Multiple organizations within the Greek Life office painted the windows of businesses along Main Street Sunday, Oct. 16 to help promote Homecoming Weekend and this year’s Homecoming theme: games.
Graduate Assistant for the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership (CSIL) Alex Rizzutto, who organized the “Paint the Town” event, said it’s a tradition that began a long time ago and has held strong through many staff changes.
The businesses that participate in “Paint the Town” have varied over the years, but this Homecoming, eight businesses participated, including Ginger Hill Tavern, University Sportswear, and Nico Luciano’s, to name a few. Rizzutto said he would like to be able to have more Greek Life groups participate because more businesses wanted to have their windows painted, but the budget could only pay for eight groups. Rizzutto also said it would be cool if, in the future, more clubs and organizations were able to participate, along with Greek Life.
One of the Greek Life groups that participated in the window painting was Kappa Sigma Fraternity, who painted University Sportswear with The Game of Life. Senior history major and Alumni Relations Chairperson for Kappa Sigma Fraternity Seth Stinson said his fraternity decided to paint The Game of Life because it seemed like fun, and that is one of the main goals of “Paint the Town” and Homecoming Weekend, itself.
As part of the Office of New Member Development for the Interfraternity Council (IFC), Stinson said the IFC has a big say in how Greek Life is involved with Homecoming Weekend, and the IFC, along with the CSIL, also helps a lot with the logistics, especially concerning the annual Homecoming parade. The parade features walking groups, cars, trucks and many floats, also created and exhibited by Greek Life organizations, among other groups on campus. The floats are judged at a certain point on Main Street, as are the windows painted for “Paint the Town.”
Rizzutto said the judgment of “Paint the Town” was done by a select group of students, chosen by Rizzutto himself; the winner of the contest will be announced at the annual Homecoming Pep Rally Friday night in the Aebersold Student Recreation Center (ARC).
“My favorite part of Homecoming is actually the parade,” Rizzutto said. “We at the CSIL get to see the final product of all the hard work we put into it, and I love seeing the creativity that goes into the creation of the floats.”
On the other hand, Stinson said his favorite part of homecoming is getting to see alumni come back to enjoy the annual festivities.
Rizzutto also said the Homecoming Parade is an event that brings Slippery Rock University and the town of Slippery Rock together as partners in celebration, along with “Paint the Town.”
“While Homecoming is about the university, it’s also about the town of Slippery Rock,” Rizzutto said. “‘Paint the Town’ is a cool way for both the university and the town to embrace Homecoming weekend together.”
