Lehigh celebrates Spirit Week

	Lehigh will host the pre-Lafayette game bonfire on Thursday night.

This weekend, Lehigh (5-5 record in 2007) will look to halt a three-game losing streak to Lafayette (6-4 record in 2007) when the Mountain Hawks host the Leopards in college football’s most played rivalry.
This Saturday’s meeting between the institutions will the 143rd in the series, the highest total in all of college football and 13 more than the next most-frequently played rivalry (Princeton vs. Yale).
To get the campus community properly revved up for the latest installment of this heated rivalry, there are series of Spirit Week events scheduled—ranging from bed races to the bonfire.
Not that Lehigh needs events to get fired up to face Lafayette on the gridiron. In the 2006 book Big Games: College Football’s Greatest Rivalries, Kim McQuilken '74, a star Lehigh quarterback back in the early 1970s, said this about the Lehigh-Lafayette football rivalry: “I played professionally for 10 years (in the NFL and the now-defunct USFL), but no other game I played in made my blood boil hotter than Lehigh-Lafayette.”
Here’s a list of Lehigh’s 2007 Spirit Week events with a brief description of each one:
Spirit Your Ride
Brought to you by the Hawk’s Nest
Members of the Hawk’s Nest will paint your car windows for free to help kick off Spirit Week. Bring your car by and show your support for Lehigh.
Time: 2:30-5:00 p.m.
Date: November 12
Location: Library Drive
Spirit of Lehigh Parade
Hosted by the Class of 2009
Come out and watch as students, faculty, and staff show their Lehigh spirit by taking part in this parade. It will feature decorated shopping carts as floats by many groups.
Time: 4:30 p.m.
Date: November 12
Location: Memorial Walk and UC Front Lawn
Tattoo Tuesday
Brought to you by the Hawk’s Nest
Stop by the UC or Rathbone and get a temporary tattoo to get fired up for the week and the big game. Members of the Hawk’s Nest will be there to tattoo you.
Time: Around Lunch Time
Date: November 13
Location: Outside the UC and Rathbone Dining Hall
Bed Races
Hosted by the Class of 2010
Come out and watch fellow students race beds down Library Drive. Two teams of five will race at a time in a drag race format. Each team will be composed of four pushers and one rider, and will have the opportunity to decorate their bed before their matchup. The winner of each match will move on to face their next opponent, so don’t miss the excitement.
Time: 5:00 p.m.
Date: November 13
Location: Library Drive in front of the UC
Lehigh basketball vs. St. Peter's
Hosted by Lehigh athletics and The Hawk's Nest
Come cheer on Lehigh men's basketball in their home opener versus St. Peter's. During the game, the Hawk's Nest will be hosting a free pizza party for all Hawk's Nest members.
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Date: November 14
Location: Stabler Arena
Bus Information: Busses will begin running at 6:30pm departing from the Newman Center.
Wing Night for Freshmen
Hosted by the Class of 2011
This event is open to all the freshmen on campus. The Class of 2011 is providing free wings to the freshmen class to get students together and excited about Lehigh-Lafayette week.
Time: 9 p.m.
Date: November 14
Location: Lamberton Hall
53rd annual Turkey Trot
One of the oldest traditions of Spirit Week, the Turkey Trot starts at Packer Church and winds its way through campus to the top of the hill and back. To obtain a registration form, email Jane Josephson at jmj0@lehigh.edu or give her a call at (610) 758-4310.
Time: 4:20 p.m.
Date: Thursday, November 15
Location: The run begins at Packer Church
Lehigh-Lafayette Bonfire
Presented by the ASA, Class Officers, and Spirit Committee
For years, the bonfire was the capstone event leading up to the ever-important football game vs. Lafayette. Built to a height in proportion with the number of students in the first-year class, students guarded the bonfire for a week, all day and all night. At the same time, upper-class members of both Lehigh and Lafayette would attempt to the light the opposing school’s bonfire early. Although this week-long vigil no longer exists, the Lehigh-Lafayette bonfire still embodies the same feelings, excitement, and emotion that it has in years past. There will be entertainment by the Lehigh pep band, Lehigh’s cheerleaders and dance team, and more. But the special guests at this bonfire/pep rally will be the Lehigh football team and coaches.
Time: 8:00 p.m.
Date: Thursday, November 15
Location: Goodman Campus
Bus Info: Busses begin running at 8 p.m. from Birkle Parking Lot—across from Mohler Lab, Williams Hall triangle, Drown Hall, Sig Ep, Alpha Phi.
For more information about the bonfire and the bus schedule, please visit the bonfire Web site.
Marching 97 Campus Tour
One of the highlights of Spirit Week each year, the Marching 97 weave their way through campus buildings, dining halls, and classrooms serenading the campus community with all the traditional Lehigh fight songs.
Lehigh Swimming & Diving vs. Lafayette
Hosted by Lehigh Athletics
Practice your beat Lafayette chants and cheer on your Mountain Hawks as the big rivalry weekend begins at Jacobs Pool.
Time: 3:30 p.m.
Date: Friday, November 16
Location: Jacobs Pool in Taylor Gym
Lehigh football game vs. Lafayette
Hosted by Lehigh Athletics
All other Spirit Week activities are building up to this event; the 143rd meeting of college football's most played rivalry. The game has been sold out for weeks and alumni clubs around the country will gather in their home states to cheer for the Brown and White.
Time: 12:30 p.m.
Date: Saturday, November 17
Location: Murray H. Goodman Stadium
--Bill Doherty