Mount Hood

Western welcomes annual holiday festivities

Zoë Strickland | Managing Editor

On Friday, Dec. 1, the lights on the giant sequoia will be turned on for the 50th consecutive year.

Despite it being the 50th annual tree lighting, the first time the tree was adorned with lights wasn’t 50 years ago. In 1940, lights were put on the tree as a way of celebrating then-faculty member John Scott. However, the next time the Sequoia saw lights was Nov. 27, 1967.

The effort to bring the holiday spirit to Monmouth was student-run. An article from the Nov. 9, 1967 issue of The Monmouth Herald stated that it was the women of Todd Hall, a residence hall at the time, that kickstarted the process of incorporating holiday festivities; “Girls from Todd hall were present to get council approval for a project to light the sequoia tree on the OCE campus as a community Christmas Tree.”

A follow-up piece from Nov. 23 reported the council’s approval: “What has been billed as ‘The World’s Largest Living Christmas Tree’ will be lighted on the OCE campus on Monday evening. The tree, a 122 foot tall sequoia located in front of Campbell hall on the campus, will be lighted in a 7 p.m. ceremony.”

The sequoia that once stood at 122-feet is now estimated to be between 125 and 130-feet tall. “We may have to lengthen the top piece, the satellite, that the lights are attached to, to accommodate the growth of the tree,” said Kevin Hughes, Landscape Maintenance Coordinator.

Though the sequoia is no longer touted as the world’s largest Christmas tree, the tradition has persevered through tumultuous times. The tree was not available to comment on its dethroned title.

Over the years, the responsibility of planning the events has shifted. When originally proposed by a residence hall, students were in charge of coordinating the ceremonies. However, non-student run entities of the institution eventually took the reigns.

In 1992, the school was unsure if they had the funds to continue the tree lighting ceremony. As a result, the community banded together to continue the event.

“In response to Western’s pleas for help, the community will be picking up a lot of the financial burden of this holiday fixture, but not all of it. The Incidental Fee Committee recently met to discuss the options available to them … this year’s expenses are estimated at $6500 … to lessen the stress of this annual holiday expenditure, the Incidental Fee Committee began fundraising,” reported a 1992 article of the Western Star.

Western’s tree lighting tradition is one that members of the Western community look forward to, “Driving through campus at night when the tree is lit, trying to spot it on highway 99 while coming to work,” Hughes said when asked about his favorite thing about the tradition.

The best thing that students can do to keep this event going is showing their support, “Keep the excitement and process going. Generations are enjoying the celebration. It started out as a community event and it will continue to bring people back to our WOU campus. When we install the lights on the tree, I have a sigh of relief and know that in approx. 1 month, the Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year celebrations will begin,” Hughes added.

This year’s events will kick off at 6 p.m. with a holiday parade that will head from Monmouth Library to the main drag of campus. The parade includes floats by different student groups around campus and Monmouth, as well as an appearance by Santa Claus. 7 p.m. is double booked with both a local school choir concert, and a wine and music gathering at Gentle House.

The Werner University Center will be open during the night, and will have indoor programs such as a holiday cookie bake-off, tree decorating contest, live music from KWOU and an area for people to get their photo taken with Santa.

 

Contact the author at journalmanaging@wou.edu

The effects of word choice this season

Caity Healy | Lifestyle Editor

Pop quiz, which of the following would be the least offensive for the majority? A, “merry Christmas,” B, “happy Christmas” or C, “happy holidays.” If you answered A or B, you’re likely not thinking of others and what they might celebrate this winter season. If you answered C, then congratulations, you clearly care about others and their cultures.

While it may seem easy to just say “merry Christmas,” as many of you probably have for years and already have the tendency to do, you need to realize that you’re excluding several different cultures and religions. And while many who experience this may not speak up about it, they may just not feel comfortable enough to say that what you’re doing is wrong or potentially offensive to them.

December is a month of multicultural holiday celebrations. The variety of different holidays celebrated ranges widely between Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, St. Lucia Day, Boxing Day, Yule, Omisoka and the list goes on. So to simply say “merry Christmas” means you’re actually leaving out a plethora of different minorities simply because you were unaware, or you’re simply being ignorant.

