Halloween Fun Night is Oct. 24 at Saint Mary’s

Elementary and preschool children from the Winona area are invited to attend the 12th annual Saint Mary’s Halloween Fun Night from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 24.

Participants should stop at the guard booth at the main entrance of the Winona campus for directions on where to park.

Young trick-or-treaters should start out the evening at the Hall of Fame Room, where tattoos and stickers, a coloring station, and other fun games will be offered, and the Cardinal mascot will greet pint-sized ghosts and goblins.

From there, SMU students will lead groups of trick-or-treaters through the residence halls of the university, where they can go door to door for candy.

Last year more than 700 youth participated in this free, safe and fun event, sponsored by the Office of Residence Life.

A large amount of candy is needed in order for this program to run smoothly and for children to leave SMU happy. Donations can either be dropped off at Residence Life in Room 14 of the Toner Student Center or send an e-mail to reslife@smumn.edu and someone can pick the donation up.

Page Series presents ‘Letters Home’ Nov. 1

Letters written by soldiers serving in the Middle East will come to life during the next Saint Mary’s Page Series event — “Letters Home”— at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 1, in Page Theatre.

This Griffin Theatre production is a powerful portrait of the soldier experience. It’s inspired by the New York Times op-ed article, “The Things They Wrote” and the subsequent HBO documentary, “Last Letters Home.” Additional letters and correspondences come from Frank Schaeffer’s books, “Voices From the Front,” “Letters Home From America’s Military Family,” “Faith of Our Sons,” and “Keeping Faith.”

These letters were written under the most difficult of circumstances: the disorientation of training, deployment, separation from family and loved ones and combat, and occupation duties in Afghanistan and Iraq. The production uses minimal props and set pieces to dramatize the letters. Photos and video used in the production are taken directly from actual soldiers’ blogs and websites.

Tickets are $12 for adults, $5 for seniors and students and are available online at www.pagetheatre.org or at the Box Office, Ext. 1715 Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Area schools are invited to a special matinee performance at 10 a.m. The play — 90 minutes in length — is recommended for those in grades nine through 12. Contact the Box Office at (507) 457-1715 to reserve seats for your school group. All seats are $2 per student, teacher or chaperone. A study guide is available online at www.pagetheatre.org/matinees.html.

Page Series hosts Luna Negra Dance Theatre Oct. 22

Saint Mary’s will come alive with colorful costumes and spirited dance as the Luna Negra Dance Theatre takes the stage Saturday, Oct. 22.

A representative from the Latin dance company will present a free pre-show at 6:30 p.m. in Figliulo Recital Hall, just prior to the 7:30 p.m. performance in Page Theatre.

Founded in 1999 by Cuban-born dancer and choreographer Eduardo Vilaro, Luna Negra Dance Theater makes its home in Chicago. Luna Negra offers its audiences effervescent, energetic and passionate contemporary Latino dance that blends the discipline of ballet with the fiery energy of Latin and Afro-Caribbean forms and rhythms.

Tickets for this Page Series performance are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors and students. To order, go online to www.pagetheatre.org or call the box office, Ext. 1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Get set to scream at annual Saint Mary's Walk of Horror

This year’s Walk of Horror is again guaranteed to give you goosebumps. New scares are planned around every corner.

The 15th annual hair-raising fundraiser for the SMU Cardinal fastpitch softball team will take place from 7 to 10 p.m. Oct. 21-22 and 29-31 in the SMU bluffs. Walkers meet on the lighted path between the SMU baseball and softball fields, where the haunted walk will begin.

Groups are then escorted through the dark bluffs surrounding the SMU campus for approximately 20 minutes.

The cost is $5 for adults, $4 for students with ID, and $4 for children 12 and younger. Tickets are available at the gate.

SMU head fastpitch softball coach Jen Miller said the event is fun for all ages. The scare level is toned down for younger children and turned up for groups bold enough to face their fears. Last year more than 1,100 brave souls took SMU’s Walk of Horror.

Proceeds from this event will be used for the softball team’s travel expenses. For more information, contact Miller at Ext. 457-6923.

Oktoberfest lunch a success

The Oktoberfest lunch, held yesterday, Oct. 20, was a success. Totals have not yet been tallied, but pictures are viewable at www.smumn.edu/photos.

Proceeds will benefit Christ the Teacher Institute for Education in Nairobi. The Volunteer Committee thanks everyone who came and enjoyed the food, the camaraderie and a little border-war banter, as well as to Chris Kendall for playing the accordion!

Laurie Haase, Business Department, and Roger Peckover, Education, won the awards for best fan spirit.

Michigan artist displays work in ‘These Things Happen’

Unique paintings by Michigan artist Andrew Rieder depict human struggles in the upcoming art show “These Things Happen” on display through Nov. 13 at the Lillian Davis Hogan Galleries.

Rieder, a stencil artist, describes his work as visual metaphors for ongoing human struggles.

Rieder is an art instructor at Delta College in Michigan’s Saginaw Bay Region.

The Lillian Davis Hogan Galleries are open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily and are free and open to the public.

