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Organizations gear up for Homecoming

With Homecoming and purple pride in the air, students have been buying supplies, working on floats and getting involved in this week’s events.
This year some fraternities and sororities have teamed up to work on Homecoming activities.
“We are paired with a fraternity, and both organizations have a set budget on what we can spend on Homecoming needs,” Meredith Painter, Delta Gamma sister and vice president of social standards, said. “Budgets come from our dues that we all pay as members.”
The theme this year for homecoming is “Tech on TV,” according to Tech’s website.
“Some of the themes that will be featured this year are ‘Dukes of Hazzard,’ ‘The Beverly Hillbillies,’ ‘The Flintstones’ and ‘The Smurfs,'” Kayla Chaffin, president of Phi Mu, said.
Chaffin said most of Greek Life is participating in Homecoming this year, as well as some other student organizations, such as Tech’s Baptist Collegiate Ministry.
Organizations entering the float competition have been working to complete them in time for tomorrow’s parade. The organizations get float supplies from various places in the area.
“All of the wood we use for homecoming is bought at hardware stores, but this year it was donated by alumni,” Painter said.
Some organizations use a tissue-like paper called pomp to decorate the floats. Painter said they buy all their pomp from a store in Knoxville.
Painter said Sigma Chi fraternity and Delta Gamma sorority had a meeting at the beginning of the semester to come up with ideas for their float.
“We go to our float site for nights on end and work for extended periods of time,” Painter said.
Organizations also participate in other Homecoming events. Chaffin said some activities for Homecoming this year were a banner competition, a canned food drive, “Jeopardy!” night, “Amazing Race” games, President Oldham’s investiture and tonight’s pep rally.
The pep rally begins Friday at 5 p.m. in Memorial Gym.
The parade will begin Saturday at 10:30 a.m. on Jefferson Avenue and will proceed on Dixie Avenue to campus.