Doing this is in no way okay. If it’s something you’ve done in the past because you don’t know any better, then now is the time to start changing your speech. Just switch to “happy holidays,” as it includes everyone who celebrates anything, not just the ones who celebrate this one holiday.

However, if you have been saying “merry Christmas” to everyone simply to make a point or to avoid the so-called “war on Christmas,” then you are undoubtedly in the wrong. Choosing to ignore groups of people and discredit everything they believe in and celebrate is offensive and just plain rude.

How anyone can be so careless and inconsiderate of other cultures honestly blows my mind. When it comes down to it, saying “happy holidays” requires essentially the same amount of effort as saying “merry Christmas” does. And guess what? It still includes Christmas. It’s a win-win. You aren’t offending anyone, and you still get to include the holiday that you choose to celebrate.

If you still want to continue saying “merry Christmas” in 2017, then you also need to accept the fact that you are someone who chooses to be offensive on purpose. Accept the fact that you are someone who disregards other cultures or looks at them as less-than. Accept the fact that if someone chooses to say “happy Hanukkah” to you, then you have zero right to be offended. Are you willing to accept all of these things about yourself?

Rather than looking at saying “happy holidays” as an inconvenience, look at it as an opportunity to be appreciative and respectful of all cultures. It’s honestly amazing to look at other cultures and see everything they believe in and stand for — appreciate the differences that make us who we are. December is a month for us to grow culturally and be accepting of others. Choose to be on the right side of this shift; when the opportunity arises, choose “happy holidays.”

 

Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu

How to make the most of the holidays

Caity Healy | Lifestyle Editor

With so much to get done this holiday season, you’ll have to prioritize what you should use your limited time on. While some traditions are impossible to rid yourself of, that doesn’t mean you can’t add new, fun and memorable experiences to your to-do list. To help you get that list started, I compiled a group of must-do’s to get you started on making the most of this winter.

 

  • Play in the snow. If you have the option to play in the fluffy, cold snow, engage in a snowball fight or build the world’s best snowman: take it. Your freezing cold fingers and toes will forgive you later.
  • Go ice skating. Maybe you aren’t the most coordinated, graceful or athletic person. That’s okay; ice skating provides a fun time for even the biggest klutz — on a personal note, I’m talking about myself.
  • Make holiday cookies. Who doesn’t enjoy a warm cookie during this time of year? Plus, getting the chance to make and ice them with people you love makes for an even more fun — and messy — time.
  • Watch your favorite holiday movie or special. The holidays often are associated with that nostalgic feeling you get when thinking of it. The best way to stir up that feeling, in my experience, is to watch old specials that bring you back. For ideas on what to watch, check out the entertainment section.
  • Visit those who are important to you. With emotions heightened, memories being resurfaced and warm and fuzzy feelings all around, this is the best time of year to remind the people you love why they’re so important to you. Take some time to deliver your undivided attention to them.
  • Treat yourself. Remember, this is your winter break. You just worked your butt off for the last term, give yourself a second to relax by doing something you love.
  • Drink way too much eggnog. Admittedly, this is a little biased because there are few things that get me more jazzed than seeing that eggnog is back in stores. But, if you’re anything like me, you’ll be consuming an entire carton this season.
  • Decorate. For whatever holiday you celebrate, or just for winter, make your living space reflect the aspects that you love most about it. For a better experience, deck the halls while listening to your favorite holiday tunes.
  • Give back. This holiday season, remember that there are people who aren’t fortunate enough to receive anything at all. Give what you can, even if it’s just your time. The smallest things will go a long way.

 

Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu

Alumnus advocates for trans rights

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

Many Western alumni have moved on to accomplish extraordinary things after graduation. One notable individual is Mason Dunn, whose advocacy and dedication has led to major policy changes for transgender rights and won him the 2017 Leadership Award by the Equality Federation.

