September 20, 2011
Family Weekend promises fun for all Salukis
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Saluki Family Weekend 2011 at Southern Illinois University Carbondale offers students and their families a chance to enjoy special activities, create memories and enjoy being together Saluki-style.
The popular event is set for Sept. 23-25 and the festivities include the Saluki football men taking on Missouri State preceded by free tailgating. The weekend also features campus tours, volleyball action, a green tour, movies, salsa dancing, a craft sale, free boat rentals, a museum exhibition, craft-making opportunities and lunch with Chancellor Rita Cheng and much more.
The Saluki Family Association hosts an annual trivia contest prior to Saluki Family Weekend and all families answering 15 or more questions correctly earn entry into a drawing. The winner becomes the Saluki Family of the Year and receives special honors and prizes during the Saluki Family Weekend.
The Saluki Family Weekend schedule of events includes:
Friday, Sept. 23
• Free day at the Student Recreation Center, 5:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Family members of students are welcome to tour and use the Student Recreation Center facilities at no cost. Bring a photo ID and visit the Welcome Desk on the lower level for details.
• “Heavy Metal and Some Softer Stuff Too” exhibit, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., University Museum in Faner Hall. The galleries will feature special displays including: work from SIUC metal and blacksmithing artists, the display “Goin’ Fast and Lookin’ Good- Hot Rods in Southern Illinois,” Robin Haller’s artistic quilts, a traveling exhibit from the Smithsonian Institute, and an exhibit focusing on famous 20th century artists that visited campus during the Delyte Morris era. The exhibits are free and open to the public.
• Family Weekend Craft Sale, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Student Center, first floor. Vendors from all over the region will be selling assorted gifts and handicrafts including handmade candles, ceramics, photographs and various crafts. The Craft Shop sponsors this opportunity to acquire unique souvenirs, gifts and more.
• Walk-in craft opportunities, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Craft Shop on the lower level of the Student Center. Enjoy creating your own crafts at the pottery wheel, make wax hand sculptures and much more with walk-in activities at a nominal cost.
• Free boating, noon-6 p.m., campus lake boat dock. Bring a photo ID and if the weather permits, get free boat rentals for paddleboats, canoes and kayaks.
• Saluki volleyball versus Drake Bulldogs, 7 p.m., Davies Gymnasium. This Missouri Valley Conference game is the annual Pack the House night and all SIUC students get in free with student ID. General admission tickets are $5 for adults or $3 for youth. Order tickets by calling 877/SALUKIS.
• Student Programming Council film “Kung Fu Panda 2”, 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. shows, Student Center Auditorium. See Po join with new Kung Fu masters to battle an old enemy with a new weapon. Voices include Jack Black, Angelina Jolie and Jackie Chan and the rating is PG. Tickets are $2 for SIUC students and children 10 and younger or $3 for the general public and available at the door.
• Noche de Gala salsa night, 8-11 p.m., Student Center Ballrooms. Enjoy an evening of salsa dancing with music by La Dynastia Freddy Kenton. Admission is free and open to the public. Attire is semi-formal.
Saturday, Sept. 24
• Free tours and use of facilities at Student Recreation Center, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Come to the information desk on the upper level and all family members can tour and use the facilities free if accompanied by a current SIUC student.
• Family weekend registration, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Student Center, east entrance. Check in for the weekend and get free refreshments and the latest updated information about the weekend’s activities.
• Campus tours, on the hour beginning at 10 a.m. and continuing through 1 p.m., east entrance of Student Center. Enjoy a 40-minute guided tram tour of the campus led by student guides. Seats available on a first-come basis.
• Family Weekend Craft Sale, 10 a.m-5 p.m., Student Center, first floor. Start your holiday shopping early or look for something special to take home from the weekend.
• Raku pottery firing, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Student Center, south patio. Stop by and glaze a ceramic piece then watch it fired Raku-style. Items are $3 and up.
• “Heavy Metal and Some Softer Stuff, Too” exhibit, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. in the University Museum at Faner Hall. Special exhibits throughout the museum. Free and open to the public.
