By Signe Trewyn
Nov. 11, 2015
Veteran’s Day is known to be a day for Americans to honor those who served, but most of us don’t get a chance to interact with them let alone bowl alongside them.
That is the idea behind Operation R&R at Warhawk Alley where students have an entire week to give thanks to the veterans while hearing their stories while bowling.
Coordinator of student Veterans and military services Richard Harris said he hopes veterans and students look forward to the event.
“Just usually, the chance to come together and have a good time, spend time with each other, in a positive environment,” Harris said. “I would say it’s an opportunity to kind of take a break from the stress from school work, writing papers and quizzes and stuff like that, and so that’s the big thing that they look forward to.”
Harris said that members of the armed forces are used to having R&R periods where they can take a break from the regular duties as a form of stress relief.
“It’s kind of natural to look for something comparable to that in the civilian world and so we thought that bowling would be a good one,” Harris said. “We often do bowling, just kind of gather together to do some physical type activity that brings about some comradery and recreational thing.”
Harris explained what he would enjoy most about the event.
“Just the support it gives to student veterans and the opportunity to interact, not just with the other veterans but also with other students, you know, just have a good time.” Harris said. “We do encourage students to come down, and you know, mingle with us, that gives us a chance to get to know them and for them to get to know us.”
Harris said there have been events like this one before, but not quite like this one.
Sophomore veteran Jason Schreiber also anticipates the event
“It’s comradery, I mean a bunch of us will get together, we will go down there, we’ll hang out and have a good time, so I mean it’s an opportunity for us to go down there and also to get out more at school and let people you know that we are around,” Schreiber said. “You know, we don’t venture out very much, we usually just hang out in here and stuff like that, so I mean it’s an opportunity for us to go out.
Jason was in the military for 14 years and recently retired in February. This is his second semester in school since his retirement.
“I haven’t bowled in years, so I think it will be fun,” Schreiber said. “It’s an opportunity for us to turn into an event where we can challenge each other and it comes with bragging rights.”
Individuals in need of accommodation should contact Dylan Meyer at [email protected].
Operation R&R will be held in Warhawk Alley from Nov. 9th-Nov 15th from 8 a.m. to 12am Monday through Wednesday and Thursday through Friday 8 a.m. to 1 a.m. in the University Center.
