Founder’s Day goes down the rabbit hole

Jen Dixon Staff Writer

The theme for this Founder’s Day 2006 will be Alice in Wonderland, which beat out other contenders such as Peter Pan, Muppets, and Super Mario Brothers at the Founder’s Day Committee’ meeting on Feb. 9.

“The Committee is really excited about it, [and] we are, too,” said Committee Co-Chair Rachel Panitch ’06.

Because of a smaller budget than in past years, the Committee is currently about $6,000 below what it needs to run Founder’s Day without sacrificing the attractions that students have come to expect, like fireworks and the bouncy castle. The Committee is currently seeking assistance from class, organization, and dorm budgets, and hopes that donations and revenue from merchandise will make up the difference.

Although concrete plans beyond the theme choice have not been made, the Committee has been divided into several sub-committees headed by students to begin planning activities. In addition to Panitch and Co-Chair Chad Baker ’06, Harley Stokes ’06 is head of the decorations sub-committee, Nicole Buntin ’06 is in charge of merchandise, Tom Akie ’06 is in charge of food and beverages, and Nora Schlesinger ’06 is in charge of music.

According to Baker, the Committee is hoping to have more theme decorations and theme-related activities. Also, there may be food that is Alice in Wonderland-related. Activities will include more games and student-faculty matches, in addition to the usual carnival-ride games.
Plans for these activities will be arranged by the new Community Fun sub-committee. Plans remain tentative, but Baker mentioned a “human chess game,” with students on one side and staff on the other, as an example of the types of competitions that may occur. Sub-committee Chair
Emily Hahn ’06 is in charge of additional ideas.

Two morning hours reserved for kids’ activities will feature a performance by a dance troupe from Kingston, which includes the daughter of Associate Professor of Political Science Katherine Hite. The troupe is made up of about a dozen 10-12 year-old girls and boys who perform hip-hop dances. Since money from the Committee budget is typically used to pay the day’s bands, some funds will be donated to the troupe in the form of a scholarship fund that allows local students to take classes.

The Founder’s Day Committee is currently accepting submissions for merchandise designs, and is also seeking additional students to help with subcommittees, set-up and running tables and activities on the actual day. Open meetings are held at 9 p.m. each Thursday in College Center room 237. Comments and suggestions on what students would like to see at Founder’s Day can also be directed to foundersday@vassar.edu or the Founder’s Day suggestion box at the info desk.