Jumping into fall:
First Annual Jump Day at SHU

11/05/04

By Christina Hooker
Staff Writer

On October 31, 2004, Seton Hill University (SHU) students jumped into 114 bags of leaves for the First Annual Jump Day.

Junior Carmen Marotta came up with the idea because he missed the fun that he had jumping into the leaves as a kid. Jump Day was his resident assistant (RA) floor program for October.

He expected to get about 40 bags, and he was pleasantly surprised when he got 114. For six different days, at least 20 people raked and bagged leaves starting at St. Mary Hall and went to the front of administration building. They averaged about 18 bags a day. On October 31, five people emptied the bags out on Sullivan Hall's lawn.

The jumping began at 3 p.m. and lasted throughout the night. At times there were 20 people at a time that jumped in. Students were able to participate even if they weren't able to help rake the leaves, but the people who helped had first priority.

The SHU staff complimented Carmen and the people who helped out, because it helped beautify the campus; it helped show what can happen when a few students at a time pull together for a good cause.

Sophomore April Beere said, "It was awesome because you get to take the stress off of studying by jumping in the leaves. In addition to supporting Carmen and helping the campus, you got good exercise. I would definitely do it again."

Sophomore Carrie Caroselli had fun being buried in the leaves, but she especially enjoyed that it was interactive. "You got to help throughout the month, by helping, and then in the end you are rewarded by jumping... it was so much fun!"

"If we beat this year's [amount of] leaves, I don't know where I'll store them because they barely fit in Havey storage this year," said Marotta.

He also said that he definitely wants to do this again next year, because it was so much fun, and many people enjoyed the relaxation and the fun of being a kid again.

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Posted by Setonian Online at November 5, 2004 01:36 PM