Muskegon freshman Felicia McCrary and Shepherd resident Mackenzie Sheahan laugh as they start meeting in small groups on Tuesday night at Mount Pleasant Community Church, 1400 West Broomfield Street, during the ULife college ministry meeting. "We all hang out and just spend life together." McCrary said. (Bethany Walter/Staff Photographer)

With café-style tables, a coffee bar and colorful lighting, the loft of Mount Pleasant Community Church becomes populated every Tuesday night with college students.

They come together for UNite, a program of MPCC’s ULife outreach, and meet in the church for worship and small-group Bible study at 8 p.m. Tuesdays. Shepherd resident and small-group leader MacKenzie Sheahan said the ULife program started about four years ago when she and her husband, Director of College Ministry Mitch Sheahan, began hosting a Bible study for a group of college students at their house.

From left: Lansing freshman Chad Zumbaugh, Saginaw freshman Luke Dehart, Gladwin senior Nathan Goddard, Muskegon freshman Felicia McCrary, and Mount Pleasant sophomore Nick Martin play "Give Me Faith" on Tuesday night at Mount Pleasant Community Church, 1400 West Broomfield Street, during the ULife college ministry meeting. (Bethany Walter/Staff Photographer)

“Eventually we grew enough to start having weekly UNite meetings here in the church,” MacKenzie said.

The attendance at each week’s UNite is now around 60 students, coming from both Central Michigan University and Mid Michigan Community College.

The night begins with announcements such as the dates for the group’s upcoming spring break trip, as well as ULife’s monthly luncheon. From there, the group moves on to sing several worship songs led by a praise band before splitting off into small groups.

“Small groups are the bread and butter of our program,” Mitch said. “When students come together to share what God’s doing in their lives, big growth happens.”

The small groups usually base their theme around the sermon in church on the previous Sunday and tailor group questions based on each group’s needs, Mitch said.  Right now, the small groups are focusing on the stories of various figures of the Old Testament, such as David, Moses and Eve.

Muskegon freshman Felicia McCrary, who sings in ULife’s praise band, said she chose the church and its programs after researching area churches online last semester.

“Church is a big part of my life and it was important for me to make the right decision,” McCrary said. “Having such a multigenerational church is what got me to stay.”

Onsted freshman Lyndsey Griffin said she learned about MPCC and the ULife program through her older brother, but it was the church’s friendly atmosphere that convinced her to continue attending.

“Everyone just reaches out to you,” Griffin said. “It’s like family.”

Waterford senior Jennifer Tabeek, HDF 409 student assistant, laughs as Carson, 4, left, and Henry, 4, play with toy trains Tuesday afternoon in the Education and Human Services Building's Child Learning Lab. (Ashley Miller/Staff Photographer)

They graduated in December, ready to take on the real world.

But, two months later, CMU alumnae Abbey Nirva and Kelsey Koewers still find themselves working at the Child Development and Learning Lab, the preschool inside the College of Education and Human Services Building. Four days a week, 72 children spend part of their afternoon there, interacting with students and faculty.

More than 100 students work in the lab for school credit, and additional students, five undergraduate and two graduate students, work in the lab for employment, alongside full-time staff memberss.

CDLL Faculty Director Cheryl Priest said the lab serves as a training facility for students who major or minor in child development.

“It is amazing to have strong students majoring in Early Childhood Development and Learning, because we know that they are going to make a difference in the lives of children around Michigan,” Priest said.

Nirva, of Allen Park, and Koewers, of Lowell, worked as student employees last semester and were kept for another semester after graduation because the lab required staff to help a child full-time.

Highland senior Kaitlyn Schultz, HDF 402 student assistant, works with Mariah, 3, center, and Colton, 5, at the art station Tuesday afternoon in the Education and Human Service building's Child Learning Lab. "(My favorite part is) working with all the kids and seeing what they create. It's so fun," she said. (Ashley Miller/Staff Photographer)

“On occasion, when someone works really well with our program and there’s an opportunity later, we make sure they know about this opportunity,” Priest said. “Abby and Kelsey were hired temporarily, because we had a special need within the program.”

She said in this case they were able to continue to work with two outstanding students and former student employees who were available for the time period they needed. We consider ourselves extremely lucky, she said.