Dunn graduated from Western in 2007 with a degree in criminal justice. During his time here at Western, he was president of Triangle Alliance, served as the executive diversity coordinator for ASWOU and helped found and open the Stonewall Center. Dunn also sat as co-chair for the Oregon Students for Equal Rights Alliance at the statewide level.

After graduating from the University of New Hampshire School of Law in 2012, Dunn worked as an LGBTQ rights organizer with the New Hampshire ACLU. Soon after that, he was hired as executive director at the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition and has held that position since 2013.

As executive director at MTPC, Dunn works as a lobbyist, advocate, administrator, educator and speaker. He follows the organization’s mission to stop gender-based discrimination with political advocacy, education and community empowerment.

“Trans rights are human rights,” Dunn said in an interview with the Journal on Nov. 18. “When the rights of a marginalized group are under attack, it has an impact on us all. As a result, we should all work towards and for equal rights for all people.”

Dunn and the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition played a critical role in advocating for trans rights. He advocated for transition-related healthcare coverage, simplifying the process for changing names and gender markers on Massachusetts birth certificates and adding legal protections in public spaces for transgender individuals. All of these issues were won by the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition and signed into law. In 2018, statewide non-discrimination laws will be up for a referendum vote and mark the first time that transgender rights will be on a statewide ballot.

Dunn received an award by the Equality Federation, a national organization that supports and collaborates with state-based LGBTQ organizations. He was the recipient of the 2017 Leadership Award in honor of his advocacy for nondiscrimination protections for gender identity and expression.

Dunn has worked as an LGBTQ rights advocate for over a decade, but he encourages everyone to get involved in some capacity; “Whatever you do, and in whatever capacity, get involved and stay involved. It will take all of us to address inequality in our world.”

“You don’t have to be on the front lines in this work. You may not have the capacity to march, or organize, or speak out,” Dunn said. “But sharing articles on social media, speaking up when friends or family show bias towards marginalized groups, fundraising for a local nonprofit, or even volunteering once a month – all of these are ways to be involved in the work for equality.”

 

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

Staying lively with energy boosters

Caity Healy | Lifestyle Editor

Nine grueling weeks have gone by, and on the 10th week of the term Western brought to me: 10 hours of studying, nine hours of procrastinating, eight pots of coffee, seven sets of flashcards, six snacks at midnight, five different tests, four trips to the library, three all-nighters, two full breakdowns and my planner telling me it’s “dead week.”

The hardest time of the term has finally arrived, and with everything you have to get done, it can be exhausting both physically and mentally. And while it may seem like the best thing to do is just relax and kickback, sometimes that’s not an option.

Let’s be real, if we were all to stop everything and just forget about the approaching finals week, nothing would get done, our grades would drop and we would feel even worse than before. Rather than taking that route, it’s better to just face the fury of all that dead week is and face it head on. However, because this can be incredibly exhausting, you’ll need energy boosters to keep you going strong.

A natural way to give you more energy is to increase your intake of magnesium. This can be done by eating healthy nuts, such as walnuts or hazelnuts. You can also add more whole grains, green leafy vegetables or legumes to your diet. According to livestrong.com,those who have low levels of magnesium will use up their energy stores quickly, whereas those with high magnesium levels will use their energy stores slowly. So add these things to your diet to keep you going through dead week and finals week.

You can also take a quick walk. I realize that when there’s a lot you need to get done, the last thing you’ll want to do is physical activity, however, according to a study at California State University, a brisk, 10-minute walk will give you an energy boost that can last up to two hours. So, taking occasional study breaks to take a walk will do you a lot of good in the long run.

Whatever you do, do not skip a meal. Skipping meals will lead to fatigue at the end of the day, and you’ll need the fuel to keep you going all week. Not only that, but eating every meal will keep you in a better mood.

Eat a power snack. You’ll want to have a high intake of protein, carbs and fiber. An example would be energy balls. To make these, mix together one cup of oats, a half-cup of peanut butter or almond butter, a half-cup of ground flaxseed, a third of a cup of honey, a half-cup of dark chocolate chips and one teaspoon of vanilla extract. Mix it all together, form into balls and let that chill in the fridge. Eat one or two of these when you need that extra boost of energy.

