Budget won’t take wonder out of Founder’s Day

Joshua Goodman Assistant Life Editor

With Founder’s Day less than ten days away, final preparations are underway for the annual celebration. The Founder’s Day Committee is trying to ensure that all events go as planned as they make the best of a tight financial situation.

Committee Co-Chair Chad Baker ’06 is confident that the student body will be extremely pleased with the day’s events, but acknowledges that “the budget has been the biggest issue.” The Vassar Student Association (VSA) typically allocates $30,000 for Founder’s Day, so the Committee must raise $20,000 more in order to cover the $50,000 event.

Committee Co-Chair Rachel Panitch ’06 said, “The VSA budget was the same from last year, but prices do go up every year and so we were short.”

The Committee was also short on funds due to outstanding fees from Founder’s Day 2005.

Nevertheless, Panitch said, “We've gotten a lot of generous contributions from classes, dorms, and the administration, and the VSA has been supportive of our efforts.” The Committee declined to comment on the specific amount that various groups contributed to the Founder’s Day effort.

The budget issues do not appear to be putting much of a damper on the planned festivities. Scheduled for Saturday, May 6, the celebrations will bring an abundance of music, food, games and beer to campus, all under the umbrella of the Alice in Wonderland theme which the Committee selected in February.

Alice in Wonderland is a repeat of the memorable 1998 Founder’s Day theme. Decoration Chair Harley Stokes ’06 said, “The Alice theme will be well represented.”

There will likely be students dressed up as characters from the film at the festivities. Alice-related merchandise is being sold in the College Center in the weeks leading up to Founder’s Day.

Merchandise will also be available on Founder’s Day. Alice-related commodities include T-shirts, tea cups, and bottle openers.

An outdoor screening of Disney’s Alice in Wonderland will be held, weather permitting, at Sunset Lake after a fireworks display similar to the Serenading fireworks in the fall.
One of the main Founder’s Day attractions is the afternoon concert held on Ballentine Field. This year’s performers include “a good variety of funk, bluegrass, hip hop, and rock,” according to Founder’s Day Music Chair Nora Schlesinger ’06. Highlights include the group Zox, who have played at previous Founder’s Days and the New York City Bluegrass All-Stars featuring Chris Thile from the group Nickel Creek. Schlesinger’s goal is to make “everyone excited about at least one of the bands.” The Music Committee is hard at work publicizing the groups and students can soon expect free CDs in ACDC and the Retreat featuring this year’s acts.

The Committee intends to give back to the community by holding a “Founder’s Day Gives Back” raffle to benefit the Poughkeepsie Middle School’s Arts & Music program.

Plans have also been made to donate money to the Kingston dance troupe, which will help fund local students’ dance classes.

Alongside the concert stage at Ballentine Field will be the Founder’s Day beer truck serving a selection including Hoegoerten, Stella Artois, and Sam Adam’s Summer Ale.

Other highlights will include two moon bounces, a shuttle to Matthew Vassar’s grave, a president’s toast, and a performance by a Kingston dance troupe. This year’s Founder’s Day will include more games than in years past, including miniature golf and faculty versus staff jousting. Baker said the jousting will fit in with the “off with your head theme” of Alice in Wonderland.

Historically, students have been enthusiastic and invested in the theme for the day. Past Founder’s Day themes have included Peter Pan, Super Mario Brothers, the Wizard of Oz, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.