AMES, Iowa -- Even without Veishea this weekend, the cherry pies will still taste as sweet.
ISU students in Hotel, Restaurant and Institution Management decided it just wouldn't be April in Ames without the famous, made-from-scratch cherry pies that have been served on campus since 1919 -- a tradition that pre-dates Veishea by three years. They've cut back production to 9,000 pies in Veishea's absence, but the fund-raiser will go on, says Catherine Strohbehn, who has been advising students on their cherry pie filling for the last 20 years.
"People just expect it," said Strohbehn, adjunct assistant professor of HRIM. "Cherry pies are one of those things - a common denominator that students, alums and people in the area associate with Iowa State."
Cherry pies sell for $1 each one day only - Friday, April 15 - beginning at 8 a.m. in 16 MacKay Hall; and at 10 a.m. in the McDonald's Restaurant parking lot, 129 S. Duff Ave.
Proceeds generated from cherry pie sales are applied solely toward HRIM program scholarships. For more information: www.fcs.iastate.edu/tearoom/cherrypies.asp.
More April activities
Numerous community events planned by and for students are under way this month. The complete list, "This is Your April," is available at: www.iastate.edu/~april/.
A few highlights include:
Operation Playground
Students of Leaders INspiring Connections (LINC) have organized an April 16 blitz build, a one-day building marathon to construct three playgrounds in Ames.
More than 100 volunteers will be at each of three sites: 1500 Gateway Hills Park Drive, North River Valley Park Softball Complex on 13th Street, and The Old Town Park at 826 Douglas Ave.
"We wanted to take the resources that would have been used for the (Veishea) parade and do something good for the community," said Katie Ross, LINC public relations co-chair. "They've done a lot for us over the years and we want to show our appreciation."
When LINC spread the word about building playgrounds, students, staff, faculty and other community members responded in droves to volunteer, Ross said. So LINC added another component to the day, a park clean-up.
In addition to the 300 volunteers who will build playgrounds, 400 more volunteers will spend the day cleaning up Ames parks.
Football Spring Game
Kickoff for this annual intra-squad game starts at 1 p.m. this Saturday, April 16, but the fun begins with a kids' carnival from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Among the free activities are face painting, miniature golf and a quarterback challenge.
For ISU students who want to prove that they bleed cardinal and gold, a costume contest will be held prior to the game. Costumes will be judged to decide the "ultimate fan." The winner will receive an all-sports ticket; second and third places receive season football tickets. Students who want to participate must register for the contest in lot 85E between 11 a.m. and noon on April 16.
There also will be an Apple iPod football game in lot 85E from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. You pick the line of scrimmage from which the first score will come, and which team will score. If your prediction is correct, you'll win one of four Apple iPod shuffles to be given away.
Following the game, players will sign autographs for 20 minutes on the east side of the Jacobson Building.
All events are free and take place at Jack Trice Stadium.
Final Weekend for Stars Over ISU
"The Secret Garden," a Tony Award-winning Broadway musical based on the 1911 children's novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, is in its last week of production on the Fisher Theater stage.
It tells the story of Mary Lennox, a young girl sent to live with her uncle, Archibald Craven, in Yorkshire, England. Still grieving over the loss of his wife, Lily, who died 10 years earlier during childbirth, and distraught over the condition of his bedridden son, Archibald casts a dark shadow over the manor until Mary discovers a secret garden that once belonged to Lily. By nursing the garden back to life, Mary also restores life to her grieving uncle and his sick son.
The final shows are at 7:30 p.m. April 15-16; and at 2 p.m. on April 17. Tickets are $18 for adults and $10 for students.