With the weather temperatures warming up layers of clothes will be coming off. Millions of Americans will be tempted to dress for comfort as they eat, drink, and enjoy the comforts of the summer. Other's will question their choices of dress due to Obesity.
According to Mayo Clinic Obesity increases your risk of diseases and health problems such as blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes. But other studies have shown that small changes in daily eating and exercise habits can improve human health.
Reports from World Health Organization says world wide obesity has doubled since 1980. That In 2014 more than 1.9 billion adults 18 years or older were over weight. 600 million were obese.
These are some alarming stats but it doesn't mean people aren't trying to lose weight. It does show that weight lost is very difficult. So, what are some simple things you can do to improve your health?
One is to consult your physician and have a physical check-up. Also, making improvements in your food choices and styles of cooking can help. Adding physical exercise or cardio to your weekly routine can be an improvement for a healthier life. These tips and your choices of making life changes can possibly increase your life expectancy.
The culture of Korea came to the University of Montevallo in a fun way.
UM's Korean Culture Club presented their version of
“The Running Man,” a very popular Korean reality/game show.
KCC Member Serena Joy Manning
Teams from other U-M organizations such as the Whovians and Fiji joined the fun and played a
bunch of child-like games that ranged from the snake to name tape snatching.
A total of nine odd and bizarre games were played and Fiji reigned supreme this year.
Bryant Thurman says the event helped open perspective for the students in attendance.
"It’s all about just getting some organizations together and
exposing them to a game show that is a major part of the Korean culture," said Thurman, whose major is chemistry.
The Korean culture club has
hosted this event for three years. KCC member Serena Manning says that the game show’s
appeal was strong.
Students Taking Part in the Dance-Off
"It’s a fun show
and we thought it will translate well to an event that we could use to raise money," said Manning, an art major.
The money raised from this event will go to the House of Sharing fund, a place that is home to the last 9 remaining Korean Comfort girls; women who were kidnapped by the Japanese and used as sex slaves during World War II.
Manning says she’s optimistic for the awareness of the Korean Culture Club’s mission.
"It’s pretty much just
a way for us to teach people about other cultures so that they aren’t just in
their own cultural bubble," said Manning.
For more information about upcoming events, visit the Korean Culture Club Facebook page. http://tinyurl.com/n6dldtd
The University of Montevallo's UPC hosted cosmic golf during what some may deem the worst week ever. The event took what was once an old gym and turned it into a mini golf course with black lights. As students arrived clubs were swinging and clothing was glowing. Each course was more difficult than the last, from wooden blocks and rocks in the center of the green to holes with walls in them in the middle of them on the course.
Student attempting a hole in one.
Although it may have been hard for them to hit their marks, competition seemed to rise amongst friends despite many of them not being able to find the course. "It's kind of fun to be competitive with your friends but also have something that's a little bit difficult for everybody to do," says Chris Sanders.
Many students found the event very entertaining because they were watching balls fly across the floor and so much effort being put into swing a single swing. "It's a lot of fun. It's great to get the students out here doing something," say Samantha Baker.
Jacob Guyton concentrating on his mark.
As the games continued more students began to get into the swing of things. Some students even began to gloat about winning a round on the floor. "I am not a good player. I am winning by luck and I just hope my luck continues," says Chris Sanders.
On the first floor of Napier Residence Hall, there is the quiet but distinct sound of a mop smacking against the floor. UM custodian Cynthia Carlisle is hard at work cleaning the small messes left behind residents from the night before. She cleans the first floor of Napier five times a week, taking care of the hall, bathrooms and a section of the basement.
Carlisle has been a custodian at the University for 14 years, all of them spent in Napier. "Its...good memories and it's things you don't want to remember," Carlisle admitted with a touch of humor in her voice.
A view of the cleaning supplies inside of a custodial closet.
Fellow custodian Philip Swint says he's been with the university longer, for 38 years. He started out in Napier, but says his favorite building is Lund Hall because if its elevator.
Swint and Carlisle are two custodians out of a 25 person Housekeeping staff.
Custodial Director Landon Walls says the majority of his staff are above the age of 50 and female.
A typical work day for the Housekeeping staff starts at 5:30 a.m. Most are assigned to one of the academic buildings. They are tasked with cleaning the building and preparing it for the first classes of the day at 8 a.m.
Some have secondary buildings they tend to at different times throughout the week. After those duties are done, the Residence Halls are taken care of.
Who cleans what and where is decided by a formula Walls has created. "I have it divided up with time to clean," he said. "There is a general estimate that a person of certain different age groups can clean this many square feet adequately per hour."
