Author: Sara Dobosh

By Carolyn Williams

Writer

A Bison Never Forgets (BNF) is a student–organized charity group, started by lacrosse team members Ryan Klipstein ’11 and John Collett ’11. This organization sends care packages to former Army and Navy lacrosse players who are now on active duty.

“John came to me one day and felt like there was something that should be done to honor the troops that now put their lives in harm’s way for us,” Klipstein said. “Being part of the Patriot League, we have a special understanding of what types of people go to Army and Navy Universities and play sports.”

Klipstein and Collett decided to collect donations at home games to make the care packages.

In the past year the organization has already made great strides. The men’s and women’s soccer teams have also joined BNF, and the three teams together have collected over $2,500 and sent over 23 care packages to former athletes now defending their country.

“We hope to work with women’s basketball this winter and eventually with all sports at the university,” Klipstein said.

A more long-term goal for the group is to include all the sports teams in the Patriot League. As the schools in the Patriot League have different mascots, the name of the charity group would differ at each school.  So at Lafayette, the group might be called “A Leopard Never Forgets,” but the idea would be the same.

“This will take some time to accomplish but I am confident [that it will happen eventually],” Klipstein said.

The team takes the time to assemble the packages according to request.

“Some of these [requests] can be a little odd actually. A lot of the guys like the socks and sunscreen–type stuff (jerky, nuts, grain bars, deodorant, magazines etc). We also like to pick up items that are a little less conventional. Wiffle ball bats and balls, board games and crosswords … we get a good response from this,” Klipstein said.

BNF has garnered a large response from grateful Army and Navy alums.

“A bunch of very appreciative e-mails and Facebook messages have been sent to us. Some of the guys reflect back on the great times they had playing Bucknell,” Klipstein said.

Klipstein and Collett have formed a Bison Never Forgets committee made up of representatives from the lacrosse and soccer teams. After this spring’s graduation Dylan Burke ’13 and Evan Bozymski ’14 will take over the lacrosse team’s participation in the group. Jules Harris ’11 heads the women’s soccer BNF, and Ryan Sappington ’12 and Luke Joyner ’12 are in charge of BNF’s men’s soccer division. Former lacrosse player Mike Clenshaw runs the Bison Never Forgets Facebook page. Despite this new leadership, Klipstein said “[I am sure] that John and I will always have a hand in the program.”

Over family weekend the men’s and women’s soccer games collected over $1,000.

“I think it’s really great of the sports teams to support their fellow athletes,” Emily Conners ’14 said.

Students can contribute to BNF by mailing checks and cash to Bucknell University, mailbox 3017. Checks can be made out to cash or “Bison Team Camp.” Spectators can also contribute at almost every men’s and women’s soccer game.

By Ashley Miller

Writer

Since 2000, CHOICE has provided its members with substance-free housing and non-alcoholic activities during the semester.

CHOICE (Choosing Healthy Options in Community Environments) includes students from diverse backgrounds who share a common desire of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. First-years and upperclassmen alike can participate in CHOICE.

“Something that many people may not know is that CHOICE has more than 300 members, which is a little less than 10 percent of campus,” said Rushtin Chaklader ’11, CHOICE Student Program Assistant (SPA).

Many first-year students say CHOICE helps them avoid the pressure to drink.

“It gives you a great opportunity that if you want to avoid [alcohol], it’s easier to avoid it,” Julie Uptegraff ’14 said. Uptegraff said many CHOICE members go to the campus-sponsored alcohol-free events.

The organization has sponsored its own alcohol-free campus events, including capture the flag, a back-to-school barbeque and a semi-formal dance.

“We have an events almost every weekend, which are open to the entire campus,” Chaklader said. “The events are a great alternative to the party scene at Bucknell, and always offer something fun to do if you don’t want to go to a party.”

CHOICE members also participate in off-campus activities as a group, like bowling or trips to Reptiland. Uptegraff says her favorite CHOICE activity was the corn maze. “It’s a tradition so it’s exciting as a freshman to take part of all the traditions,” she said.

CHOICE members, or as they’re fondly called, CHOICErs, often take part in hall or group bonding activities. Some of these are seasonal, such as the Halloween hall decorating contest.  CHOICE is also helping to organize a campus-wide door decorating contest, hoping to include other students in their activities.

“CHOICE is also a very tight-knit community, and it is not uncommon for everyone in a CHOICE hall to know each other by name and hang out with each other,” Chaklader said.