Nirva is currently working in the lab as a paraprofessional. She prepares activities for the classroom, works in the kitchen in the morning afternoons works individually with the child.

“I feed her and walk around with her,” Nirva said. “She is the sunshine to my day; she makes my life so much better. We’re great together.”

Koewers has been employed by CDLL since August 2011, and before that, she was a student teacher in the lab. She said after her experience working at the lab previously, she wouldn’t turn down the position this semester.

“With my job position still available, there was no question in my mind whether to stay or not. It is such an amazing place to work in and be a part of,” Koewers said. “I honestly believe that there is no better preschool out there than the Child Development and Learning Lab here at CMU.”

While working at the lab, Koewers said she has built great relationships with children, faculty and other students.

“I chose to stay to not only get an amazing reference added to my resume for the future, but I also simply didn’t want to leave the school, my coworkers, who I now consider great friends, as well as the children, some of which I have now known for almost two years,” she said.

Both Nirva and Koewers believe they have been lucky to work in the lab, which has taught them aspects they could only learn firsthand.

Koewers said she has gained aspects of patience, diversity, support and understanding.

“Working in the lab has shown me how adults can be a major support system for children in so many ways,” she said. “Letting the children know you’re there to support them can be key to having them enjoy learning as well as relaxing and trusting in the people and environment.”

Nirva said she has gained a lot of hands-on experience, as well as now seeing children in a new light.

“I always thought that I knew how to connect with children, but being in classes and actually learning and applying it in the classroom has been an eye-opener,” she said.

They’re at a vital age and are capable of learning so much, she said.

Both Nirva and Koewers are sad to leave the CDLL after the spring semester.

“The lab is and will be one of the best parts of my life, and the idea of leaving it in the spring devastates me,” Koewers said. “It is an amazing place, and I can only dream I will work in and send my future children to half of a school that the CDLL is.”

Nirva said the lab is a fun atmosphere and much more than what students see on the exterior.

“It’s so much cooler than people know. It’s a top-notch preschool. It’s nothing like when we were kids,” Nirva said. “You never want to leave. It’s great.”

Instagram Photos by Mike Mulholland and Amelia Eramya.

Some Instagram photos are turning iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch users into instant photographers.

Appearing in the App Store in October 2010, the app currently has more than 50 million users. According to Mashable.com, an Android version of the app is currently under development, though an official release date has yet to be announced.

The app is a “fast, beautiful and fun way to share your life with friends through photos,” according to the site’s page.

Previously, photos could only be visible on the program itself, but now users can share their photos on social networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and Flickr with a couple taps on their touch screen. The photos can also be viewed on webstagram.com.

Similar to Twitter, people can “follow” the posts of their friends and even celebrities.

“I follow more celebrities than friends,” said Escanaba junior Chantell LaForest. “Justin Bieber and Selena (Gomez), of course, and Zooey Deschanel.”

LaForest said she takes photos of everything, especially her meals.

“If I feel something is noteworthy, I’ll snap it and post it to Instagram,” she said. “Food is always important.”

One of Instagram’s most popular features are photography filters and effects. Of the 16 effects one can apply to their average-looking photo, LaForest said X-Pro II, which adds a vintage look to photos, is her favorite.

For LaForest’s roommate, photos of her puppy and hedgehog are the stars of Chesaning junior Kaylee Turnwald’s profile.

“I like that it’s like Twitter, only with pictures,” she said.

Grand Rapids junior Michael Sundt said the app is just an excuse for people to think they are artists.

“I hate how people take pictures of every day, ordinary things, add an effect and suddenly they think it’s some great thing,” he said. “One photo that bothered me the most was when someone took a picture of a single cup of coffee and posted it on Twitter.”

If the photo doesn’t have any meaning behind it, Sundt said he thinks it should stay off the web.

“It’s basically like Garage Band for photos,” Sundt said. “People can go on, take a photo, do whatever they want with it and call it their own.”

Although Sundt disagrees with many of the photos people post, he said the Stitchagram.com website is a good idea for Instagram’s business.

