UVM class co-hosts Winterfest
CDAE event planning class helps Burlington host 15-year-old tradition, raise money for Special Olympics
Elizabeth Mazer
Issue date: 2/12/08 Section: News
From football players plunging into frigid Lake Champlain to chainsaw-wielding Vermonters carving ice on Church St., Burlington's WinterFest provided several options for winter entertainment.
And a UVM class was behind it all.
The Event Planning class of UVM's Community Development and Applied Economics Department (CDAE) partnered with Vermont Special Olympics, Kids Vermont Camp and School Fair, Burlington Parks and Recreation and the ECHO Center to host Burlington WinterFest.
Event Planning is a four-day class held over winter break from Jan. 2-6. The class is led by Lynn Gregory, Associate Professor of Public Communication. Twenty four students enrolled in the course this year.
Winter Festival is a 15-year tradition in Burlington and uses community support to fundraise and make the event possible, CDAE's Parks and Recreation community partner Nancy Bove, said.
This was the second year that CDAE's event planning course has organized Burlington's Winter Festival.
"Parks and Recreation stopped getting funding by Burlington for the event so we had the idea to take on the activity ourselves as part of a class," Gregory said.
"It is an event based on donations. We went door to door asking local businesses if they would be willing to help. A lot of the businesses went above and beyond our hopes and expectations," Emily Gross, a UVM senior and participant in the Event Planning course, said.
Chittenden bank was the event's presenting sponsor and donated a total of $5,000.
The event hosted a snow carving competition and "ice walk" on Church Street. Local artists created sculptures out of ice in front of Church Street businesses.
Sculptures are illuminated for night viewing and community members can vote online for their favorite one.
The Event Planning students picked the judges for the contest. "We tried to choose people who had skill so they could give an objective opinion on the sculptures," Gross said.
And a UVM class was behind it all.
The Event Planning class of UVM's Community Development and Applied Economics Department (CDAE) partnered with Vermont Special Olympics, Kids Vermont Camp and School Fair, Burlington Parks and Recreation and the ECHO Center to host Burlington WinterFest.
Event Planning is a four-day class held over winter break from Jan. 2-6. The class is led by Lynn Gregory, Associate Professor of Public Communication. Twenty four students enrolled in the course this year.
Winter Festival is a 15-year tradition in Burlington and uses community support to fundraise and make the event possible, CDAE's Parks and Recreation community partner Nancy Bove, said.
This was the second year that CDAE's event planning course has organized Burlington's Winter Festival.
"Parks and Recreation stopped getting funding by Burlington for the event so we had the idea to take on the activity ourselves as part of a class," Gregory said.
"It is an event based on donations. We went door to door asking local businesses if they would be willing to help. A lot of the businesses went above and beyond our hopes and expectations," Emily Gross, a UVM senior and participant in the Event Planning course, said.
Chittenden bank was the event's presenting sponsor and donated a total of $5,000.
The event hosted a snow carving competition and "ice walk" on Church Street. Local artists created sculptures out of ice in front of Church Street businesses.
Sculptures are illuminated for night viewing and community members can vote online for their favorite one.
The Event Planning students picked the judges for the contest. "We tried to choose people who had skill so they could give an objective opinion on the sculptures," Gross said.
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