington, Aleesa Lennon, Jeremiah Nichols, Kris Leamon and Britton Harper – “did an excellent job handling the run and the fatigue factor,” Scifers said. When they weren’t running, participants rode in the support van. “It was dicult getting much sleep during the event because we were stuck in a vehicle for 30 hours when not running. Some participants slept as little as one hour during the trek, and trying to stay hydrated and maintain adequate nutrition was a challenge,” he said. Scifers said the students’ performances were especially impressive considering the fact that they were anything but seasoned runners when they signed on to participate. Most had never run more than one or two miles at a time prior to beginning training in August. Harper, a sophomore from Waxhaw, completed what was considered to be the toughest segment of the event, a 1,200-foot climb on the parkway north from Balsam. He ran a total of 25 miles over the 30-hour span and reported that he was “completely worn out” when the group arrived on ASU’s campus. Harper said the run was exhausting but satisfying. The Jug Run participants ran through the night on the parkway, and Harper had one of the group’s more interesting encounters with wildlife around 9 p.m. Saturday, when he came upon an aggressive possum standing in the road. “The possum was about 10 feet away,” Harper said. “I looked at him, and he looked at me, and then he started coming toward me.” Harper scooted to the side of the road to avoid the animal and continued his journey. In addition to the “attack possum,” other wildlife encounters included fox, deer, owls, bobcat and one small bear that refused to get o the road for the van to pass. Scifers said the group encountered no other human trac on the parkway from 10 p.m. Saturday until 5:15 a.m. Sunday. “During that time, our group ran about 40 miles. It is incredible how dark it is on the parkway at night, and also how peaceful and quiet it is,” he said. “Everyone enjoyed the evening running due to the wonderful temperatures and the peacefulness of the surroundings.” The logistical challenges of the Jug Run included a parkway closure in the Mount Pisgah area, where the scenic road is blocked o for one mile because of the possibility of landslides. The runners proceeded to the closure gate, and then had to turn around and take a 30-mile detour by van to get to the other side of the closed section and resume their journey. In addition to Scifers and the six students, the running group also included Associate Professor Jill Manners and staff member Emily Martin. Jug Run participants have collected about $1,000 in donations so far to present to the NATA’s Research and Education Foundation. Their goal is $2,000, and donations are still being accepted. Donations may be made in the form of checks payable to NATA-REF and sent to Jill Manners at 134 Moore Hall, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee N.C. 28723. All donations to the foundation are tax deductible. By Randall Holcombe Tags: athletic training program, Emily Martin, Jay Scifers, Jill Manners © 2009 Western Carolina University. SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home TOP STORIES CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES Awareness weeks coincide on campus to highlight topics from NOTEWORTHY NEWS homelessness to heritage ACHIEVEMENTS November 16, 2009 Email This Post Print This Post Share | EVENTS Campus groups will dedicate this week – PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES Nov. 15-21 – to highlighting a range of issues – the struggle for equal rights, the reality of hunger and homelessness, the importance of international education to address global needs, and the value and diversity of Native American heritage. CALENDAR Click here to read more about: Fight for Equal Rights Week LINKS Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Calendar Week Higher Education NewsWatch International Education Week WCU Hub Native American Expo in celebration of Native American Heritage Month AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT Tommy Wildcat performed at WCU on Nov. 4 during Native American Heritage Month. Fight for Equal Rights Week What began as a UNITY student’s idea for a music festival grew into Fight for Equal Rights Week, which will feature movies, discussions, speakers, a drag show and training designed to explore the struggles of different groups for equal rights. “This is not a national program around the country on college campuses but grew out of the Logo for Fight for Equal Rights Week desire of our students to educate the campus about the different eras of human rights movements,” said Michelle Clonch, director of the Women’s Center, which is an event host and sponsor. “We hope students are able to critically think about and understand that these parallel human rights movements –civil rights, disabilities rights, gay rights and women’s rights – have historical and institutionalized roots but are still fresh, relevant and being fought for today by underrepresented and disenfranchised populations and allies.” “We want our students to understand that as individuals pursuing the privilege of higher education, they have a responsibility as members of the global community to not only be aware of social injustices happening around the globe, but to also be aware of what is happening here in the United States and to affirm that they can contribute to the solution,” Clonch said. Fight for Equal Rights Week features an exhibit on the second floor of the University Center and a range of events: Screening of “Hairspray” followed by civil rights discussion at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 16, in Multipurpose Room A of A.K. Hinds University Center; Screening of “Iron Jawed Angels” and panel discussion about the women’s suffrage movement at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 17, in the University Center theater; Discussion titled “A Look Into the Funhouse Mirror” led by Lance Alexis, director of disability services at WCU, at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18, in the Rogers Room in the University Center; “Women Who Dare” speaker series event about Zora Neale Hurston and highlighting the women’s and civil rights movement at 6 p.m.