Instagram is gaining favor in the corporate world as well. In October 2011, Ford utilized the photo app, launching a six-week contest called “Fiestagram” to promote their new automobile, the Ford Fiesta, according to media.ford.com. European users submitted their Instagram photos of the different car features and technology to win prizes ranging from being featured in real-life galleries to winning the Ford Fiesta.

Stitchagram.com offers users the chance to create personalized pillows with their Instagram photos. Although the app is free, the pillows come at a price. Each 15-inch pillow, created with either four large photos or 25 small ones, will set a customer back about $45.

While resting on an Instagram pillow, people can also flip through a book holding a collection of their favorite phone photography. Blurb.com allows users to create the books and go on to sell them on the website.

Whether used to capture your hedgehog’s first steps or a well-crafted cappuccino, each of this app’s more than 1.3 million daily uploaded images say more than 140 words.

Mount Clemens sophomore Erica Freckleton practices juggling for the first time while in front of the Juggling and Circus Arts Club booth during RSO night Monday evening at the CMU Events Center. "It was a lot easier than I thought," said Freckleton. "I have absolutely no hand-eye coordination so I'm sure that if I can do it anyone can do it." (Charlotte Bodak/Staff Photographer)

Michelle Shamaly said about 80 registered student organizations participated in the Student Government Association’s second RSO Spotlight event.

The event was held at 7 p.m. Monday in the Events Center.

“This is our second year hosting this event; it used to be run through the Office of Student Life,” Shamaly said.

Last year was a much smaller event held in the Bovee University Center Rotunda and this year the amount of participation has increased significantly, she said.

“Since most of SGA is organized by different representatives of different organizations, we wanted to give them a chance to showcase their organizations and (get) more members,” Shamaly said.

She said this event gave the RSOs experience promoting their organizations and a chance to network with other organizations while building a community.

“I think it is important because not everyone can come to the fall semester MAINstage and it is just a really good way to get your organization out there,” said Mesick sophomore Anelisa Bailey.

Bailey is a member of Spanish Club, which is open to all students.

“Anybody in any Spanish class is able to come to Spanish Club,” she said. “It is a way to practice the language and we put on fun activities.”

Other RSOs present included the Justice Society, based through the criminal justice program, MHTV, CMU’s student-run television station, and Spectrum (formerly the Gay/Straight Alliance), who advocate for the LGBTQ community.

“It is good if there are people that came in for the spring semester and not the fall, so they can come out and see what the RSOs are about,” said Harbor Springs senior Seth Garson.

RSOs that were founded this semester were in attendance as well, including the Juggling and Circus Arts Club.

“The main focus of our RSO is to bring together people with similar interests and help each other get better at our individual disciplines,” said Brighton junior Matthew Peplinski.

As the founder and president of the new organization, Peplinski said he was hoping the event would give them the chance to have people become interested, even if they do not have past experience.

“It is basically about getting together and having fun,” Peplinski said. “One really nice thing about juggling and circus arts is that there is no pressure, because it is not a sport — you do not have to worry about being bad at it.”

During the event, Peplinski and East Lansing freshman Noah Benallack demonstrated and taught students who approached their table juggling and other circus arts.

“It is all about getting better at what you do, finding what you love to do and just having fun,” Peplinski said.

Sparta junior and SGA senator Spencer McKellar said he would like to see the event return every year because RSOs need something similar to MAINstage during the spring semester.

“I feel this is a great avenue to promote all the different things we have to offer on this campus,” McKellar said.

When students start in the fall they feel overwhelmed, but in the spring they have more time to get acclimated, said Detroit junior Laci Bosquez.

“I really enjoy getting to know people that run the clubs and having the opportunity to see what the clubs are showcasing,” Bosquez said.

Mount Pleasant junior and SGA member Sean Kolhoff planned and organized the RSO Spotlight.

“If students have an organization they belong to, it gives them further reasons to want to stay on campus and continue throughout college for all four years,” Kolhoff said.

Troop Leader, Jamie Brown of Mount Pleasant, talks to the girls of Girl Scout Troop 50814 about their design entries for Art Reach's Festival of Banners at their meeting Monday night at the Jane Harris Cabin. Each of the girls created a design for their own banner and everyone voted on their favorites at the end of the meeting. (Kaitlin Thoresen/Assistant Photo Editor)

By day Jamie Brown helps college students choose their academic path, but two nights each month she plays mentor to a younger crowd.

