Spring Break
Rockin' down the route
Array of organizations participate in parade
Nathaniel Shuda
Issue date: 10/17/05 Section: Campus News
Students sporting Homecoming shirts of all types, colors and styles made their way down the Garfield Avenue hill and across the footbridge Saturday with shouts of festive joy and anticipation for what many agreed would be only the beginning of the day's celebration.
Once on the north side of the footbridge, one began to hear distant sounds of a crowd enlivened with the melody of the Blugold fight song. At 10:06 a.m., Old Glory itself passed by the judging stand, followed by the Blugold Marching Band.
With this, the 2005 UW-Eau Claire Homecoming parade began.
The eight-block parade route started at the intersection of Grand and First avenues, continued down First Avenue to Water Street and came to an end at the intersection of Water Street and Second Avenue.
A wide variety of student and community organizations and businesses made up the parade, including: Student Senate, Erbert & Gerbert's, various residence halls, the Singing Statesmen and the marching bands of Altoona and Chetek high schools, as well as Eau Claire's 2005 Homecoming court.
Statesman Steve Mascitti and Women's Concert Chorale's Chelsea Dammen were crowned Homecoming king and queen Friday night at Varsity Night Live in Zorn Arena.
Sitting atop a red Chrysler Lebron convertible, Roger Selin, professor of accounting and recipient of the 2005 UW-Eau Claire Excellence in Teaching Award, served as the parade's grand marshal.
Interim Chancellor Vicki Lord Larson followed, throwing candy to the hundreds of eager spectators who lined both sides of First Avenue.
Sophomore Pat Murack marched in the parade as part of the Governors Hall chair dance and said things went pretty well. He said, though, not being on a float made things a little tougher.
"(The parade) was much more vehicle-oriented," he said. "Our group felt behind because we didn't have a vehicle."
Despite this, Murack said, his group still managed to win first place in the non-musical marching unit category.
The parade lasted for about a half hour.
Once on the north side of the footbridge, one began to hear distant sounds of a crowd enlivened with the melody of the Blugold fight song. At 10:06 a.m., Old Glory itself passed by the judging stand, followed by the Blugold Marching Band.
With this, the 2005 UW-Eau Claire Homecoming parade began.
The eight-block parade route started at the intersection of Grand and First avenues, continued down First Avenue to Water Street and came to an end at the intersection of Water Street and Second Avenue.
A wide variety of student and community organizations and businesses made up the parade, including: Student Senate, Erbert & Gerbert's, various residence halls, the Singing Statesmen and the marching bands of Altoona and Chetek high schools, as well as Eau Claire's 2005 Homecoming court.
Statesman Steve Mascitti and Women's Concert Chorale's Chelsea Dammen were crowned Homecoming king and queen Friday night at Varsity Night Live in Zorn Arena.
Sitting atop a red Chrysler Lebron convertible, Roger Selin, professor of accounting and recipient of the 2005 UW-Eau Claire Excellence in Teaching Award, served as the parade's grand marshal.
Interim Chancellor Vicki Lord Larson followed, throwing candy to the hundreds of eager spectators who lined both sides of First Avenue.
Sophomore Pat Murack marched in the parade as part of the Governors Hall chair dance and said things went pretty well. He said, though, not being on a float made things a little tougher.
"(The parade) was much more vehicle-oriented," he said. "Our group felt behind because we didn't have a vehicle."
Despite this, Murack said, his group still managed to win first place in the non-musical marching unit category.
The parade lasted for about a half hour.