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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 23, 1998)
Page 4 • Friday, October 23, 1998 Aggielife TheBi The Bai TAMU Outdoors offers community members, students great escapes BY MEREDITH MIGHT The Battalion T he Bahamas, the Rio Grande and Colorado Bend State Park are just a few of the destinations on the Texas A&M University Outdoors Ultimate Adventures Series schedule. TAMU Outdoors, a service of the Student Recreation Center, offers a variety of outdoor activities varying in length and destination. The trips are geared for beginners and are planned and led by a staff of about 15 students. Josh Norris, a trip leader for the program and a senior out door education major, said the trips are typically offered at a lower price than other outdoor adventure services. “I work for another guide service and this is less than half of what they charge. That’s one of the reasons this organi zation is so cool,” he said. “There’s quality guides at an out standing price.” Patsy Kott, director of TAMU Outdoors, said most of the trips are offered at cost to participants. “Basically we try to budget out the cost of the trip, like equipment and transportation,” she said. “We try to keep the cost as low as possible.” Messina Hof Winery host'f murder-mystery dinne BY TRAVIS IRBY The Battalion Tom Reber, the senior associate director for the Depart ment of Recreational Sports, said every attempt is made to keep the trips cost-efficient. “TAMU Outdoors is funded through the Student Services Fee,” he said. “They also generate income through the trips and retail sales, like renting a tent or a sleeping bag.” Norris said he works mostly with kayaking, backpacking and climbing excursions. “In May, I will help lead a high altitude mountaineering and multi-pitch rock climbing expedition in Colorado,” he said. “There are very tall rock routes — one is 600 feet tall. the other is 500 feet tall.” Corey Bowes, a senior mechanical engineering major, said he recently went on a windsurfing trip offered by TAMU Out doors in conjunction with the Brazos Valley Windsurfers and he would like to attend another trip. “About 14 people went,” he said. “We windsurfed all day Saturday and half the day Sunday. I think I’ll go on another trip. It would be neat if they started windsurfing with the Sailing Club.” Kott said trips are chosen based on a variety of factors. “It’s a combination of things,” she said. “We sit around and brainstorm and get feedback from people who have been on trips. We take into account what students want in an outdoor program.” Reber said student input is valuable. “As long as Aggies keep challenging us to do new and cre ative things, we’re going to do our best to meet their needs, ” he said. Upcoming programs include a horseback/hiking excur sion on Oct. 31 and a backpacking trip to Colorado Nov. 7- 8. Future trips include a sailing and diving trip to the Ba hamas for August 1999. More information on upcoming trip dates and registra tion deadlines is available at TAMU Outdoors, which is lo cated behind the Rec Center facing Olsen Field. TAMU out doors can also be reached at 845-4511. T he guests take their place at the dining table. A dead body is discovered. Dinner is served. While such a scenario may be uncommon during the average meal, it is commonplace at Messina Hof Wine Cellars’ Murder Mystery Gourmet Dinners. The event allows diners to take an active role in murder mystery while eating their meal. They become characters who may or may not have something to do with the murder. Leah Huckert, manager of Designer events for Messina Hof, said the winery came up with the idea of creating their own murder mystery dinner after observing others around the country. "We wanted to have fun with wine, so we took the concept and applied to the winery setting," Huckert said. “The victim is a wine maker.” Huckert said this is the fourth year of the murder mystery dinner. Four dinners are held per year, one every quarter. Murder mystery dinners are open to the pub lic, but private dinners can also be held for or ganizations, such as fraternities or businesses. When guests arrive, they are notified of a murder, and they receive a clue about who is re sponsible with each course of the dinner. As many as 100 people attend the event, with eight to 10 people at a table. Each table must try to solve the mystery be fore dinner is over. The diners are the characters in the mystery. They receive character assignments a few days before the dinner. Huckert said the experience allows for peo ple to do things a little differently. “They become a different personality for the night,” she said. “They also have to work with the others at the table.” She said the dinner’s atmosphere allows the guests to interact with others and meet new people. “It has a good participation, one that is unique and interesting,” Huckert said. “You might meet a new friend.” Darren Valentine, a waiter at theMessi dinner theater and a sophomoregenetalj maior, saui tlu'groups mesh welltogefel ' I'he seem to enjoy it," Valentines] food and wine tend to make it morertk Valentine said the diners seemtotak: roles seriously. “They really get into the role-playing of them even dress up,” he said. Each time Messina Hof holdsaraunlt tery dinner, it has a central theme. This quarter's dinner is being usediott the release of TexZin, a new red zintadeir The mystery setting is on a yacht,! event is actually held in the barrel room the wine is bottled. Props and cost® used to enhance the mood. Huckert said the feel of thebarreln tributes to the game. “It is very gothic and dark," sites Brandy Doiron, a senior speechcoi tions major, said this will be herfirstt ticipate in the dinner. “I think it will be entertaining,by; you to step out of your shoes,” Doirons Huckert said eating the meal istheeasvpj solving the mystery can prove to beqiieadi| “They can be very tricky, but you’ll pass: pay attention,” she said. “It is not inti She said sometimes recruitingcompad the dinner’s mystery to gauge prospective employees. “The firms use it to observehowreH dents use deductive reasoning,” Huckena The meal is finished and themysteiyii ally solved in three hours. Huckert said practice makes perfectwls) comes to the production. “We’ve been doing it (for) four years, s: have it down to a science," she said, don’t even have to get up.” Valentine said the meal is worthtM and effort. “It is like going to a play or thesymptai he said. “People get dressed up. It create^ tique and gives people entertainment." Now Hiring Part-Time Positions UCS Inc. slbdks candidates for thd 1, following open positions at our College Station office. Customer Service/Help Desk CraftMasters’ Mall "1 v ARTIST AND TRAIT MAN'S GALLERY” !*• }L> 7 Briujrcr«*st Drive • Bryan Over 170 Booths of Handcrafted Items • Clerical - PC/Tech Support • Inventory Control We offer $6.00 per hour to start, flexible hours and real world work experience with opportunity for full time after graduation. To apply, call our Personnel headquarters: UCS Inc. 1-800-883-3031 3833 So. Texas Avenue, Suite 201 http://www.ucs-systems.com UCS hires non-tobacco users only. E.O.E. 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