Brown, an academic adviser at the Towers Success Center, is a Girl Scout leader for Brownie Troop 50814.

She was a girl scout in the 6th grade and has been a leader for the last two years, following in the footsteps of her mother.

“The most I remember doing is selling cookies (as a girl scout),” Brown said. “What is great is that people have a positive attitude about girl-scout cookies. My daughter is now selling them.”

Brown said she believes it’s important for the kids to have their parents involved in their lives, which is why she first became a leader for her daughter Katherine.

“I took my daughter and some of her friends out to dinner once,” Brown said. “They asked me questions; stuff that they probably wouldn’t ask their moms. I feel like they see me as some type of role-model.”

Brown leads the troop of nine third grade girls from Vowles Elementary School with two other leaders, Lisa Thackery and Becky Kaniski. Both Mount Pleasant residents have daughters within the troop.

Thackery, whose daughter Mackenzie is a brownie, said the position can be difficult.

“It’s challenging (to be a troop leader), because I’m a chemist and I’m used to working in a lab all day,” said Thackery, who works for Dow Corning Corporation.

Kaniski has been a troop leader for six years and is currently leading two troops with a daughter in each; Megan is in her Brownie troop.

On Feb. 6, the Brownies gathered in the Jane Harris Cabin near Barkley Road to discuss their future involvement in the Festival of Banners.

“This is the first time we decided to do this (be in the festival) as a troop,” Kaniski said. “They get to see what they can do as a team when they put their heads together.”

One of their goals is to help the girls become strong leaders, stay substance free, able (to make) good decisions and provide for themselves,” Brown said. “The lessons built in their activities have more depth and meaning. Traits, such as cooking, aren’t taught to make them good homemakers but to teach them about nutrition, eating healthy and taking care of themselves.”

Supported by the funds they receive from selling cookies, magazines and nuts, the Brownies are able to plan field trips and buy supplies for badges and crafts. They also go on smaller outings, such as bowling, swimming at the Student Activity Center and roller skating, Kaniski said.

The girls also help out by visiting the nursing home, the Laurels of Mt. Pleasant, 400 S. Crapo St. Last Christmas, they sang carols for the elderly and made ornaments and cards, Thackery said.

Aside from getting together with friends, brownie Taylor Strom said she thinks it’s good to be a girl scout, because it helps nature.

“Sometimes we do walks and look for garbage,” Strom said.

Figures comparing ticket sales versus announced football game attendance. (Source: CMU Athletics documents)

Fans and critics of the Central Michigan football team have long doubted attendance numbers announced during games.

It turns out they’re right.

The athletic department has inflated attendance numbers announced to fans and media while expecting to report a number to NCAA about Division I status.

Athletics Director Dave Heeke expects that the attendance number submitted to the NCAA Feb. 15 will be lower than the 15,000 average attendance required to be Division I. Programs only have to hit that number once every two years.

“We won’t meet that number this year,” Heeke said. “But we’ve met it in the past. And forecasting for next year, we will meet it in the future.”

Heeke is confident CMU will reach that 15,000 benchmark during next season’s seven-game home schedule that includes Michigan State, Navy and Western Michigan. That still leaves several Mid-American Conference games left to be scheduled, which could include mid-week games that crippled the attendance average last year.

Inflating the announced attendance

Last season CMU inflated attendance figures given to the media, placed in the official game summary and presented on the scoreboard during games.

Athletics announced an average attendance of 15,291 for the five home games. The average paid attendance was 4,473.

Few CMU football fans remain late in the third quarter during CMU's game against Ohio in Kelly/Shorts Stadium. (Mike Mulholland/Photo Editor)

“All too often I get a chuckle when the answer to the attendance trivia question is shown on the big screen,” said season ticket holder Brian Roberts. “There are rarely as many bodies in the stadium as it says.”

The attendance numbers included tickets given away for free, regardless of whether the person who received the ticket attended the game, Heeke said.

This created a higher attendance number than actually at the game.