Most CHOICE members live together on one of the CHOICE residence halls, either in Larison for first-years or Kress for upperclassmen. Members commit to making these halls substance-free. “It’s sort of like a res college were you get to live with people who share common ground,” Uptegraff said.

CHOICE gives its members a lot of freedom. The only requirement is that members are healthy and respectful. “It gives us opportunity to do anything on campus but have a safe environment to come home to,” Uptegraff said.

By Christina Oddo

Writer

For the amount of praise older students give to BU After Dark, the nighttime event had quite a reputation to live up to. Many students deem the carnival-themed event offering funnel cake, pizza and inflatables one of the greatest nights of the semester.

Sojka Pavilion radiated with energy Friday night, as students raced each other on the inflatable obstacle course and hopped onto the big comfy chair. Other students crafted their own buttons and decorated wooden frames. Carnival fare, including fries, cotton candy and popcorn nourished hungry students, while the music pumped them up for more BU After Dark activities.

“It was a great way to relax after coming back from fall break,” Emily Shoemaker ’14 said.

The overall sense of community, overwhelmingly present at BU After Dark, added to the enthusiastic atmosphere of the night. Students from many different social groups and organizations came together and played a game of volleyball or just hung out.

“I think what I liked most was seeing people I don’t normally see out,” Ethan Van Buskirk ’13 said.

Activities and Campus Events (ACE) organized the event. BU After Dark will return next semester.

By Carolyn Williams

Writer

Bicycles Against Poverty (BAP) is one of the University’s most ambitious student organizations currently in operation.

Dick Muyambi ’12, a civil engineering and economics major from Uganda, was inspired to bring BAP to campus after his visit to Northern Uganda in summer 2007. Muyambi was struck by the need for bicycles he saw around him. When he returned to school he and his friends began laying the groundwork for what would become BAP, which officially became an organization in fall 2008.

“This summer we continued to expand to another two villages,” Muyambi said. “We are currently in five villages in Uganda.”

In the two years since BAP’s beginnings, the organization has grown significantly.

“During summer 2009, 102 bicycles were distributed to loan recipients. We currently have 290 bicycles in Uganda and an employee based in Gulu, Uganda,” Kevin Matthews ’11 said.

The club is planning its first-ever meeting with the Board of Trustees at the end of the month to discuss BAP’s long-term goals and objectives. BAP is currently in the process of becoming a 501-C3 non-profit organization.

“The goal is to obtain this within the academic year at the latest. Once we become a 501-C3 we can qualify for larger grants,” Matthews said.

The club also hopes to cultivate new chapters at other colleges. BAP is currently active at Skidmore College and Cornell University.

“We are trying to reach out to students interested in sustainable development, sustainable transportation to begin chapters are their colleges,” Muyambi said. “Up to now, most of the people who have began chapters I have known through other people. The students at Skidmore…actually came with us to Uganda this summer.”

BAP club members first traveled to Uganda in summer 2009.

“Traveling to Uganda last summer with BAP was a truly transformative experience. After fundraising and planning feverishly for over two years, carrying out the pilot project was more rewarding than anything any of us had ever done in our lives,” BAP member Nicole Meyers ’11 said. “Watching the recipients run up and hug each of us, screaming aloud with joy, made me realize that BAP is much larger than any extra-curricular club. It is an inspiring organization that is committed to the well-being of the dispossessed.”

BAP welcomes students to join their organization. The club meets most Wednesdays at 5 p.m. at Seventh Street House.

“We love it when new people turn out, and there is always plenty to do,” Matthews said.

Students interested in supporting BAP in other ways can purchase the merchandise the group sells in the Elaine Langone Center during lunch hours. For more information, students can visit www.bicyclesagainstpoverty.org or send a message through the Bicycles Against Poverty Facebook page.

BAP will hold the fourth annual Gulu Walk on Oct. 23.  The event raises awareness about children who are forced to walk many miles each night to avoid conscription into the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) in Uganda.

“Gulu Walk is meant to bring attention to child soldiers and night commuters in Uganda. Groups of children walked from insecure places to the city of Gulu for refuge in fear of being abducted to serve as child soldiers in the rebel group, LRA,” Muyambi said.  “I am hoping we can reach out to the wider community to inform them of how the communities in Uganda affected by more than 20 years of civil war still need help to get out of poverty. We hope to raise donations that will support both BAP work and Gulu walk in these communities.”