mr ———
The Fourth Wall
page 3
By Tony Arnold
Staff Writer
It was an early November
Saturday morning in archery deer
through a clover field, a tree stand
on my back and a bow in my hand.
I was headed for an open creek
bottom which I had marked off
earlier in the season as a good stand
for the always eventful whitetail
rut. A modicum of self-control was
all that kept me from setting up in
the location any earlier than this
Saturday morning. “Don’t
compromise it,” I’d say to myself.
“It’s going to be a great rut stand.”
So here I was, walking through a
chill in the air, ready to see what
the stand would produce.
By Erica Panico
Staff Writer
For the past 35 years Penn State
students have come together to
raise money for children with
cancer. This year The Pennsylvania
State University will come together
for yet another year and raise
money to fight for a cure. Penn
State IFC/Panhellenic Dance
Marathon, commonly referred to as
THON, is a two day dance
marathon that takes place every
February.
With many dancing for over 46
hours straight, over 10,000 more
classmates. THON is the largest
student-run organization in the
world, and last year raised $4.2
million. The money earned is
a lot of birds. In fact, I was
standing not far from a primary
roosting site.
I stood there a moment and was
finally startled by movement in the
treetops. I looked up to see a single
hen turkey erupt from the crown of
I was not going to leave. It was as
if the bird could read my thoughts.
Her eruption prompted me to call. I
drew a triple-reed diaphragm from
my pocket, placed it in my mouth
and let out a “‘kee-kee” run. I was
only half-surprised when I heard
several clucks in return, emanating
from deep within the woods. It was
another hen and her response led
donated to the Four Diamonds
Fund, is a charity that is dedicated
State Children’s Hospital.
dance marathon/competition. That
year Penn State raised $2,000 and
Every year THON increases the
amount of money earned, as well
as their supporters. In the last 35
years, THON has raised money for
children with mental disabilities,
and leukemia. Because of this, they
have created a strong bond with
the Four Diamonds Fund. As long
as they continue looking for a cure
for cancer, THON will contintle to
dance.
In 1978, several students set out
from University Park to the
Hershey Medical Center to deliver
a check of that year’s earnings. Due
me to believe that a flock had been
broken up. I called again. More
clucks. I followed a logging road
into the woods and listened. I let
out another “kee-kee” run. This
time two maybe three birds
responded. I kept moving up step
by step and calling intermittently.
It was obvious the birds were at
least two hundred yards off.
About 15 minutes passed as I
called and listened, responding
less frequently each time, a method
I knew to be effective to drawing
in lonesome turkeys. After more
back-and-forth calling more birds
responded from my right side. The
loud, booming clucks told me one
thing: these new birds were
gobblers. This was confirmed by
a raspy but powerful, “Gobble!” 1
knew gobblers rarely gobbled in
fall but these birds were trying and
one or two even spat out double
gobbles. ‘Things were getting
exciting and as birds seemingly
closed in on me from every corner
I tightened the tug on my
bowstring, ready to draw at any
moment.
A few more minutes passed by
and it seemed that the turkeys were
bound to come in. The cacophony
of clucks and gobbles grew louder
and more frequent. It was Penn
Woods’ Pandemonium. The din
continued uninterrupted until the
5
8 WITH
Ce 3
loud boom of a 12- -gauge blasted
through the forest. = My heart
dropped but, surprisingly, the
calling continued soon after. Only
a minute or two passed before I
started to see lone hens filing by
intermittently in the distance.
I was getting ready to draw as
soon as an opportunity presented
itself and a pair of hens finally
walked by at 25 to 30 yards. They
passed to my right so I slowly
pivoted as I could see their sharp
eyes were screened by, low-
growing pines. Apparently the
screen was not thick enough,
however, and my movement
spooked the wary birds. They ran
another 20 yards off, just out of
bow range, and slowed down to a
slow walk again as if to taunt me.
The calling ended soon after as
enough birds had regrouped to
prevent any further search for
stragglers. I attempted a few more
clucks but to no avail. My
opportunity had come and gone.
I ended up going down to the
creek bottom but events were
much more sedate than I had
planned. I rattled in a single small
buck but no other deer and I could
not help but think what might have
happened if I had drove back home
and grabbed a shotgun. I was out
for deer that day, though, and I
would not have felt right if I had
pH ain
to an unfortunate occurrence, the
students got into an accident. A
number of students were injured,
and one, Kevin Steinberg, lost his
life in the accident. In remembrance
of Steinberg, the University gives
out the Kevin Steinberg award
each year. This award is given to
one THON organizer who
demonstrates outgoing work
not hunted the rut. But I learned
that day that no matter what day
of the season, one must always
make time for turkey talk.
Election
from page 1
Many voters worried about the
ballooning deficit were ready for a
change. They signaled that
opinion by casting their votes for
fresh faces in Congress. The
Republicans have allowed the
Democrats to use one of the key
issues dear to many loyal
Republican advocates. The
Republicans must retake this key
issue and return it to the forefront
of their political agenda.
The past election has put the
Republican Party on the defensive.
Entrenched and embattled, the
Republicans must not allow
themselves to concentrate on
defensive strategy. They must lay
aside damage control, positive
spin, and ploys of distraction.
Republicans must take a clear and
offensive stance on the issues in
order to get back on their feet.
THON
towards the betterment of the
organization.
In Mont Alto we can help as
well. Students can feel apart of the
THON tradition by joining and
even helping the fundraisers. Some
of the ways THON members and
students help are by the numerous
fundraising techniques, such as
canning. Many students are not
aware of what THON really is all
about. We should educate
ourselves on how we can help
others in their time of need.
Help support our fellow
classmates that are dancing and
promoting THON. THON meetings
are in the Wiestling Student Center
every Monday night at 9:00. Get
involved and help! Until then keep
dancing!