“I would not say it’s a false number,” Heeke said. “I would say it’s the number of tickets distributed for the game.”

Heeke said the band, cheerleaders, working staff and possibly even players were counted in the total attendance.

“They’re a part of the game,” he said. “They’re at the game, observing the game. A lot of people do that.”

The NCAA bylaws state in the Division I manual:

20.9.7.3.1.2.1.1 Noncounted Students. Student-athletes and cheerleaders scheduled by the institution to be at the game and students performing services at the stadium (e.g., concessionaires, ticket takers, parking-lot attendants, ushers, groundskeepers) shall not be counted toward meeting the attendance requirements.

“When you count attendance the way we count it, you can count all those people,” Heeke said. “It doesn’t mean you’re not counting it by NCAA rules.”

When CMU sends its certified attendance numbers to the NCAA it will not include the distributed tickets that did not enter the game, Heeke said, adding that some of the student groups would not be counted by the auditors for the NCAA certified numbers, but he wasn’t sure which ones.

“I think we’re going to be significantly less than the total announced attendance numbers,” Heeke said of the NCAA certified attendance.

In information Central Michigan Life received from a Freedom of Information Act request, CMU sold a total of 22,366 tickets last season, but announced attendance was 76,456.

One reason Heeke cited for not releasing the more accurate number was because it takes hours after the game to get a precise, certified number.

There are workers with clickers at the gate counting how many people enter. Athletics counts that clicker number, the other groups like bands, cheerleaders and staff, along with the tickets distributed into the announced attendance.

When asked if CMU could combine the clicker totals together for a more accurate number during the game, he said, “We can do that. We’ve elected not to.”

“We’re trying to get as many people in there at the game,” Heeke said. “We probably average 6-10 thousand at a game.”

Next year CMU will go to scanners to count tickets instead of clickers. Heeke said he expects it will give a more accurate number faster, but he still does not know what will go into account when athletics announces an “official” attendance during the game.

Giving away tickets

While students enter the game for free, many other community members also enter games without charge through free tickets distributed in the area.

“We’ve tried to pump those tickets out in the market hoping those people will make a decision to come to the game,” Heeke said. “We go to corporate partners, large groups, schools, military night. We’re actively putting a lot of tickets in people’s hands.

“There’s no secret, they don’t (go). And they haven’t,” he said.

CMU athletics had to give away free tickets to thousands in the community to try to fill the stands. Only 29 percent of the inflated, announced attendance throughout the season actually paid to enter the gates of Kelly/Shorts Stadium.

“That is the reality of the situation,” Heeke said. “We have to drive people into the game.”

Alumnus Rudy Mayon went to the game against Ohio for free through a friend who received a ticket working at Meijer, 1015 E. Pickard St. CMU said 12,127 fans were there but Mayon, who sat on the sideline of the game, thinks otherwise.

“I wouldn’t think so,” Mayon said when asked if thought that number was accurate. “I put a lot of money on it. I would say maybe 7,500 (in attendance).”

Heeke said he doesn’t believe giving away mass amounts of free tickets is unfair to season ticket holders. He said they get other benefits such as designated seating. They’re committed to the program and want to see it grow, he said.

When asked about the low student turnout Heeke questioned the value of “free.”

“Some people, maybe me, debate the value of free,” he said. “Free tells you what the product is worth. There’s no investment, so if you’re feeling iffy about going, you don’t go.”

There have been no talks of charging students, though.

NCAA rules regarding attendance

If CMU does not average an attendance of 15,000 next year, it will not meet the Division I requirements.

So what would happen?

The NCAA Division I manual states if a member does not meet the requirements it will be given a noncompliance notification. Any further noncompliance will lead to a 10-year period of restricted membership.

“There have been people in the past that haven’t met that number and nothing’s really happened,” Heeke said.

CMU would not be eligible to play any postseason game if restricted. After a year the institution could be put in a subdivision based on the subdivision’s criteria.

“If we cannot meet that minimum, it speaks volumes of how committed our fans are,” Heeke said. “People need to decide how committed they are.

“That’s the reality of our program right now. Not the best spot to be in.”

Editor’s note: Central Michigan Life has sent a Freedom of Information Act request to receive the actual attendance numbers which will be sent to the NCAA.

