Fun Park hosts Valentine’s night of fun
Valentine’s Day gives an opportunity to take out your sweetheart or meet one at the Fun Park.
A night for college students includes unlimited food, including pizza, drinks, chips and dips. There’s also dancing, roller-skating, bowling, discounted laser tag and billiards.
Alternative Breaks is hosting “Meet or Bring Your Sweetheart” at the Cache Valley Fun Park Saturday from 7:30 p.m. to midnight. Dancing starts at 9:30. Tickets will be sold at the door and at the Taggart Student Center Ticket Office for $10.
Door prizes include cameras, down vests, beanies, sport hats, college hats and gift certificates.
“I think a lot of people will be there and not just a bunch of service center people. Sweethearts of both genders,” said Cameron Woolf, Associated Students of Utah State University service vice president.
Ten dollars sounds like a lot of money, but it’s less than than it would be to pay for each activity separately, said Nellene Howard, assistant director for service and leadership.
“People get a lot for their money. [It’s] out of the ordinary and the only activity offered on Saturday by the school,” said Sheldon Browning, a senior majoring in international studies.
The Fun Park will provide opportunities to socialize and meet people.
“Going to the Fun Park is better than staying at home wishing you had someone to spend Valentine’s with,” said Amy Grass, a senior majoring in social work.
Meet or Bring Your Sweetheart is also tailored for couples since the activity is open and allows them to just stay for a little bit if they want.
“For those who are with someone they can go out to eat then maybe go bowling with their date and do the other activities a different night,” Grass said. “They don’t have to spend their night there.”
If students do not participate in all the activities they can bring their ticket back another time to do all the activities and get their money’s worth from the Fun Park.
“You can come back another night [with your ticket] if you don’t do all the activities on Saturday,” Howard said.
The idea for Meet or Bring Your Sweetheart stemmed from a fundraising activity last semester at the Fun Park. Heather Bankhead and United Campus Volunteers sponsored “The Turkey Bowl” for two sisters with cancer.
“The Turkey Bowl was a great success. We are hoping to have a similar result [with Bring or Meet Your Sweetheart]” Woolf said. “I’ve talked to a lot of people and many of them know about the activity at the Fun Park.”
The money earned at the Fun Park will fund Alternative Breaks’ service trip.
Alternative Breaks is a service organization that performs service on the weekends and over spring break. Last semester it cleaned up Zion’s National Park as one of its activities. Through fundraising and personal contributions, Alternative Breaks will serve in Hawaii over spring break.
In Hawaii, Alternative Breaks will complete seven projects. In the past, Alternative Breaks only worked with Habitat for Humanity, but this year the goal is to diversify service.
“Members of Alternative Breaks will give service with a homeless shelter, nursing homes, Habitat for Humanity and environmental projects,” Howard said.
Some may wonder if there is really a need for students to serve in Hawaii.
“People don’t understand there is poverty in every state” said Melissa Maybury, Alternative Breaks director. “We’re helping the native Hawaiians and some of them live in huts. Through serving, we get to learn about a diverse culture and they’re serving us by sharing their culture with us.”
Maybury chose Hawaii to serve because she “wanted to be in our own country but go somewhere where the culture is more diverse. It is an added bonus that there are palm trees and beaches.”
One of Maybury’s goals as director is to educate students about Alternative Breaks. She said last year the club struggled to fill 16 spots for the Hawaii Spring Break trip. This year the 21 spots available were easily filled.
“Being able to go to Hawaii and serve will make the experience even more unforgettable,” Grass said.
Alternative Breaks is one of many service organizations on campus. Students looking to get involved in Alternative Breaks or other forms of service can visit the Val R. Christensen Center on the third floor of the TSC.
Selling cinnamon rolls on the TSC patio and hosting pool tournaments in The Pit are a few other Alternative Breaks fundraising projects besides Bring or Meet Your Sweetheart.
Woolf encourages all USU students to come to the Fun Park Saturday night.
“You can just go. Bring your apartment, your boys, your girls,” Woolf said. “We’ll be the catalyst for hooking you up.”
-lindseykay@cc.usu.edu