BENEFITS ACTIVE DUTY SOLDIERS
10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 29
100-Mile Roundtrip from Campus to Indiana Borough
Followed by Pig Roast
“Get your motor runnin', Head out on the highway, Lookin' for adventure, And whatever comes our way,
Yeah Darlin' go make it happen, Take the world in a love embrace, Fire all of your guns at once, And explode into space...Like a true nature's child, We were born, born to be wild, We can climb so high
I never wanna die...Born to be wild... Born to be wild” --"Born to be Wild" by Steppenwolf
Rev the fathead, head for the slab and keep the shiny side up as the first Penn State New Kensington motorcycle run to benefit active duty soldiers hits the road from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 29, as a part of the campus’ Fall Festival.
The 100-mile ride from the campus to Indiana Borough and back includes a stop at Indiana Memorial Park. Upon the return to the New Kensington campus, a pig roast awaits participants.
The cost is $10 for a solo rider and $15 for a rider and passenger. Registration begins at 9 a.m. in the upper parking lot of the campus. Preregistration is encouraged but not required. To preregister, contact Danielle DeStefano at 724-334-6019 or dnd125@pasu.edu via email or http://www.nk.psu.edu/Admissions/44864.htm online. Payment is due the day of the run.
The event is held in conjunction with "Military Connections," a non-profit organization that provides care packages, equipment and various supplies to troops stationed overseas. Riders are asked to bring items to the registration table.
For a list of needed military supplies, visit http://www.militaryconnections.org/needed-supplies online.
The motorcycle run is one of the many attractions of the fourth annual festival that is geared to local residents, as well as students and alumni. Activities for the young, old and those in between will be spread out on the campus' 72 acres. Activities include food vendors, crafts, kids' zone, bed races, TV football game and an outdoor concert series. All events are free to the public.
Gene the Werewolf and Chris Higbee are the top attractions for the concert series. The two groups are the featured performers of the four-band line-up that runs from 12:30 to 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 29, in the reconstructed upper parking lot of the New Kensington campus. Preceding the two main attractions will be two groups with campus connections. An acoustic group comprising current students, 3 Dudes Chillin, opens the concert series at 12:30 p.m. Dimwit, a classic rock band led by drummer and Penn State New Kensington alumnus Matt Knapp, follows at 2:00 p.m. Higbee, a country rock fiddler, and his band take the stage at 3:30 p.m. Gene the Werewolf, a rock and roll band, brings the festival to its crescendo at 5:30 p.m.
The Alle-Kiski Society of the Penn State Alumni Association is sponsoring a social activities tent for alumni and friends from noon to 6:30 p.m. Dubbed "Alumni Central," the tent will serve as a meeting place for the local community, as well as Penn State alumni and the campus community. Featured attraction will be the Penn State vs. Illinois football game on a big screen TV. A special section is set aside for alumni and friends to root on the Lions while enjoying a tailgate experience. Refreshments and food will be available. The time of the game has yet to be determined. After the game, if it's an early kickoff, or prior to the game, if it's a late kickoff, a two-hour campus social will bring together faculty, students and alumni. Friends of Penn State are welcome to join in the alumni activities. For more "Alumni Central" activities, contact Bill Woodard at 724-334-6046 or uxw1@psu.edu via email.
Bed races, believed to be the first of its kind at a Penn State campus, are set for noon in the lower parking lot. The competition features five-person teams (four pushers, one rider) who navigate a rolling bed over a measured course while performing tasks at various stations along the way. A series of timed heats culminates with the championship run at 3 p.m. In addition, judges will award prizes in various categories including wackiest design and best theme. Alumni, community and student groups are encouraged to enter a team. Beds will be provided. Registration is $25 per team and proceeds benefit THON. Other Penn State campuses, local high schools, and regional higher education institutions are welcome to compete. Deadline for registration is Sept. 22. For more information, contact Lauren Blum at 724-334-6063 or ldb14@psu.edu via email.
For a schedule of all festival activities, visit http://www.nk.psu.edu/44812.htm online.