April 14, 2008

Purdue's Grand Alternative to offer substance-free events

Many campus organizations, offices and departments will be taking part in this year's Grand Alternative, which will feature a wide range of events, including games, concerts, movies, sports events, fundraisers, parties and dances.

The 2008 Grand Alternative is sponsored by the Office of the Dean of Students, the Wesley Foundation, the Student Wellness Office and the Division of Recreational Sports, along with a grant from the Coalition for a Safe and Drug-Free Tippecanoe County.

The Grand Alternative was conceived in 1998 when Steve Cain, a campus minister at the Wesley Foundation, initiated a communitywide coalition of student groups with the goal of celebrating the Grand Prix safely and without alcohol. Grand Alternative got its official start in 1999 with a grant from the Coalition for a Safe and Drug-Free Tippecanoe County.

All Grand Alternative events are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted. The following is a complete list of activities and sponsors:

- Tuesday (April 15). 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Purdue Memorial Mall. Greek Style Cookout. Sponsored by the Hellenic Student Association. Cost is $2.

- Tuesday (April 15). 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. Varsity Softball Complex. Purdue women's softball vs. Valparaiso. Cost is $2.

- Wednesday (April 16). 1-9 p.m. Purdue Hillel Foundation, 912 W. State St., West Lafayette. Israel @ 60 Celebration. Sponsored by the Purdue Hillel Foundation.

- Wednesday (April 16). 6-10 p.m. St. Thomas Aquinas, Newman Hall, 535 W. State St., West Lafayette. Keggeroke. Sponsored by Purdue Catholic Students.

- Wednesday (April 16). 6:30 p.m. Elliott Hall of Music. The Roots concert. Sponsored by Purdue Student Government and Cary Quad. Free with valid Purdue ID.

- Wednesday (April 16). 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Agricultural Mall. Midnight Pancake Breakfast. Sponsored by the Agricultural Council.

- Thursday (April 17). 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Purdue Memorial Union, Room 118. DG Denim, a charity fundraiser to benefit Service for Sight. Sponsored by Delta Gamma.

- Thursday (April 17). 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Purdue Memorial Union, Union Market. Chinese Calligraphy Appreciation. Sponsored by the Chinese Calligraphy Club.

- Thursday (April 17). 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Engineering Mall in front of MSEE. Cookout lunch. Sponsored by Beta Tau.

- Thursday (April 17). 6-10 p.m. Armstrong Hall, Room 1010. Dinner and a Movie. Sponsored by the Ally Association.

- Friday (April 18). 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Centennial Mall. Cookout. Sponsored by Raising AIM.

- Friday (April 18). 6-11 p.m. Vawter Field. Luau Palooza. Sponsored by the University Church Campus Christian Fellowship.

- Friday (April 18). 7-10 p.m. Matthews Hall, Room 210. Battlezone: So You Think You Can Dance? Sponsored by Zeta Sigma Chi multicultural sorority.

- Friday (April 18). Starting at 6:30 p.m. Stewart Center, Room 302. Tango Your Way to Purdue. Sponsored by La Milonguera Argentinean Tango Club. Workshops will be offered from 6:30-7:45 p.m. Milonga with DJ Homer will take place from 9 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Cost is $10 per workshop or $5 per milonga. Cost is $35 for all workshops and milongas with preregistration.

- Friday (April 18). 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Recreational Sports Center. Battle of the Bands, sponsored by the Purdue Student Union Board. Featuring the Fastest Kid Alive, Project Hero, The Educated Guess, GWAP Team, Debris and Oh Discretion! Tara Madison and Jake from the Z96.5 Morning Zoo will make an appearance.

- Friday (April 18). 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Outside Recreational Sports Center on Martin Jischke Drive. Purdue After Dark: Carnival Night. Sponsored by the Purdue Student Union Board, PEEPS and the RSC. Event will include carnival games, crafts, food and activities.

- Saturday (April 19). All day. Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex. Purdue men's golf Boilermaker Invitational.

- Saturday (April 19). 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Grand Prix track at Northwestern Avenue and Cherry Lane. Grand Prix Race. Sponsored by the Purdue Grand Prix Foundation.

- Saturday (April 19). 11 a.m. Schwartz Tennis Center. Purdue women's tennis vs. Iowa.

- Saturday (April 19). Noon to midnight. Cary South Basement Lounge. Cary Con. Sponsored by the Cary Club. Cost is $10.

- Saturday (April 19). 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. Stewart Cooperative House. Root Beer Riot. Sponsored by the Stewart Cooperative.

- Saturday (April 19). 6-9 p.m. St. Thomas Aquinas. A Taste of Africa. Sponsored by the African Students' Association. Cost is $10.

- Saturday (April 19). Starting at noon. Stewart Center, Room 306. Tango Your Way to Purdue. Sponsored by La Milonguera Argentinean Tango Club. Workshops will be offered from noon to 4:45 p.m. Milonga with DJ Homer will take place from 8:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Cost is $10 per workshop or $5 per milonga. Cost is $35 for all workshops and milongas with preregistration.

- Saturday (April 19). 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Grand Prix track at Northwestern Avenue and Cherry Lane. Grand Prix Car Show featuring live music by Lush. Sponsored by the Purdue Automotive Performance Association. Cost is $5 to enter a car; free for spectators.

- Saturday (April 19). 9 p.m. Slayter Hill. Free movie on the hill, "National Treasure: Book of Secrets." Sponsored by the Purdue Student Union Board.

- Saturday (April 19). Rankin Track. Purdue men's and women's track and field Dave Rankin Invitational. Cost is $2.

- Sunday (April 20). All day. Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex. Purdue men's golf Boilermaker Invitational.

- Sunday (April 20). 11 a.m. Schwartz Tennis Center. Purdue women's tennis vs. Minnesota.

- Sunday (April 20). 4-8 p.m. Harrison Hall front lawn. Cavalier Club Luau. Sponsored by the Harrison Hall Cavalier Club.

- Sunday (April 20). Starting at noon. Stewart Center, Room 306. Tango Your Way to Purdue. Sponsored by La Milonguera Argentinean Tango Club. Workshops will be offered from noon to 4:45 p.m. Milonga with DJ Homer will take place from 9 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Cost is $10 per workshop or $5 per milonga. Cost is $35 for all workshops and milongas with preregistration.

Writer: Christy Jones, (765) 494-1089, christyjones@purdue.edu

Source: Carol E. Ben-Davies, assistant dean of students, (765) 494-9028, cbd@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

To the News Service home page