48 hours of family fun
Students and their parents got the chance to be kids again this past weekend.
The Student Activity Center and Finch Fieldhouse were packed as parents, students and their siblings participated in numerous events, including face painting, rock wall climbing, swimming and bowling as part of Central Michigan University’s 43rd-annual Siblings (SIBS) Weekend.
Among the many getting their faces painted were 9-year-old Hope Goodearl and her friend, 11-year-old Melissa Lee.
“It tickles,” Goodearl said about her butterfly painted face.
Goodearl visited her two sisters, senior Beth Goodearl and sophomore Becky Goodearl, both from Novi.
The rock wall in Finch also was a big hit for sibs and students. Nine-year-old cousins Zane Duncan and Zachary McCarthy tackled the wall as McCarthy’s brother, Roseville junior Michael McCarthy, and his girlfriend watched.
“This one was very challenging,” Zane said.
Zachary McCarthy, who climbed the wall with ease, disagreed.
“It was easy,” he said.
The SIBS climb was made possible with the help of the On Belay Climbing club, which assisted those who challenged the wall.
Students and their siblings also made the trip cross-campus to the SAC to enjoy the SIBS carnival, where kids got the chance to give Nemo from “Finding Nemo” and Sulley from “Monsters, Inc.” a hug.
The SAC was rearranged with miniature golf and inflatable obstacle courses, and two jugglers roamed the lower levels near the basketball courts.
Madison Eisinger got caught between the jugglers as they stood on either side and juggled bowling pins to one another.
Whitemore Lake senior Jessica Garrett, Eisinger’s sister, watched with amazement.
“It was scary at first,” said 9-year-old Madison Eisinger, who was unharmed because of the jugglers’ precise throws.
SIBS Weekend was a family affair for Maryland senior Charles Zaucha. His family drove for 10 hours to make the trip. Zaucha and his 9-year-old sister, Chloe, participated in as many activities as they could. They said they enjoyed the SIBS climb and the bungee run at the carnival.
“It was really fun,” Chloe Zaucha said.
Professor Gizmo made an appearance Saturday in Warriner Hall’s Plachta Auditorium. He performed science experiments throughout his comical presentation.
Gizmo was interactive with audience members, spilling water on them and then shooting toilet paper through his T.P. 2000.
He also brought volunteers on stage.
Alexis Savage was one of the kids picked and ended up getting a bird named after her.
At one point Alexis cracked an egg and a canary flew into a cage. The 8-year-old from Dearborn said the egg suddenly got heavier right before she cracked it open.
Professor Gizmo named the canary after Alexis.
“It feels really cool,” Alexis said.
It was Alexis’s fourth year attending SIBS Weekend with her sister, Dearborn senior Erika Festian.
