Food and freebies

Southeast Missouri State University students said goodbye to summer and hello to free food and merchandise at the annual welcome-back picnic in Capaha Park Sunday.

"This is probably the best welcome-back picnic we've ever had," said Southeast president Dr. Ken Dobbins. The weather was comfortable and the humidity low, he said, and the students and businesses turned out in droves.

The Chamber of Commerce University Relations Committee sponsored the picnic, while Chartwells provided food. About 2,000 students and members of the community attended, said chamber president and CEO John Mehner, and more than 80 businesses participated, which is a record high.

"The students and the university mean so much to our local economy," Mehner said. "And it's great to get our students and faculty exposed to local businesses and the community."

The tradition that started in the early 1990s has steadily shifted from drawing just incoming freshmen to mixing both upperclassmen and freshmen, Dobbins said.

Senior Natalie Renn was among those upperclassmen. "I get to see a lot of faces I haven't seen all summer," she said. "And I get to talk to friends that I haven't been with" since last semester.

Nearly every business gave out free merchandise to attract students who scouted for deals on everything from stress balls to T-shirts to prize drawings to discounts.

"You can tell the upperclassmen from the freshmen," Dobbins said with a laugh, "because some of them bring their own bags to get all the freebies."

Sophomore Matt Gibson did just that, rounding the tables with his own bag "to get as much stuff as I could," he said.

Within a half an hour, freshman Amy Holmes had already filled her bag, sampled Indian cuisine from the restaurant Shangrila and snacked on a snow cone. In addition to free merchandise, the picnic had another perk, she said.

"Coming out of high school, you don't know anybody and it's hard to meet new people," Holmes said. "Things like this help you get to know people."

Several organizations and businesses set aside their candy and stepped up their attractions by offering free food, such as popcorn, snow cones, ice cream bars and fruit.

"I think offering food is a gesture of friendliness," said Jim Kerber, financial services representative for Commerce Bank. "It gives us a friendly representation in the community."

Popcorn -- Commerce Bank's food of choice -- attracted nearly 30 percent more students to the bank's booth this year, he said.

Student Activities Council made a splash with a dunking booth and also raised about $30 to jump-start a yearlong effort to raise funds for the Women's Safe House in Cape Girardeau. Students were charged a fee to dunk assistant director for student involvement Gretchen Weber, who suggested the $2 fee. SAC decided to donate to the safe house, said concerts chairman Chad Phillips.

"We just thought it was a very good cause to give to," he said.

jmetelski@semissourian.com

335-6611 extension 127