The 2010 University of Wisconsin annual homecoming tradition starts today, giving students the chance to see the famed axe of Paul Bunyan in preparation for the football game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers next weekend.
The theme for this year’s homecoming events will follow “The Legends of Bucky Badger,” homecoming committee president and UW senior Ellyn Frank said.
The kick-off is set for Friday in Library Mall at noon. The Paul Bunyan Axe will be present, and students are encouraged to bring their cameras for plenty of photo opportunities.
“We’re really excited that we have the axe tomorrow,” UW senior and homecoming events director Sarah Kasandonis said. “I don’t know how big a real axe is, but this one is six-feet tall!”
A series of competitions will occur throughout the week for UW students. Fraternities and sororities will go head to head to see who can secure the most wins, while other student organizations will be matched against each other as will residence halls, Frank said.
Students do not have to be part of a group to register for the competitions, Kasandonis said. A group of friends can sign up just for fun, too.
To increase further student participation in homecoming, this year students can register for most events the day of, as opposed to last year when students had to register one week in advance.
“For most people, that’s too early to commit, but now when some students are taking a study break they could go relax at like Yell Like Hell or Air Band,” Frank said.
The action continues with Bucky’s Cross-Campus Quest on Saturday at 11 a.m. in Library Mall. Students will be given a list of clues to famous locations on campus and will have to race around to try and be the first to photograph them all, Kasandonis said.
For the rest of the week there will be events such as the Literacy Network Charity Run/Walk, the A.V. Club’s Obscure Trivia Challenge, a golf outing and the Homecoming Parade followed by fireworks at Memorial Union Friday night.
The Wisconsin Alumni Association and Associated Students of Madison are both sponsoring Homecoming Week, and all the money raised will be donated to the Dean of Students Crisis Fund and to students with need-based financial aid, Frank said.
While Homecoming Week only lasts seven days, the planning process for the event started in February, Frank said.
The 53 member committee has a president, vice-president, five directors and smaller sub-committees. Before becoming members, students must submit an application and go through an interview process, Frank said.
Court members are selected based on their contributions to campus, Frank said, and must also apply. She said the 2010 court applied in last spring and was selected in April.
Court members are expected to attend all homecoming and volunteer activities, Kasandonis said.
Members of the 2010 Homecoming Court include UW seniors Megan Bruggink, Brianna Ditzenberger, Teague Harvey, Lauren Heffron, Susie Jenson, Jon Liebherr, Jordan Listenbee, Bob Manier, Marc Weimer and Josh Wolf.
