Snow in San Diego
By Evie Langteau
News Reporter
The temperature was 60 degrees, the skies were clear and the sun was shining when 15 tons of snow fell on the University of California-San Diego campus Friday afternoon as part of a festival called Winter Wonderland, planned by the Marshall Activities Committee.
The committee contracted an ice packing company to bring pallets of ice by the truckloads and shave the ice to form snow upon delivery.
Kendra Murphy, director of programming for Marshall Activities Committee, said the snow machine the campus used was similar to that found on a ski hill. After the snow was piled on a hill behind the social science building, the Winter Wonderland was underway by 2 p.m.
?It was hilarious – some people didn?t know this was going to happen. They were walking in their flip flops and shorts and went to go play in the snow,? Murphy said.
The Winter Wonderland events included sledding on everything from sleds to lunch trays. Soup and hot chocolate were also served, and several snowball fights erupted throughout the day.
?People were more amazed with throwing snowballs than anything else,? UC-San Diego junior Alicen Ostash said. Murphy said snowballs were flying everywhere, and people on cell phones were prime targets.
?People aren?t used to the snow in California. They were excited and amazed because this was so out of context for sunny San Diego,? Ostash said.
?Basically I grew up in the snow and I?ve always missed the winter,? Murphy, a Lake Tahoe native, said.
Murphy decided to use the snowy event as part of her campaign to run for her committee position.
?So many people said they had never experienced the snow so I thought of promoting it in my campaign,? Murphy said.
The idea originated last April during her election and planning started a month ago.
?We had a lot of support from the different departments on campus,? Murphy said, adding the most complicated part was working with the grounds crew to prevent flooding as the snow melted.
The event was held in a dry and unsaturated area. As the snow began to melt, it was absorbed by the ground and nearby vegetation.
?There were not really any puddles, but enough water to make it really wet,? Murphy said.
She said the only negative thing that occurred was a bunch of students bombarded a shuttle bus with snowballs.
?When the shuttle passed by, 20 kids ran out and pelted the front of it with 50 or 60 snowballs,? Murphy said. ?That happened about three or four times before security officers came.?
By the time the event ended at 7:30 p.m., two-thirds of the snow had melted. Murphy estimated 600-700 people attended. The approximate cost for the snow was $3,000, and sleds, inner tubes and food were donated by local businesses.
Although the Winter Wonderland made its debut on the UC-San Diego campus this year, Murphy hopes the university continues the tradition.
University of Wisconsin has never had to make snow, but many UW students believe the school has sponsored many fun events throughout the campus? history.
?UW-Madison has had a lot of really cool traditions, everything from ?Jump Around,? to pink flamingos on Bascom hill,? ASM representative Joe Shumow said after hearing about the UC-San Diego event.
Shumow said the UW student government has shifted its focus in the last 10 years to more government issues and is allowing organizations like the Wisconsin Alumni Student Board to plan events such as the All-Campus party and other fun activities on campus.