SIU families hunt for Grey Dawg

Six-year-old+twins+Jake+and+Nick+Wilhelm%2C+of+Carterville%2C+try+to+peak+beneath+the+mask+off+Grey+Dawg+on+Saturday+at+Finding+Grey+Dawg%2C+a+family+carnival+in+the+Recreation+Center.+%E2%80%9CIt%E2%80%99s+fun+for+them+to+see+where+I+work%2C%E2%80%9D+said+their+mother%2C+Angela+Upchurch%2C+an+SIU+law+professor.+%28Anna+Spoerre+%7C+%40annaspoerre%29

Six-year-old twins Jake and Nick Wilhelm, of Carterville, try to peak beneath the mask off Grey Dawg on Saturday at “Finding Grey Dawg,” a family carnival in the Recreation Center. “It’s fun for them to see where I work,” said their mother, Angela Upchurch, an SIU law professor. (Anna Spoerre | @annaspoerre)

By Shyanne Jasper
August 27, 2016

Children filled the university’s Recreation Center with laughter Saturday afternoon as they ran around in search of SIU’s friendly mascot.

The first “Finding Grey Dawg” — an in-house carnival complete with games and snacks for kids — gave families a chance to explore the Recreation Center. Kids were tasked with finding Grey Dawg through clues scattered around the gymnasium, which eventually led to finding the mascot hanging out by the pool.

“We took the theme from ‘Finding Dory’ and made it Finding Grey Dawg,” said Shane Bennett, assistant director of recreational sports and services.

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Four-year-old Hana Saudi brushes the teeth of a stuffed dinosaur at a table set up by SIU’s dental hygiene program Saturday during "Finding Grey Dawg" at the Recreation Center. “A lot of children don’t go to the dentist until they’re six, seven or eight, so it’s important to instill dental hygiene at an early age,” said Sammy Merrigan, a senior from Wauconda studying dental hygiene who passed out toothbrushes and mouthwash to families at the center.
Four-year-old Hana Saudi brushes the teeth of a stuffed dinosaur at a table set up by SIU’s dental hygiene program Saturday during “Finding Grey Dawg” at the Recreation Center. “A lot of children don’t go to the dentist until they’re six, seven or eight, so it’s important to instill dental hygiene at an early age,” said Sammy Merrigan, a senior from Wauconda studying dental hygiene who passed out toothbrushes and mouthwash to families at the center. (Anna Spoerre | @annaspoerre)

Snacks and refreshments, games for kids and service information for SIU families were provided at the event. Students also had the chance to return to the Recreation Center for a nighttime swimming party.

More than 12 booths were spread across the gymnasium for families to get additional information about SIU’s Sustainability Center, the university’s public safety department and its Dental Hygiene Clinic.

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Jerrica Jordan, a graduate student from Little Rock, Ark., studying American literature, brought her young son along with her to enjoy some family bonding.

“We came to this last year and had a lot of fun,” Jordan said. “It’s just a great opportunity to explore what is out there for us to do together as a family, and to see what they have for non-traditional students.”

Staff writer Shyanne Jasper can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @sjasper_DE.

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