Troy junior Lisa Lull recites her lines as character Sherry in Act I of a rehearsal for "Independence" with Battlecreek sophomore Jillian Weimer's character Jo Thursday evening in Bush Theater. (Charlotte Bodak/Staff Photographer)

Lee Blessing’s play “Independence” is coming to Moore Hall’s Bush Theatre to put one fictional family’s dysfunction on display.

“Independence,” according to the theater’s website, is a comedic family drama about a mother and her four daughters. The play will be performed  at 7:30 p.m. from Feb. 15 to 18 and at 2 p.m. Feb. 19.

Timothy Connors, professor of communication and dramatic arts, said the play is something the audience as a whole can relate to.

“The play is all about family and independence — the importance of family, and holding family together, as well as what being independent really means,” he said.

Connors said of the nearly 60 plays he has directed, “Independence” is unique among them. Not only does the play have a surprisingly small cast, consisting of only four actors, but it also features a completely female cast, a rarity in an art that is still dominated by male characters, he said.

Traverse City senior Jacqueline Voice, who plays the oldest sister Kess, said the small cast was what attracted her to the play.

“The play really carries an intense realism. All the characters are really dynamic,” Voice said. “They stand out for various reasons, and make choices we can all empathize with.”

Troy junior Annie Blatz said she was also attracted to the play because of the small cast. She said she can relate to the play because of the characters’ complexity.

“I can relate to these characters because they remind me of my family; they all carry traits that resemble real people in real situations,” she said.

Little Creek sophomore Jillian Weimer, who plays the middle sister Jo, said the small cast does present challenges.

“The idea of a small cast means there are no small parts,” Weimer said. “That really makes us all stand out. There is no place to hide on stage.”

Lisa Lull, a senior from Waterford, is playing the youngest sister, Sherry, who carries a personality opposite of hers.

“I’m excited to play my character,” Lull said. “She’s got a tough personality, and I don’t. It’s not everyday you get to completely change your personality.”

Blatz, who plays the offbeat, borderline-insane mother of the family, claims her role is different than any character she has played before.

“I really have to get in the right mindset,” Blatz said. “It’s a character I have to focus on. It’s going to be fun to perform, and I think the audience will really be intrigued by her.”

Tickets can be purchased on Central Michigan University’s Ticket Central website or by calling 774-3000.

Shepherd resident Brandy Franklin individually jumps over a class of fitness participants while each of them hold a planking position during Fitness Bootcamp Thursday evening at the Morey Courts Recreation Center, 5175 E. Remus Road. (Victoria Zegler/ Staff Photographer)

Morey Courts is giving motivation to those who are serious about a New Year’s resolution of weight loss by offering a grand prize of $10,000.

The Slim to Win weight loss competition at Morey Courts Recreation Center, 5175 E. Remus Road, has 888 participants.

The event began Jan. 11  and will be ongoing until April.

Program Coordinator Andrew O’Brien said the participants must be at least 25 years old and a full-time Isabella County resident.

Bariatric surgery and such things are prohibited, he said.

“It’s a healthy community issue,” O’Brien said. “We’re hoping to see people commit to losing weight, and more important than losing weight is living a healthy lifestyle.”

Personal Trainer David Coles is assisting four participants in the competition. He does different circuit interval workouts, making sure participants are keeping their heart rates up throughout the entire workout.

“It’s a great incentive,” Cole said. “Just to get people coming into the fitness facilities and getting us more numbers.”

Cole said the $10,000 is a good motivation for the people that wouldn’t typically come in to work out.

Mount Pleasant resident and fitness instructor Barb Torpy takes part in a team exercise with one of her class participants during Fitness Bootcamp Thursday evening at the Morey Courts Recreation Center, 5175 E. Remus Road. (Victoria Zegler/ Staff Photographer)

O’Brien said many of the participants did not expect to win the $10,000, but it’s nice to have the incentive to push people to become healthier.

“Hopefully that’s what we’re going to be able to see,” O’Brien said. “It’ll be interesting to see the result.”

Mount Pleasant resident Gene Haymaker said the money was not a bad incentive, but he is doing the contest to lose weight for his wife.

