Students gathered around the Borchuck Plaza, despite the cold weather Monday morning, to help ring in the festivities. The crowd was greeted with a Hawaiian-decorated event in accord to this year’s ‘Catch the Wave’ theme.
“When the leaves change colors and the temperature drops that means that there is one thing in the air: Homecoming,” announced Josh Shearin, SGA president during the Homecoming Kick- off ceremony.
“It wasn’t very lively but it was pretty nice considering it was so cold,” said Matthew Cross, digital media student who attended the event.
“Our instructor didn’t let us out of class but we [the class] watched from the window, it is good that we still make the effort despite the fact that we no longer have a football team,” said senior Shaun Whaley.
Over 40 student organi-zations participated in events this year.
“I was more than delighted to see involvement skyrocket,” Shearin said. “As more students participate, more resources are needed. It was with this that the SGA found it fitting to implement a 10 percent increase in funding for this year’s Homecoming.”
The two most highlighted events during the kickoff celebration were the Banner Painting Competition and the race for Homecoming queen and king.
The winners of the banner competition this year were Alpha Phi Omega and Kappa Sigma. First runners up were Pi Mu Alpha and Sigma Alpha Iota and second runners up were Alpha Delta Pi.
Carshonda Harris and Devin Pierce representing POLO, SGA, BADD and Honors College were named 2006 Homecoming queen and king. First runners-up were Chris Boyd (Pi Kappa Alpha) and Caroline Ross (Alpha Delta Pi). Second runners-up were Ryan Desmond (Sigma Alpha Epsilon) and Emily Eberhart (Sigma Kappa).
A new feature to this year’s Homecoming is ‘Spirit Week’. Each day of the week will have a new theme. Monday was ‘Blue and Gold Day’, Tuesday was ‘Hawaiian Day’, Wednesday is ‘Pirate Day’, Thursday will be ‘Hawaiian Country Day’ and Friday will be ‘Support Your Troops Day’.
Each day, students are encouraged to dress up in their best interpretation of the each day’s theme and be seen at Homecoming week events to compete for the Most Homecoming Spirit award at the end of the week, to be announced at the blue and gold basketball game this Saturday at 2 p.m. in the Memorial Center.
Homecoming activities con-tinue throughout the week. With Mudball in the CPA backyard on Thursday at 4 p.m., the 8th annual Comedy Show in the Culp Auditorium on Friday at 8 p.m. (free with student ID), and Fall Festival on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. campuswide with a blue and gold basketball game at 2 p.m. in Memorial Center.
For a complete schedule of events visit, www.etsu.edu/homecoming/homecoming_full.html.

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