Antelope - 11.15.08 By: Tara Purdie
After a long week of sleepless nights and fierce tricycle,limbo, spirit and lip-sync competitions, Homecoming was concluded with the annual parade on Oct. 11 on Central Avenue in downtown Kearney where students and local organizations showed their pride for the Kearney community.
The parade was kick started by the marching band and color guard. Following the marching band in a limousine was this year’s Homecoming King Mason Doughty and Homecoming Queen Claire Bryan. Bryan, a Katy, Texas, senior majoring in special education said she had a lot of fun being in the parade even though it was cold. Bryan said that she loved being part of something that involved the entire community.
Senior Criss Salinas Jr.from Schuyler, a Spanish education major, said that despite the weather, he also enjoyed the parade. Salinas, who was the 2007 Homecoming King, said he was surprised by people’s reactions to him and Homecoming Queen of 2007, Lea Schneider.
Salinas said though he was Homecoming King last year, people still yelled and clapped. Salinas said, “Seeing the UNK students and Kearney community support the Homecoming Parade shows how important the UNK campus is to the Kearney community.”
Paige Wewel, a member of Chi Omega, said she wanted to help represent her sorority and show school spirit. Wewel,freshman from Lincoln majoring in forensic science and criminal justice, said her favorite part of the parade was getting to see all of the other floats made by the residence halls, sororities and fraternities because so much time and work was put into hers.
Wewel said The Delts who paired with her sorority concentrated mainly on the float, and they did a great job. “I actually concentrated most of my efforts on the banner, which took about 30 hours give or take. It was probably the best all-nighter I have pulled at school yet.”
Katie Grant, a member of Alpha Omicron Pi, also said she spent many late nights working on Homecoming. Grant, a junior art history major from Kearney,said that one of the best things about Homecoming week is getting to know other people. Grant said she really enjoyed “getting a chance to get to know the fraternities on our homecoming team.” Grant and many other teams put hours into building their floats for the parade. Grant said she laughed when she watched their banner fall apart right as their float turned the corner to begin the parade route. Grant said, “Building a float takes a lot of time and effort, and regardless of the outcome, the experience makes all that time and effort worth it.”
Grant and Wewel both said they plan on attending the parade next year and they intend to participate in the Homecoming festivities again. “The parade really showed the students pride in our school. It was clear how much work they put into it and seeing it being put to use was really gratifying and fun,” Wewel said.
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