“Our kids are at an age where they’ll be leaving the nest not too long in the future, and she wants me to be active enough to be able to do things with them,” Haymaker said.

Haymaker said his main goal is to lose the weight he needs to and said he wants to change his lifestyle.

“I think it’s excellent to focus on the aspect of health,” Haymaker said. “This window of people who have kids, with poor health only limits what we can do with our families and what we can achieve in our careers.”

Participants will have the second weigh-in Feb. 18, which will narrow it down to the top 10. A month following the weigh-in will narrow it down to the top four, O’Brien said.

April will be the final weigh-in and the announcement of the grand prize of $10,000.

O’Brien said there will be a second chance prize in August of $3,000. That will be awarded to the overall winner who has lost the highest percentage of body weight at that time.

“It only improves the life of the community all the way around,” Haymaker said.

Belleville senior Wendy Morton prepares dough for a pizza while Belleville senior Janel Weiss restocks ingredients behind the counter at The Grotto, 304 W. Broomfield Road, Sunday night. "It's been very busy; we have a private party going on," Morton said. "On top of that, having regular orders to do on Superbowl Sunday has made this a pretty crazy day." (Charlotte Bodak/Staff Photographer)

Long before the New York Giants claimed title of  Super Bowl XLVI champions, Mount Pleasant businesses were busy preparing for the night.

Some businesses spent the unofficial holiday more focused on cranking out pizzas and satisfying customers than celebrating the latest touchdown.

Sunday afternoon, Papa John’s Pizza employee Jesse Tallman said all employees were called in to work at his location, 1504 S. Mission St.

“It’s my first Super Bowl working here, so it is probably going to be hectic,” the Perrinton junior said. “One of the employees said I’ll probably be standing in the same spot for hours doing the same job.”

Tallman said his seven-hour shift started right before game time and concluded at midnight.

“I heard the lobby gets really full and drivers are in and out all the time,” he said.

Art Tait, owner of The Grotto, 304 W. Broomfield Road, said they make four times as much pizza compared to a normal Sunday.

“There’s only two girls working tonight, but they’re good workers,” he said. “They’ll stay nice and busy tonight.”

A group of friends from Gamma Phi Delta Christian Fraternity Inc. gathered at The Grotto to watch the game together and listen to live music during halftime.

“These people are probably the coolest family business,” said Detroit junior JJ Jones.

Instead of watching Madonna perform at halftime, the group listened to a live Christian hip-hop music acoustic performance.

“Looks like we’re competing with Madonna,” Jones joked.

Jones said he and his friends don’t really care about who was in the Super Bowl, but plan to just have fun with each other and the workers at The Grotto.

“It’s my favorite place in town,” he said. “We plan to order at least 12 pizzas tonight.”

Instead of taking a lot of small pizza orders, Kyle Schonbok, owner of Pizza King, 600 S. Mission St., said they received a lot of party tray orders that feed up to 17 people each.

“Once the game starts, we slow down, but then get busy again during halftime,” Schonbok said.

He said they prepared the dough the day before, knowing this Sunday would busier than usual.

“We typically prep about 10 for Sundays, but for today we did 30 and we plan on selling all of them,” he said.

To satisfy the 10 employees working during game time, Schnobok said they’ll have a couple of a TVs on to make sure everybody’s happy.

“We’ve got eight rooting for the Patriots and two for the Giants,” he said.

Bottle & Barrel Party Store, 1635 E. Broomfield Road, employee Josh Cleaver said they helped almost 200 customers before kickoff.

“We definitely sell more beer than liquor,” Cleaver said. “The whole back room is packed right now with beer.”

The Grotto employee Wendy Morton said they were still cleaning an hour passed the business’ normal closing time of 9 p.m.

“We normally can get an hour before close to just clean everything up and we’re generally out when we close,” the Belleville senior said. “But we’re still here, it’s definitely been a busy night.”

Morton said the business made double what they would’ve made on any other night.

“People continued to come in and order food throughout the night,” she said of the fraternity party. “Constantly people  were coming in to hangout and everyone seemed to enjoy it.”

