‘Star Wars’ theme parade, service projects, barbecue slated for Maine Day, May 4
University of Maine students, faculty and staff will take part in Maine Day, the annual campuswide spring cleanup tradition, on Wednesday, May 4. UMaine community members will complete service projects aimed at sprucing up the campus, enjoy a free barbecue, and compete for the oozeball — mud volleyball — championship.
More than 40 projects will include raking, planting flowers, picking up litter and painting at various locations on campus, the bike paths and downtown Orono.
Festivities will begin at 8 a.m. with a parade featuring student organizations, residence hall groups, fraternities and sororities, as well as faculty and staff. The parade will travel from the Hilltop area, down Long Road and across campus behind Balentine to York Hall before ending on the Mall.
Those participating in the parade are encouraged to follow this year’s theme, “Star Wars — May the fourth be with you.” Parade registration is online until 5 p.m. Friday, April 29.
This year, prizes will be awarded for the best campus department and student organization parade entries. Department winners will get the opportunity to attend a men’s ice hockey game next season in the skybox of Robert Dana, UMaine’s vice president for student life and dean of students. The best student organization will receive $200 from Student Life to be used for an event of their choice during the fall semester.
After the parade, volunteers will take part in service projects on and off campus. A list of projects is available on the Bodwell Center for Service and Volunteerism website. Online registration ends at 11:59 p.m. May 2. In-person registration for remaining projects will be available beginning at 9 a.m. May 4 on the Mall (or in the Memorial Union in the event of rain).
Projects will continue until the annual Maine Day barbecue takes place in the Steam Plant Lot from noon to 1 p.m. The rain locations for the barbecue are Hilltop Dining, Wells Central and York Dining.
Several student organization philanthropy events, as well as the oozeball championship, will take place in the lot from noon to 4 p.m.
Activities include the Sophomore Owls’ battle of the bands, human curling with the UMaine Curling Club, the Delta Tau Delta car bash, UMaine football team’s bone marrow drive, Golden Key International Honour Society’s dunk tank, pie-in-the-face booths and the St. Baldrick’s head-shaving event hosted by UMaine Circle K. Arts and crafts, as well as henna tattoos also will be offered.
President Arthur Hauck first inaugurated Maine Day in 1935. It is traditionally held on the last regular Wednesday of the spring semester. Classes with three or more weekly meetings are canceled to allow students to participate in volunteerism.
The Maine Day Committee organizes the event, and funding is provided from The University of Maine President’s Office, the Division of Student Life, the Vice President for Administration and Finance, Facilities Management and Black Bear Dining.
For more information about Maine Day, visit the website or email EJ Roach at ej.roach@umit.maine.edu.