• Green Tour, 10:30-11:30 a.m., Student Center, main entrance. The Sustainability Council will lead a mini-walking tour highlighting some of the many “green” spots on campus including the Earth Day herb gardens on the west patio, the Thompson Woods restoration project, the Agriculture Building rooftop gardens, the Life Science II prairie restoration project, the Japanese Gardens and Faner Hall’s University Museum. It all wraps up at the Student Center’s water bottle refill station.
• Student Center Craft Shop craft activities, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., lower level of Student Center. Enjoy various “walk-in” craft options.
• 75th Annual Inter-Greek Council Greek Sing, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Shryock Auditorium steps. A longtime tradition finds members of SIUC Greek fraternities and sororities performing to favorite songs in a fun, spirited contest. In the event of rain, the event will move to the Student Center.
• Free boating, noon-6 p.m., campus lake boat dock. Weather permitting, you can enjoy free paddleboat, canoe and kayak rentals if you bring a photo ID.
• “Kung Fu Panda 2”, 1 p.m., 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. shows, Student Center Auditorium. Rated PG, tickets for the popular flick are $2 for SIUC students and children 10 and younger or $3 for the general public and available at the door.
• Saluki Family Tailgate, 3-6 p.m., Saluki Row, on the north side of the SIU Arena near Troutt-Wittmann Center. Everyone is welcome to stop by for free food, games, prizes and camaraderie. You can also bring your grill or food and enjoy pre-game tailgating outside Saluki Stadium in the open parking areas. Many fans reserve spots in advance though so check the SIUC tailgate policy for more information first. For more information about the policy or reserving a spot, contact Saluki Athletics at 618/453-5153.
• Saluki Volleyball, 3:30 p.m., Davies Gymnasium. See the team face off against Missouri Valley Conference rival Creighton University. SIUC students get in free with valid student ID. General admission tickets are $5 for adults or $3 for youth. To order tickets, call 877/SALUKIS.
• Saluki Family Weekend Football, 6 p.m., Saluki Stadium. Watch gridiron action as the Salukis take on the Missouri State Bulldogs in conference action in the first home game of the season. General public tickets are reserved seats and the price is $20 for adults or $12 for those high school age and younger. Groups of 15 or more can get discount pricing. SIUC student tickets are free within the designated student section for all with valid student Ids. Purchase tickets at the game or through the Saluki Athletics website (http://siusalukis.cstv.com/index-main.html) or by calling 877/SALUKIS.
Sunday, Sept. 25
• Chancellor’s Family Weekend Brunch, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Trueblood Dining Hall. The buffet brunch from the chefs and staff at University Housing Residence Hall Dining includes hand-carved, slow-roasted prime rib of beef with au jus, glazed ham, roasted, garlic mashed potatoes, spaghetti squash with sun-dried tomato and walnut pesto sauce, honey-glazed baby carrots, scrambled eggs, biscuits with country gravy and buttermilk pancake and blitz bar including fruit toppings. There will also be pastries and rolls- made from scratch, apple crisp, assorted fruits and cheeses and a hand-dipped ice cream bar. Many of the menu items are locally grown. Tickets are $8.50 plus tax for those 12 and older or $4.99 plus tax for ages 4-12. Children age three and younger dine free. Students may use their University Housing dining plans to purchase the meal. To get advance tickets, visit the Student Center Business Office on the second floor of the Student Center or call 618/453-3478 at no extra cost. The office hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. You can also purchase tickets at the door. Event sponsors include the Office of the Chancellor, the Student Center and University Housing Residence Hall Dining.
• Student Recreation Center tours and free use, 1-10 p.m. Bring a photo ID to the Welcome Desk on the lower level of the Student Recreation Center and the family members of current students can get free tours and use of the facilities.
Throughout the weekend there will also be special pricing and promotions at the University Bookstore and Bowling and Billiards in the Student Center.
For more information about Saluki Family Weekend 2011, visit www.siucstudentcenter.org/salukifamilyweekend.