Head football coach Dan Enos introduced twenty-five new players during his signing day press conference Wednesday afternoon in the McGuirk Arena. (Brooke Mayle/Staff Photographer)

Dan Enos walked into the Indoor Athletic Center just after 7 a.m. Wednesday and went straight to the fax machine surrounded by his assistants.

It was national signing day for the head football coach, and all the coaches were alert early ensuring a solid freshmen class for next year.

“I can never sleep very good before signing day,” offensive coordinator Mike Cummings said to a co-worker while waiting for faxes from recruits to come in. “It’s like Christmas time.”

A total of 21 high school athletes faxed in their signed letters of intent to play for Central Michigan as scholarship players. That means an additional 25 players will join the team. For coaches it can be difficult to trust 18-year-old kids’ promises to come before they officially sign.

“You never know,” Enos said. “If you’re going to have a situation (player decommits) on signing day, there’s normally events that lead up to it on signing day to give you a clue that it’ll happen.”

Enos also gets worried a bigger school will try to “poach” a recruit in late in the process.

“I feel that if I was at a Big Ten school I would’ve recruited (players from this class),” Enos said. “I’m always worried if someone swoops down late. You put all the time into them, it would’ve been very disappointing.”

For Enos, his morning started at 5:30 a.m. although he came in a few minutes after 7 a.m. because it was his turn to take the kids to school. But during the drive he was getting calls from recruits and assistant coaches.

“To coaches it’s like another game day,” said Athletics Director Dave Heeke. “You win or lose.”

Defensive coordinator Joe Tumpkin talked about how today was less stressful because they had the commitments for so long, and felt very confident in the kids’ commitments. Each recruit has an assistant coach assigned to recruiting him. Those coaches called Sunday night, Monday night and Tuesday night just confirming there would be no problems Wednesday morning sending in the ever-important fax.

Either the fax comes in first or the players call their assistant coaches who congratulate them or tell them they need to re-send the fax due to errors. Then Enos talks to the recruit.

“I always tell them to enjoy the day and enjoy the moment,” Enos said. “Not many people can say they signed a Division I scholarship to play football, they should be proud and enjoy the day. But starting tomorrow, better get to work.”

Shortly after 10 a.m. when the final fax came through, the coaches piled in Enos’ office through to watch a highlight film of the newest Chippewas.

“I enjoy doing that, going through highlight video,” Enos said. “Getting excited about what this young man could be. Trying to figure out which one will be Titus Davis, freshman All-American (last year). I’d like to think there’s one this year.”

That time was also spent already working toward next year’s recruits.

“We got calls from guys we’ve already offered for next year,” said the head coach entering his third season. “We’re already moving. We’ve been offering guys today and saying ‘Hey in a year from today where are you going to be going? We want to be on your list.’”

The hollers from coaches watching the highlights could be heard down the hall in the IAC. Coaches continued to down coffee throughout the morning and joke with each other while paying attention to what other teams’ recruiting classes looked like.

With confidence in the commitments from the recruits, coaches were loose throughout the morning. From Enos poking fun at an assistant who watches Jersey Shore to telling Titus Davis he’ll be redshirted next season just to continue to have to do the early morning workouts, the comedy show did not stop.

“At Cincinnati one year we had a morning workout before signing day and were late getting to the fax machine,” Enos recalled. “The machine didn’t even have paper in it, and no one was there so kids couldn’t send in their fax.”

He did say it turned out to be a great class. But every school around the country has to sit patiently around the fax machine and rely on old technology that easily fails. Several players called with problems working with the fax machine at their high schools.

“One of dads asked me why don’t they scan document then email it,” Enos said. “I don’t know, good question. We’re still running around with a fax machine, if it broke  we should have another one standby. All the work and time and money you put in these guys and your waiting on a fax? Maybe that’ll change someday.”

The days and nights spent recruiting these players are what make the coaches so stressful if they will come. Enos says the day is more of a banquet and celebration to recruiting. He gives his staff four days off after signing day to “reconnect and introduce themselves to their families.”

“The recruiting process is like a bunch of game days,” Enos said. “You recruit against other schools, there’s intensity there and competition there. We have to be on, if you have one bad meeting or the energy level is not there, you can lose them. We’re on that emotional rollercoaster.

“You’re exhausted after a day recruiting.”