The Battalion
^ r 1 T E 1 T ITT17
I s.j. ■ t.Li
Page 3
Wenesday • April 23, 1997
This summer,
five Aggies will
lets'’
g.ty
uswJ
i ha:|
I"
ifom left: Andy
Erooks, Brian
■Robertson, Ryan
Balsam, Sam
pcCee and Tim
putschlag will
a «ie bikes across
iftrida this summer
to raise money for
psabled children.
for the disabled
Moog, The Battalion
By Karen Janes
The Battalion
B uilding playgrounds during spring
break and giving up the first two
weeks of summer to volunteer for
charity are not two images commonly as
sociated with college students.
But five members of Pi Kappa Phi fra
ternity are doing just that. Brian Robert
son, Tim Gutschlag, Andy Crooks, Sam
McGee and Ryan Balsam will participate
in Gear Up Florida, a 675-mile cycling
event for charity.
Gear Up Florida is part of PUSH Amer
ica, Pi Kappa Phi’s national philanthropy.
PUSH America works to serve the needs
of people with disabilities and to raise
awareness of disabilities among others.
Robertson, a sophomore industrial dis
tribution major, said he wants people to
realize that his fraternity is multifaceted.
“Being in a frat is not just partying,” he
said. “There’s a lot more to the fraternity
than just what people hear.”
Crooks, a sophomore mechanical engi
neering major, said the purpose of Gear
Up Florida is to inform and educate the
public about disabilities.
“We will hold press conferences, stop at
elementary schools and go out and talk to
people,” he said.
The cyclists will take two weeks to travel
from Miami to Tallahassee. They will ride in
the mornings and attend events at night.
Balsam, a junior business analysis and
accounting major, said the ride should
prove to be a challenge.
“I think what will keep me motivated is
when we make stops and see the people
we’re doing it for,” Balsam said.
Students from various universities across'
the country will join the Aggies participat- -
ing in Gear Up Florida. Robertson said a]
sense of camaraderie and teamwork will be 1
present during the journey.
“Motivation will come through everyone j
else,” he said. “This is a team thing.”
Each Pi Kapp team member must indi-'
vidually raise $1,500. This money will be
used to help Gear Up Florida reach its
$80,000 goal. Crooks has utilized various'
resources to raise the $1,500.
‘T’ve talked to family and friends, got^
ten businesses to sponsor me, and a cy^
cling club back home has helped me out,’ 1 *
he said.
"I think what will keep>
me motivated is when we *
make stops and see the -;
people weVe doing it for." ;
Ryan Balsam, Gear Up Florida participant |
Robertson said he has gotten support
from both local businesses and ones in his (
hometown. He currently is seeking sup
port from local radio stations. He said thet
effort has been time consuming.
"I’ve written at least 80 to 90 letters (ask
ing for contributions),” he said. “Aggies
have been very supportive.”
For some team members, volunteering
and fund raising is nothing new.
“On spring break, a bunch of us worked
at an Easter Seals’ camp,” Robertson said.
See Gear up. Page 4
Hey, bartender...
B-CS drink servers become 'best friends' j
of bar regulars — and not-so-regulars ■
By Brandon Truitt
The Battalion
l raA s muc h as residents of Col-
IM\ lege Station might hate to
".M \.admit it, alcohol is one of
i .- jourstrongest binding forces. Just
.askFitzwilly’s bartender and cook
I ; Donald Owen.
"j “There’s really not much to do
IT^in this town,” Owen said. “You
T fian drink, or go to the movies.”
M “You can bowl,” one of the cus
tomers chimes in, his hand
clinched firmly around his third
■ttle of Bud Light.
|nS|“N°, bowling don’t count,” one
of the regulars yells back from
Iwn the bar, “’cause you got to be
mJ lunk to really like bowling.
,, here’s really not much else but
““ finking and movies. That’s why
i tl in in here all the time — I don’t
ke going to the movies much.”
l j I “They’re in here just about
tery day around this time,”
wen said of the regular cus
tomers. “We all know them; we
usually have their drink made
and on the bar before they even
get in the front door.”
Laurent Therivel, another local
bartender, said bartenders develop
insight into their customers’ lives.
"The two bigqest
problems a bar
tender faces are
dealing with drunks
and minors."
Tracey Marshall
Fitzwilly's bartender
“You learn how to read them —
like if this person wants to party, or
shoot the breeze, or get deep, or
just be left alone,” he said.
Owen and co-worker Tracey
Marshall agree that the job is social.
“There’s always someone you
know in here,” Marshall said. “Your
friends are always stopping in and
having a drink or just hanging out
— that’s how I got started in bar-
tending. My friends and I used to
come here, and I just got to know
the right people.”
Marshall also said there is a
bad side to socializing on the job
because whenever she goes into
Fitzwilly’s, there is always some
one she knows wanting to buy
her a drink.
Elizabeth Graves, a bartender at
Duddley’s Draw, said being a bar
tender means she drinks less be
cause, night after night, she has to
put up with so many drunk people.
She said that after becoming a bar
tender, she never wanted to be the
“idiot drunk” again.
“The two biggest problems a bar
tender faces are dealing with drunks
and minors,” Marshall said.
“With all the alcohol, some
times mouths fly— attitudes and
tempers flare,” she said.
See Bartenders, Page 4
April 2,4
Rudder Auditorium
7 ;0 O p m
Questions, Concerns, Comments?
Talk with your Vice President
for Student Affairs.
If you have any thoughts or concerns regarding student life here
at A&M, I’m very interested in hearing them. I am Malon
Southerland, your Vice President for Student Affairs and my
office is on the 10th floor of Rudder Tower. My door is always
open and I encourage you to come by if I can ever be of assis
tance. Feel free to call me anytime at 845-4728 or contact me
through e-mail : malon-southerland@tamu.edu
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at the MSC Box Office or by phone at 845-1234
Persons with iSissfcilitiies please cal! 845-1515 So
inform us ®? your special needs. We request
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to finable to assist yoo to the best af our ability.
Opening Act Davfd Garza
ID 10 TICKET UMIT
ICE CREAM
Dr. Southerland and the Class of 1997
invite you to a
FREE Ice Cream Social on
Friday, April 25,1997
Vice President for Student Affairs Residence
4 p.m. - 6 p.m.