April 3, 2008
Get your tickets now for UW Community Celebration
April 16 is the deadline for faculty and staff to RSVP for the annual party in their honor. The UW Community Celebration runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, April 23 on Red Square, and is designed, as Human Resources Vice President Mindy Kornberg says, as “an opportunity to say thank you to faculty and staff for their contributions to the University.” It also, she adds, “helps build community by encouraging folks to take a break from their work, enjoy our beautiful campus and reconnect with colleagues.”
And did we mention there’s free food? The UW’s Bay Laurel Catering will be providing hamburgers or veggie burgers, chips, potato salad and Coke to everyone with an entry ticket. To get yours, go here. Registering also enters you in a raffle to win Husky football tickets, UW World Series tickets, iPods and gift certificates.
“Last year only 2,000 people registered for the celebration, but 6,000 came,” says Kristin Lodge, the marketing events manager who is heading up the planning effort in partnership with the Leadership, Community and Values Initiative. “We were totally overwhelmed but delighted by the large turnout.”
“We were thrilled with the response to last year’s celebration,” Kornberg says, “with so many faculty and staff joining President Emmert and Provost Wise for lunch on Red Square.”
This year, planners are preparing for a larger crowd by having two catering stations and a speaker system with more coverage, so those giving presentations can be heard.
In addition to the free food, those who attend the celebration will get to see the president, the provost and many other top administrators flipping burgers and filtering through the crowd to say personal thank yous. More than 75 campus leaders volunteered last year, Lodge says, and a similar number is expected this year. Pocket Change, a band made up of UW School of Music students and recent graduates, will add to the festive atmosphere.
Provost Phyllis Wise will announce the winner of the “My Team is Great” contest, and depending on what that entry is, it may be presented at the celebration. The contest offered groups of staffers around the University the opportunity to create a product that demonstrates how they live out one of the values that arose from the LCVI. Products may vary from traditional essays to videos, artwork or live performances. The winner will be chosen by popular vote. To cast your ballot, go to www.washington.edu/discovery/myteam/. The deadline for voting is also April 16.
Lodge says the party will go on rain or shine, and she expects everything about this year’s celebration to be smoother. “Last year was the first year the celebration was a large-scale event on the square [in 2006, it was held in Meany hall lobby], and we didn’t know what to expect,” she says. “But I was really impressed by the patience and kindness of the UW faculty and staff. Despite the long lines, they didn’t complain and seemed to have a really good time.”
“The Leadership, Community and Values Initiative partners with many organizations across campus to make this event a success,” Kornberg says. “From UW Marketing, Publication Services and Alumni Affairs to UW Catering and Facilities, we are delighted to work in collaboration with so many creative and resourceful partners.”
The Community Celebration is part of Washington Weekend, an annual event that features open houses, class reunions, lectures, tours live entertainment and more. Faculty and staff are invited to bring their family and friends to campus on Saturday to enjoy the other events.
