by Michael Anklin
Staff Writer
While Santa is still trying to lose weight and his helpers are busy tuning up the sleigh and feeding energy bars to Donner, Blitzen and company, the Christmas spirit has already hit the University of La Verne.
On Tuesday, the Associated Student Federation (ASF) Forum organized the annual ULV Holiday Dinner.
This year’s motto was “Winter Wonderland.” Of course, there was a lack of snow, but after all, this is Southern California.
The Chamber Singers, led by Assistant Professor of Music Alan Raines, opened up the evening with a selection of Christmas songs.
ASF President Michael Morrow then welcomed students, faculty and staff and reminded them that “the most important thing we celebrate here is our community.”
Students, whose numbers were picked by Morrow, won various prices including shopping certificates for Montclair Plaza in a raffle.
In his short speech President Stephen Morgan told the community that “the origin of our holiday dinner goes back many years.”
He said that it was a very important event because “there are very few events when we as students and faculty come together just to enjoy each other’s company.”
After Catholic Campus Minister Elena Cardeña had jokingly blessed everybody’s brains, wishing them good luck for the finals, the ULV community joined Protestant Campus Minister Debbie Roberts in a prayer.
Then it was time to line up for the food — turkey, mashed potatoes, corn, stuffing and rolls — provided by Aramark Dining Services. Each table was hosted by a ULV faculty or staff member.
Each table filled out a questionnaire with questions about Christmas and after dinner the winning table for the ASF Holiday Gift Grand Prize was announced.
Don Morel, who is leaving his position as ASF adviser, was given a plaque and pen and pencil set for his long-time support of the Forum.
“Let there be light” was the motto after the dinner, when the crowd gathered on the ground floor of the Student Center for the official lighting of the Christmas tree. And there was light when Dr. Morgan plugged in the tree.
“We had a better turnout [than last year],” said ASF Vice President Amy Attiyah, a junior.
“It is a lot more organized because we had a lot more people working on it this year, committee wise. We had some great motivated people who took the details and ran away with them and did their magic,” she said.
Junior Justin Jones liked the evening.
“I was impressed how the prayer was more spiritual than religious,” he said, referring to Roberts using the term “the spirit of light” instead of God.
“I think it is important to have dinners like that more often just for the solidarity of the school,” Jones said.
After the lighting of the tree, some students joined their fellow Leopards in the traditional after-dinner dance while others strolled off into the night.
Michael Anklin