Philip Swint pours water into a mop bucket.
The director says the despite the careful formula, its limits are pushed by the small size of his staff.
In Napier, each custodian takes care of a floor. The building's basement is divided among the three workers
Throughout the years, Swint and Carlisle have not only seen the campus change, but the students as well.
They often receive gifts from the staff and residents they see daily, but also getting to know those they are working around.
Carlisle says the most important lesson she can offer the students she encounters is to stay in school. "The more you get upstairs, the more you gonna have in your pocket," she said with confidence.
For more information on the UM custodial staff, visit their legacy.com page.
Traditions help to make institutions recognizable. They are also what continues to buttress our Montevallo experience.
UM's College of Fine Arts through the Art Department puts on the Annual Alumni Art Auction, which in its 19th year, continues to produce remarkable results for the Art Foundation.
This year’s fundraiser had over 100 contributions of artwork and as many alumni in attendance.In just under two hours the event raised more than $4500 for the Art Foundation account according to Art Department Chair Professor Scott Stephens, making it one of the best auctions of the past 19 years.
The artwork put forth this year made the event a tremendous success and it was an excellent demonstration of the Art Department’s talent.
Professor Stephens said, “It’s usually a fun event and we are really proud that we can sell all the work.”
The brothers of UM fraternity Alpha Kappa Lambda held a fundraiser this week to support These Hands Don't Hurt, an organization that helps out victims of domestic abuse. The event was originally planned for last week, but it had to be rescheduled after the campus closed due to weather concerns.
The fundraiser consisted of students paying a dollar to paint their hands and stamp them onto one of two large boards to symbolize their pledge to show support. Students could also pay one extra dollar to enter a raffle. These boards were placed in front of the cafeteria on Monday March 16th to Wednesday March 18th from 11 am to 1 pm. All proceeds from the fundraiser will go to the Shelby County Safe-house.
AKL Chair-member Stacy Daniels has good things to say about the fundraiser: "We really enjoy it and out brothers get to communicate with all the students here on campus...and just have a fun time doing it even though it's going to something good for other people who need it."
For more information, visit the fraternity's Facebook page here.
Bree Roberts, a University of Montevallo employee with the Disability Support Services, was finally able to make one of her dreams come true on January 23, 2015 when Alabama finally legalized same-sex marriage. After living together for many years, Bree and her wife, Emily, tied the knot as soon as they had free time, getting married at a Shelby County courthouse.
They have enjoyed support from their family and friends, but now their marriage might be in jeopardy, due to Alabama Supreme Court Justice Roy Moore cutting off same-sex marriage opportunities in the state.
On March 3, 2015, Roy Moore ordered a halt to all same-sex marriages in the state of Alabama. So far, all same-sex marriages that were finalized before the halt are still recognized by the state, but the future of same-sex marriage in Alabama is now in limbo.
Before the halt began, some ministers throughout the state were already showing their own opinion of the new law: they refused to perform any marriages, same-sex or opposite-sex, so they could not be forced to comply with state law and perform same-sex marriages.
It is as of yet unknown what the final decision on same-sex marriages will be and how long this halt on marriages will last. For now, though, Bree and Emily are enjoying their new life as a married couple, and are living happily with their pet cats.
Friday, March 13, 2015
Gaming Offers Stress Relief to Montevallo Students.
by Zach Miller
The life of a college student can be very stressful. It seems like college life is one endless barrage of exams, papers and projects. Many students at the University of Montevallo have a hobby that helps them to unwind from the daily college grind. One of the most popular is gaming.
The University of Montevallo's Bass Anglers Association is hosting its first ever tournament series. The series is open to every one, not just college students, and consists of three tournaments. The first tournament kicked off this weekend at Lake Mitchell in Clanton Alabama.
The association is holding this tournament to raise awareness for the team.
Participants weighing in their catches
Team member Thompson Fuller is excited for this new opportunity. "Not a lot of people know that the University has a fishing team. We're trying to raise money, but we're getting our name out there also."
Prizes were given to the participants who finished in the top three spots. There was also a prize for biggest fish.
Clanton local, Hunter Perry, won first place with as well as biggest fish earning him just over one-thousand dollars.
Besides raising funds for the program, team president Brandon Easterling hopes this series will bring in new members. "Anybody that wants to fish or learn to fish can join. Its for everybody on campus."
The final two tournaments in the series will take place on Lake Logan Martin on April 25th, andLay Lake on May 9th.