Chemistry Nights are Oct. 27, Nov. 3

Many area high school juniors and seniors will perform hands-on chemistry projects during upcoming Chemistry Nights at Saint Mary’s University, which will run 5 to 9 p.m. Thursdays, Oct. 27 and Nov. 3.

Chemistry Night is an annual event designed to help students explore the discipline of chemistry and appreciate the positive role that chemistry plays in our everyday world.

Each year students solve a challenging but fun chemical problem. Students will work in small teams, using wet chemistry and working with chemical instrumentation in the SMU Department of Chemistry, under the guidance of SMU chemistry majors.

Prizes will be awarded to the teams that have the greatest success in solving the chemical problems. Prizes will include SMU scholarships of $2,000 and $1,000.

Eight area schools and approximately 50 students are participating this year.

For more information, contact Dr. Brett Bodsgard at Ext. 6972.

First SMU mock trial is Oct. 27

The Business and Social Science Departments are hosting the first SMU Mock Trial from 3 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27, in the Common Room.

SMU pre-law students will act as the attorneys in a hotly contested case which mirrors an actual trial. Students will also participate as jurors and witnesses. Attendance is open to everyone — those interested in learning more about our legal system are especially encouraged to attend. For more information, contact Larry Price at Ext. 1533 or lprice @smumn.edu.

Blue Angel 2011: Time to get your act together

The SMU annual music variety show Blue Angel is planned for Friday and Saturday, Nov. 4-5. Auditions for the show will be held Oct. 21-23 and are open to the entire SMU community (students, faculty and staff). Look for a signup sheet on the Phi Mu Alpha room door in the basement of the Toner Student Center. For more information, contact Tyler Ringeisen at tjring08@smumn.edu or Andy Bauer at atbaue08@smumn.edu.

‘Make a Difference Day,’ Lasallian Day of Service is Oct. 22

Saint Mary’s students will be out volunteering in the community for ‘Make a Difference Day’ between 9 a.m. and noon on Saturday, Oct. 22, through the Office of Campus Ministry.

Students will be building for Habitat for Humanity, working at area churches and Community Memorial Hospital, and volunteering with many other organizations in town.

Also on Oct. 22, Saint Mary’s alumni in Twin Cities, Chicago, Winona and all over the country are organizing volunteer sites in their local communities for the third annual Lasallian Day of Service.

All area alumni and friends are invited to participate in the Winona-area Lasallian Day of Service (from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.) with Habitat for Humanity. Volunteers will assist in the construction of a new Habitat Home in the Winona area. Alumni will be volunteering with current SMU students.

Register for this event by going to www.smumn.edu/lasalliandayofservice.

Senior Class Auction nears

The 2011 Senior Class Silent Auction will be held Monday, Nov. 7, and Tuesday, Nov. 8, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Toner Game Room. The Silent Auction is a means for the senior class to fund the activities held throughout the year, specifically Senior Week.

Donations of merchandise, dinners, gift certificates, monetary donations, or any other items can be given to Laura Schmidt, director of Student Activities by Wednesday, Nov. 2.

Alum to give biology seminar

Brendon Panke ’05, associate research specialist in the Department of Agronomy at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, will present the second of a two-part seminar, “On Japanese Knotweed,” a field exercise, at 2:55 p.m. Monday, Oct. 24, at Gilmore Creek. Meet at Hoffman Hall.

SMU alum to present next biology seminars

Dr. Rebecca (Dahlin ’98) Laborde of the Mayo Clinic will present “Clinical and translational applications of transcriptome sequencing in oropharygcal cancer” at 4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27, in Hoffman Hall, Room 112.

Poetry reading planned for Oct. 27 at Winona Arts Center

Dr. Steve Schild will read from a self-published collection of his work at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27, at the Winona Arts Center, 5th and Franklin streets.

Dr. Schild will read from “Gone Away from Crystal Valley,” which includes a number of his poems that have appeared in various literary venues. Schild has published in magazines including ArtWord Quarterly and Elysian Fields Quarterly, anthologies including 33 Minnesota Poets and Witness, and other literary venues including Minnesota Poetry Calendar.

The reading is free and open to the public.

Jazz notes

Swing, Inc. will perform Friday, Oct. 21, from 6 to 9 p.m. at Signature’s Restaurant.

Remembrance to be held Oct. 25

A remembrance for Millie Harrison, a freshman theatre major who passed away suddenly last year, as well as other loved ones, will be held at 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 25, in the new pit, located at the border of the Watters parking lot and the Old Village. A bonfire and open mic memorial will be held, and the SMU community is invited to share thoughts, songs or stories about Millie or other loved ones who have passed. Snacks and hot drinks will be provided.

Cancer benefit for Jim Klinger is Oct. 22

A cancer benefit will be held for Jim Klinger, (Maintenance Department) at 4 p.m. Saturday Oct. 22, at the Witoka Ballroom. Klinger was diagnosed with primary liver cancer in March. The event will include a live and silent auction, bake sale and chicken dinner. If you would like a ticket for the dinner, call Sandy at Ext. 1436. Tickets are selling quickly.

If you would like to help with the benefit by volunteering that day, baking for the bake sale or by donating items, contact Nikki Richmond Ext. 1643 or Sandy Moger at Ext. 1436.