Mar 23, 2017 | News |
By Angel Greer, Contributing Writer
The 2017 UMF Clefnotes. (Photo Courtesy of Zack Lavoie)
UMF a capella group Clefnotes is growing and obtaining new opportunities and will soon perform in their 3rd Annual Celebration of Music and final concert, both to be held in Nordica Auditorium later this semester.
Clefnotes recently held auditions this semester, with hopes of finding people to potentially add to their club. They added four new members this semester, which is said to be a pretty large number for a spring semester. “Usually not a lot of people audition during the spring semester, since a lot of people audition during the fall semester,” said Vanessa Brown, member of Clefnotes. “But in past years they’ve had 85 people audition during one semester and then have like 25 people for callbacks.”
“Being a new member of Clefnotes is awesome. It’s awesome just because of the people in the group,” said Brown. “They’re all just so funny and everyone’s different in their own ways.”
Auditions consist of singing a 30 second snippet of a song that shows off a singer’s range to the rest of the club, so that that they can earn a callback. “A lot of people before they do anything that’s arts related, like music, theater, etc.,” said Brown, “have that kind of awkwardness and that insecurity about themselves so they go into something like music to help with their confidence.”
The group has had a strong year according to Clefnotes leader Zack Lavoie. “Our group is really cohesive this year. We have a lot of really talented people who have the drive to take the group to the next level,” said the senior. “Everyone has great attitudes and really wants to push each other to be the best we can,” said Lavoie.
The singers have also been presented with new opportunities this year. “It’s really exciting to see how far the group has come. We were considered to sing with a band opening for Panic! At the Disco,” said Lavoie. Although this gig didn’t pull through due to staging issues, they have also been asked to perform by groups from schools like Bowdoin, Colby, and UMO.
Students interested in hearing Clefnotes perform can find them at the a cappella showcase Celebration of Music on April 15 in Nordica Auditorium. In the same venue, they will round out the year and say goodbye to their seniors with their final concert on May 6.
Mar 9, 2017 | News |
By Angel Greer, Contributing Writer
Tyler Daigle with his fiancée, Gabrielle Severance. (Photo Courtesy of Gabrielle Severance)
Tyler Daigle, a senior history major at UMF passed away February 27th from complications related to Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is a genetic disorder that causes the muscles to weaken due to an absence of dystrophin, a protein that helps keep muscle cells intact. This disorder primarily affects males and progresses over time.
“Tyler was diagnosed at the age of five. He was able to walk up until he was ten. It affected every muscle in his body, including his heart,” said Tyler’s fiancée, Gabrielle Severance. Muscle weakness can begin as early as age 3, first affecting the shoulders and upper arm muscles and the muscles of the hips and thighs. By the early teens, the heart and respiratory muscles are also affected. “In the end, he was losing the use of his arms, but this didn’t stop him. He continued to go to school and complete assignments until the end,” said Severance.
“Tyler was 23 and he was a senior on his way to graduate,” said Sam O’Neal, Tyler’s CA this past year. “He was almost there. He was a smart cookie, a very smart cookie.” Tyler always knew what he wanted and did not hesitate to pursue it.
“Tyler’s favorite subject was history. He was working towards a degree in history with a minor in anthropology and political science,” said Severance.
“I loved having him in class primarily because he was so expressive,” said Nicole Kellett, Tyler’s Latin America and Anthropology professor. “I could always tell if I struck a chord with the students because Tyler would often throw his head back in laughter or shake his head back and forth in disbelief, or perhaps amazement, of what we were discussing in class,” said Kellett.
During February break, O’Neal had received a message from Susan Grace, Tyler’s mom, about him being admitted to the Hospice House in Auburn. “She didn’t really tell us much; besides that, everything was hopeful,” said O’Neal. “Everyone in Tyler’s hall and every CA in Scott itself signed a card and sent it to him while he was admitted.”
Not only was Tyler smart, but he was also kind, funny, and a great listener. “I know you kinda say this about everybody, but he was so impossibly kind to anybody…anybody and everybody that he met. Whenever he would talk you would just listen to him,” said O’Neal. “Everything he said just kinda made sense. He was very good at conversation. He loved listening to your stupid stories and he would laugh right along with you,” said O’Neal.
Tyler was strong-willed, self-sufficient, and an independent person, even while being wheelchair bound. “It didn’t matter that he was in a wheelchair because it didn’t seem like he was. He was way more independent than I’ll ever be,” said O’Neal.
“He swore that if he could walk, he’d be a wrestler,” said Severance. Tyler was a huge fan of the WWE. “He knew everyone that was in it and every move, and made up his own. He also wanted to start up a Wrestling Club,” said O’Neal. Tyler has always been actively involved here on campus and was part of a few clubs, in addition to always attending events held at the Landing.
“Tyler made UMF a better place,” said Kellett, “and I’m so grateful he chose to spend many of his formative years with us.”
Feb 18, 2017 | News |
By Angel Greer, Contributing Writer
Students at UMF are hosting a Disney themed Relay for Life event for the American Cancer Society to help promote cancer awareness and raise funds to fight the disease. The annual event will be held Friday, April 7th at 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. at the FRC.
Relay for Life is an all-night event where teams from UMF and the community take turns walking or running around the track at the FRC to raise money for cancer research.
To raise money for the fight against cancer, each team member is challenged to raise at least $100 before the event and to go out and find sponsors who will donate a certain amount of money towards each lap the team members make during the event.
“If a club on campus went out and asked someone to sponsor them, the sponsor could say that they want to donate $0.50 for every lap each team member takes,” said Beckett. If there are 6 team members and they each took 40 laps each, that team would get a donation of $120 from that one sponsor. Clubs, students, community organizations, family, and groups of friends are invited to register as a team.
Registration either online or in person is relatively easy. “It’s only $10 and you can go right online to the Relay for Life website or give the $10 to any club member,” said Relay for Life club member Vanessa Brown, “Plus, all the money goes towards a good cause.”
When not on the track, team members can enjoy Disney themed food, games, music, and prizes which is all run and coordinated by volunteers. There will also be volunteer performances during the event, such as Clefnotes, an acapella group on campus.
Joshua Beckett, Co-President of the Relay for Life club, asks that a team member is on the track at all times. “Cancer never sleeps or takes a break, cancer patients don’t stop fighting because they’re tired and for one night, neither do the team members,” said Beckett.
Team members also have the option to dedicate a Luminaria. “A Luminaria honors a life touched by cancer,” said Beckett. “You can dedicate them to a loved one currently battling, anyone who overcame it, or loved one you lost to cancer.” After dark, everyone at the event takes a moment of silence to remember their loved ones they’re dedicating their time to.
Last year the club raised over $14,000 towards cancer research and hope to beat that amount this April. Other clubs at UMF also had chance to raise money for their own clubs by selling baked goods during the all-night event.
