Cartoon characters invaded the Culp Center on Wednesday, Feb. 1, when the 14th annual Winter Cruise took place.
“The Winter Cruise is an organizational fair where organizations have booths around the Culp Center,” said Shelly Yair, coordinator of Winter Cruise.
“It helps to remind students about participation opportunities and to let transfer students know what is happening on campus.”
Stephanie Brosk, a member of Buctainment said, “It’s a chance for the organizations to showcase themselves and for the students to have fun. This picks up their spirits and gives them something to do.”
The theme for this year’s Winter Cruise was ETSU Animated. “This is basically anything to do with cartoons,” Yair said. “Disney, Care Bears, even Family Guy. It is basically any cartoon you can think of.”
Members of Buctainment decorated the Culp Center with pictures of cartoons with quotes from the show. Woody from Toy Story and Scooby-Doo made special appearances during the festivities.
The idea for the theme came from many brainstorming sessions. “We were sitting around and someone said, ‘Let’s do something with cartoons,” Yair said. “The idea just went from there and that’s how we decided on ETSU Animated.”
Twenty-seven campus organizations were present. Each booth provided information and many gave away free gifts.
Among the organizations that were present were Bucs Against Drunk Driving, Silent Bucs, Junior Senate, the Resident Housing Association, Black Affairs, the Office of Career Placement and Internship Services, the Well, and Greek organizations.
Bucs Against Drunk Driving gave visitors the opportunity to see what it was like to be under the influence with special goggles that simulate those feelings. Black Affairs had karaoke at their table.
Many other groups gave students the opportunity to make crafts or other items to take home with them. Buctainment gave visitors the opportunity to make a Zen Garden and the Residence Hall Association offered door hangers. “This is my third year,” said Elizabeth Wilks, who was at the RHA table. “We usually do sand art but this year we thought we would give students the opportunity to make a door hanger. This is just something fun and relaxing to do.”
While making a Zen Garden, freshman Johnny Krause said, “It’s fun. It’s really cool that all the organizations get together and have fun.”
The Office of Career Placement and Internship Services has had a booth at Winter Cruise since it first started. “We have [set up a booth] in the past so that students will know about us and the services we offer,” said Jeanette Hill, information research technician for Career Placement. “We always have a large turnout when we do Winter Cruise.”
The theme is a good way to get people involved. “It’s always fun to see what people are going to do,” said Brosk. “Everyone’s taking their own cartoon and going with it.

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