Don’t let dead week get you down. With these different ways to boost your energy levels, you’ll be able to show the week who’s boss. So take on the challenge, do so with vigor and study as hard as you can. Good luck with everything you take on, and don’t forget to make your mental health your number one priority.

 

Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu

Creative ways to give

Caity Healy | Lifestyle Editor

If you’re anything like me, you probably spent a good amount of money that you had intended to save on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. And, if you’re anything like me, that means you probably don’t have a ton left to spend on gifts for people for the holidays.

If you’re in this bind, there’s no need to worry; DIY gifts lead to incredible alternatives. Not only are they cheaper, but with the extra effort and time put into it the recipient will be far more impressed and appreciative. So, get ready to get crafty and set aside some time to give these DIY presents your all.

 

Homemade Decorated Coasters

 

Instructions: Purchase cheap and plain colored coasters — white works best, but others would work as well. Print out your favorite pictures and cut them into the size of the coaster, or slightly smaller if you have square coasters to give off the polaroid inspired look. Mod Podge it onto the coaster, let dry and repeat three more times.

Inspired by countryliving.com

 

Decorated Mugs

Instructions: Purchase a plain white or light colored mug. Using oil-based pens (you can use Sharpies, but the cups will have to be carefully washed by hand), decorate the mug how you’d like. You can use tape or stencils to help guide you, or start by designing on it with pencil to make sure you have it how you’d like it.

Inspired by livewellspendingless.com

 

Candle Holder

Instructions: Purchase a small glass vase, or use one you already have. Put a strip of tape around the center to divide it in half, and use tape to create a solid design that you will put in the middle of the vase, such as a heart or a star. Paint around the tape using acrylic enamel paint or chalk paint for best results, leaving the top part exposed. Once that dries, take off the tape and put a candle inside your newly designed candle holder.

Inspired by housebeautiful.com

 

Snow Globe

Instructions: Get a mason jar and open it up, with the lid upside down. Cover whatever you’d like, such as holiday or winter-themed knick knacks (mini Santa’s, snowmen, trees, etc.) in Mod Podge to preserve the coloring and glue them onto the lid. Paint small snowflakes in the inside of the jar to give the illusion of falling snow once it’s turned upside down. Fill the jar almost to the top with water, and add glitter. Screw the lid onto the jar tightly. For a finishing touch, tie ribbon around where the jar and the lid meet.

Inspired by julieannart.com

 

Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu

Close until the end, the Wolves finish strong

Simson Garcia | Sports Editor

The Nov. 23 home game against Humboldt State showed plenty of change-of-pace action. With 11 lead changes and six ties, the Wolves managed to get the last basket near the rim, downing the Lumberjacks 64-62.
The Wolves came in undefeated, and three games in have averaged 77 points, which is much attested to their balanced offense.
When the ‘Jacks visited, a tightly knit back-and-forth game almost put their undefeated mark in jeopardy.
This was evident in the first quarter when several lead changes ensued. The ‘Jacks looked to swing the momentum in their favor by presenting a three-point threat. The Wolves stood firm with a strong defense, a key factor late, to end the quarter down 13-12.
Defense, along with hustle plays and scrappiness for every rebound, kept the game close. Then, it was the Wolves turn at the lead going into halftime up one, 25-24.
Guard play from both teams was also a highlight, as senior Shelby Snook went head-to-head opposite Humboldt’s Tyla Turner. Snook made 7 out of 11 field goals totaling 15 points, while Turner shot 6 out of 20 totaling 14.
As the teams continued to trade baskets into the fourth, it came down to the final seconds. With the score at 62, senior forward Savannah Heugly scored the go-ahead off a tightly contested lay-up attempt, putting the Wolves in front, 64-62. In waning moments, the Lumberjacks’s game-tying attempt was stuffed by Wolf senior guard Sydney Azorr’s clutch block that ended the game.
Now at 4-0, the Wolves soon begin conference play where they’ll protect home court once again against Saint Martin’s on Nov. 30. Tip-off begins at 7 p.m.

 

Contact the author at journalsports@wou.edu

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