Family Weekend offers events for all ages

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Sushi, pumpkins and gambling away counterfeit bills. These, and more, make up the perfect day for parents to spend with their kids.

The 2014 Family Weekend that lasted from Oct. 17-19 came with a lot more activities, as well as a lot

more parents. Pacific Information Center Assistant Director Angela Surratt, along with Director of Information Denise Giesbers, ran

Jennifer Enserink / The Pacific Index the three- Freshman Wesley Upton holds a pumpkin day event

seamlessly, with many events planned for the families to do along with the multiple sports games and the annual Casino Night on Saturday, Oct. 18. Surratt and Giesbers were both proud of the increase of attendance from last year.

“Last year, we had 192 people signed up for Casino Night,” Surratt said. “This year we had 336 people sign up.”

Surratt said that this jump may be due to the change of invitations sent out. The Family Weekend registration was sent out via mass-email instead of the postcard that those in charge of Family Night have sent out previous years.

“I think because people are so into technology now, they’re always checking their emails, postcards get lost in the mail way too often,” Surratt said.

Not only that, but families were given a lot more options to do during the weekend than last year, from wine tasting sessions at Urban Decanter to a cooking class on creating Japanese sushi, taught by recent graduate in Japanese language and anthropology Shannon Ayers.

All of these classes offered were taught and run by volunteering staff and faculty. The families had positive responses to these different events.

For example, the Myths and Ghosts tour on Friday, Oct. 17 was full within a few weeks after registration.

For the parents that were able to come, they were

Jennifer Enserink / The Pacific Index

happy to spend a weekend with their family after the few months of separation from the school year.

“It was really nice, cause I was able to talk to them about everything about what’s going on with school,” freshman Rachel Carlson said.

It was just fun to see my parents and remember that like they actually care, and I’m still, you know, part of the family.”

Of course, the family weekend is not just for freshman.

“My parents have been coming (to Family Weekend) since my freshman year,” junior Nevada native Emily Swindle said. “With me, when I go home to see them, it’s just for breaks and holidays whereas, when they see me, they’re taking time off work, and they’re going out their way to come up. It’s nice.” 

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