The Gorham Events Board (GEB) did something different last Thursday. Instead of the usual Thirsty Thursday event fare which usually consists of musical or comedy acts, students were invited to hawk their belongings for cash at the Thirsty Thursday Yard Sale. The event is the latest in the GEB’s push for innovative events, which will also bring nationally-recognized artists to the school this year.
Organizers of the yard sale accommodated all manner of trash and treasures, ranging from old trumpets to Spandex athletics belts used to hold personal compact disc players. Turn-out was lower than expected, but the event still did its part in the battle against student boredom.
Thirsty Thursday, an event put on every week in the Brooks Student Center, is only one event among many the GEB organizes. The annual Spring Fling festival is solely coordinated by GEB. This year the Fling runs from April 24 to April 27. The festival will feature various musical talents such as Jill Sobule (famous for her “I Kissed a Girl” single) and other forms of entertainment including mind readers. The Spring Fling is a big event for the GEB and a lot of planning and resources play into the three-day festival.
Kelly Locke, psychology major and future chair of the GEB, hopes the turn-out is good. “We spent a lot of money on this event, so hopefully people will show up,” Locke said.
The GEB is composed of volunteers and work-study students who coordinate the events. Depending on the size of the event, the planning takes anywhere from a few minutes to a few weeks.
“If we do karaoke, it will take a half hour of plans,” Locke said. Spring Fling has been in the making since November. Even pulling together University resources, such as the space in Costello Sports Complex, can be difficult and costly.
“Just paying for the mats [that protect the floor] is like two grand,” said Locke.
Locke said money is a big reason why students don’t see the big talents they would like to on campus. Acts like the Dixie Chicks and Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliot can cost upwards of $50,000 per show. That doesn’t include what the GEB must pay to house and feed the celebrities and their crew.
Dee Bartlett, a volunteer for the GEB, is aware that a budget crunch may stifle some of GEB’s events next year. “Our budget is very low,” Bartlett said.
GEB’s budget has been shrinking for awhile, but the effects haven’t been felt because of a large grant used to fund Thirsty Thursday events. This year the grant runs out. Next year, the GEB will be forced to operate with roughly $37,000, which may seem like a lot of money, but Spring Fling alone cost approximately $16,000.
“Definitely money is an issue right now for us,” Locke said.
Despite financial issues, many at GEB are devoted to organizing the best events possible. Current Chair Katie Joe Chapman, a media studies major, doesn’t think students are aware of their entertainment options on campus. “Students don’t think there is anything on campus that happens that is worth going to,” Chapman said.
Thirsty Thursday events were designed to prevent drinking on what is the first day of the weekend for many students. Chapman said she believes students use drinking as an alternative to good events on campus. “Students don’t think there is anything cool,” Chapman said.
Low student involvement seems to be a problem of the past for GEB. Events like hypnotists and USM Idol have gained interest in the student body. “Last year the attendance for Thirsty Thursday was average 29 people, but this year it is around 130 to 150 people,” said Chapman.