Purdue News

November 20, 1998 Tree raising kicks off holiday events WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Holiday activities at the Purdue Memorial Union will start about 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 3, with the raising of a 30-foot Christmas tree in the Great Hall. Lafayette Heating and Cooling, 525 N. 13th St., Lafayette, is donating the blue spruce that will be erected. "It's a beautiful old tree that is in a bad position for us," said Mark Roberts of Lafayette Heating and Cooling. "It has to go, but this is a heartwarming ending for the tree." The tree for the Great Hall has been donated by a community member every year since 1975. The tree is traditionally the largest indoor, natural tree in Indiana. Purdue staff members will use a lift to decorate the top half of the tree. Members of the Purdue Student Union Board will decorate the bottom half on Dec. 4. The tree will remain on display until the afternoon of Dec. 18. After the tree is decorated, visitors can enter a "Guess the Lights" contest, with the winner receiving a dinner for two at the Purdue Memorial Union's Sagamore Room, a Beanie Baby from Teacher's Delight and free textbooks for a semester from University Book Store. The drawing will be conducted Dec. 11 The student union board will sponsor a Breakfast With Santa from 8:30 to 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, in the La Posada dining area on the ground floor of the Memorial Union. The Union Market will feature breakfast specials of pancakes, French toast stick or waffle, with sausage and a drink, for $1.50. The Women of Vision, a student organization, will sponsor a Kwanzaa exhibit in Room 118 of the Memorial Union Dec. 1-11. The exhibit, open daily from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., will introduce visitors to the Kwanzaa celebration and the seven principles that guide the African-American holiday. The Women of Vision also will sponsor a campus celebration of Kwanzaa at 3 p.m. Dec. 12 at the Black Cultural Center. The celebration will include symbolic presentations of the seven principles of Kwanzaa, musical performances and traditional African-American foods. The student union board will sponsor Sounds of the Season Dec. 7-11 in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union. Concerts will be held daily at 11 a.m., noon and 1 p.m., and Santa and his elves will be on hand to visit and pass out candy canes. On Monday, Dec. 7, University Bands Jazz Trio will perform at 11 a.m. On Tuesday, Dec. 8, Pianist Jeris Eikenberry will perform at 11 a.m., and Lafayette Christian School will provide music starting at noon. On Wednesday, Dec. 9, the St. James Lutheran Choir will perform at 11 a.m. and Eikenberry will perform at 1 p.m. On Thursday, Dec. 10, Pianist Marla Stanson will perform at noon and Eikenberry will perform at 1 p.m. On Friday, Dec. 11, Central Catholic High School will provide music at 11 a.m., the Entertainers from Delphi High School will perform at noon, and Sophisticated Ladies from Rossville High School will perform at 1 p.m. CONTACTS: Roberts, Lafayette Heating and Cooling, (765) 423-4822; Debbie Anderson, assistant PMU director, (765) 494-8909; Emily Zauss, PSUB director of cultural events, (765) 494-8976; e-mail, psub@purdue.edu; Johnette Gore, president, Women of Vision, (765) 496-5144. Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; e-mail, purduenews@purdue.edu To the Purdue News and Photos Page