Hanna Barker

Staff Reporter

The Humans v. Zombies Club is taking on the responsibility to train students for the zombie apocalypse.

The club president and vice president are freshmen Torin Grosso and Logan Otremba respectively. Currently, membership exceeds 25 students. Essentially, they play a massive game of tag in which the “humans” attack the “zombies” with Nerf guns.

Grosso recalls his favorite Humans v. Zombies (HvZ) memory as the “first night where about 75% of the humans were wiped out in fifteen minutes after first contact with the first Zombie, JONO.”

The club originated at Goucher College, but was brought to McDaniel by the Resident Assistants of Rouzer Hall. Sophomore Mae Alexander decided to start the club after witnessing the success of previous HvZ events on campus.

“For me, [the best part] was talking to some of the freshman guys and having them say that HvZ actually got them out of their rooms to interact with people. That’s a big deal,” said Alexander.

The club meets on Fridays at 8 p.m. in Ensor Lounge. If you’re interested in meeting new people, running around campus with Nerf guns, and training for zombie infestations, then this club is probably for you.

“People should join HvZ because who doesn’t love zombies and playing tag? It seems like a perfect combination!” said Otremba.

The club will be hosting a dodge ball tournament in March to benefit the Hearts for Haiti Fund.

Megan Hildebrand

Staff Reporter

This isn’t your typical cheesy dance! The Cheese Club had their first Cheese Ball on Thursday, Feb. 18. The Cheese Club is the first and only club on the McDaniel campus completely dedicated to a food. The Cheese Club was started in order to explore other cultures through cheese.

The semi-formal dance was a Valentine’s Day celebration that had approximately 50 guests. The Ball featured DJs from McDaniel’s own WMCR, and of course an assortment of cheeses and other snacks.

Junior Atlee Baker went to the Cheese Ball “for a fun evening with my girlfriend.”

Different members of the Cheese Club sat outside of Glar and sold tickets in the weeks prior to the Ball as part of a Cheese Club fundraiser.

President of the Cheese Club, Ellen Shank, said that a Cheese Ball would be a fun idea because “it combines cheese and dancing, the two greatest things ever.”

The Cheese Club meets the first and third Thursday of every month at North Village building 195, apartment 202 at 6:30 p.m. For more information about Cheese Club or their upcoming events please email Megan Robinson at mar015@mcdaniel.edu or join the Cheese Club on Facebook.

Maire Hunter

Staff Reporter

Sevgi Yurtbasi (’09) and Tyler Buisch (’10) come from two different countries. Sevgi came to the United States from Turkey as a high school exchange student. Tyler is from Mt. Airy, MD.

Their worlds came together on Saturday, Feb. 13, 2010, as the two alumni exchanged vows, rings, and kisses in Little Baker Chapel.

The ceremony was traditional but peppered with personal stories and inside jokes. It also included a sand-joining ritual, where they each poured a jar of colored sand into a common vase to symbolize their unity.

Red and white flowers lined the aisles, and in the windowsills, candlelight twinkled off the stained glass. And the bride wore bright red shoes.

“It’s so Sevgi!” said friend Amy Higgs (’09).

When Sevgi and Tyler were at McDaniel their typical days included having lunch dates in Glar, rushing to and from classes, and singing in gospel choir. They also spent nights walking around campus doing rounds, since they were both RAs.

“Seeing her walk down the aisle, and seeing Tyler’s face when he first saw her, was priceless,” said Kara Constantine, fellow RA and friend.

The wedding party included many of their McDaniel friends including music professor and close friend of Tyler’s, Eric Byrd. Many current students and RAs also attended.

The couple was especially happy that Sevgi’s parents, Metin and Ulkan Yurtbasi, were able to travel from Turkey to be present although the snow almost prevented it.

“Hearing their vows, all they could see was each other and their future life together. Sevgi had a huge smile on her face the whole time,” Higgs remembered.

Sevgi and Tyler are just 21 and 22 respectively, which may seem young to many people on campus. Sevgi responded to those who may not understand their decision to marry now:

“Some people might think we’re too young to marry, but honestly I don’t see the point in waiting. This gives us a chance to dedicate ourselves to each other early on in life and “grow up” together.”

The couple spent their short honeymoon in Florida before returning to their jobs and married life.

Tyler said it’s great so far.

“I’m married to my best friend, does it get any better? I get to be with her every day.”

Rula Zaru

Staff Reporter

Hope for Haiti Now is a live album that was released on Saturday, Jan 23. Not only is this album full of wonderful musicians and beautiful music, this album has a purpose. It encourages hope, spreads sympathy and compassion, and it influences all citizens of this Earth to make a difference in their world.

So whether feeling helpless, distressed, content, or afraid, listen to this album. Get inspired, and help make a difference in your world.

Hope for Haiti Now features 26 artists and bands including Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, John Legend, and Taylor Swift.

Although the album is listed in the pop genre, it features several different musical genres due to the diversity within the artists. After listening to “Stranded,” a song performed by Jay-Z, Rihanna, Bono, and The Edge, I felt encouraged and no longer hopeless about the effects of the Earthquake on Haiti.

The chorus: “When the sky falls and the earth quakes we gon’ put this back together we wont break.” This verse sends hope to those struggling in Haiti and reason for individuals wanting to help Haiti and its citizens recover from this tragedy.

“…not gonna leave you stranded” reminds Haiti that she is not alone; the world is here to help.

Hope for Haiti Now had over 150,000 album downloads within 2 days of release.

All profits go to Haiti Earthquake-Relief Donations

Cost: $7.99

Where to buy/download Hope for Haiti Now: iTunes, Amazon

So far over this album has earned 3 million dollars in profit to the Haiti Earthquake-Relief Donations.

Devon McAndrew

Staff Reporter

Hope collapses at the sight of the crumbled and broken-down structure of the Presidential Palace located directly in the city of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. This building was the oldest structure in the city and provided a home for their leader as well as hope for the people when it had survived previous small earthquakes and a larger one in 1946.

As it lays in ruins, it serves as a reminder that Haiti will never be the same; it’s history has changed forever.

On January 12, 2010, The 7.0 M earthquake struck Haiti leaving 170,000 dead (as of January 26, 2010). There are still over 30,000 missing and 1.2 million homeless.

Haiti had already been declared the poorest country in the western hemisphere and this tragic earthquake left the country even more broken with no one to turn to but the rest of the world.

McDaniel College students can perform simple actions to help out the people of Haiti.

The easiest way to donate money is through any cell-phone carrier by text messaging “HAITI” to 90999 to donate $10 to the Red Cross relief efforts, “YELE” to 501501 to Donate $5 to Yele Haiti’s Earthquake Relief efforts, or “GIVE10″ to 20222 to donate $10 to Direct Relief.

At McDaniel there are 1,700 students and if every student donated $5, our school alone could raise $8,500.

The Red Cross has also been sending a lot of donated blood to Haiti. The blood donation go to seriously injured people in Haiti.

ITunes offers a collection of songs put together by various artists called Hope for Haiti Now. This album offers 20 songs for $7.99 and 100% of the proceeds go to the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund (see CD review in this issue by Rula Zaru).

On campus, Resident Life is hosting Hearts for Haiti, a semi-formal dance, in the Forum on February 12, 2010. This event will include music, food and a silent auction. The silent auction will have items donated from the community and students on campus and all of the proceeds will go to Haiti.

“I don’t think Americans in general are doing as much as they could be doing for Haiti,” said freshman Catherine Frondorf. “Compared to third-world countries who are making an effort to help Haiti, such as Belize, the United States could be doing a lot more.”

A little donation can go a long way.