What do basketballs, inflatables, and paper airplanes have in common? Fantastic Alumni Day.
Saturday, January 26 saw the PAC gymnasium filled with hundreds of smiling faces for our 14th annual event. And wow, what a fantastic day it was! More than 630 spirited Waterloo alumni, staff and faculty members, retirees, and their families cheered on the women’s and men’s Warriors basketball teams as they battled the Windsor Lancers.
Friendly competitions held during each of the half time breaks gave fans a chance to get out of the stands and have some fun on the court. This year’s staff vs. alumni Monster Hoops Competition was made all the more difficult by the addition of a new, much taller inflatable hoop. For some of the contestants, tossing the inflatable basketball that far over their heads felt more like they were tossing a bowling ball! In the end, it was the staff team that prevailed.
Next up was the most anticipated part of the day. With a chance to win five fantastic prizes, the paper airplane tossing contest was also the most competitive. Some fans tried to gain a competitive edge by practicing their paper-folding methods at home. One young fan even arrived with a paper airplane folding “how to” book.
After scheming about the best folding methods, selecting which prizes to target, and securing the ideal location from which to launch, fans sent their planes whizzing down from the stands in a hail of yellow paper. We’re happy to report that no paper cuts or other paper-related injuries were reported during this event.
Here is a complete list of the winners and prizes sponsored by Manulife Financial:
- Alex Longo, a Waterloo student, won a 40” Samsung LED Television & Boston Acoustics Soundbar with wireless subwoofer.
- Incredibly, Tibor Vezsenyi, spouse of a staff member, won the $1,000 Blue Mountain Family Weekend and the Wizard of Oz Date package.
- Bill Killeen, father of a Waterloo student, won a pair of men’s and women’s Opus Urbano bicycles.
- Alex Brown, son of an alumnus, won a Warrior Blanket and set of 4 glasses, and a $100 McGinnis Front Row Gift Certificate.
A collaborative piece by Jennifer Bentley and Emily Huxley Osborne.