By Kelsi Peace, Features Editor
A birthday cake nearly nine feet tall will sit in the Gata Fountain Saturday in honor of ACU’s Centennial.
Samantha Adkins, coordinator for alumni relations, said the cake will have three two-foot layers and a crown resting on top.
Although the Centennial Task Force originally considered making the giant cake edible, Adkins said, “To be as grand as we wanted it to be, it wouldn’t be realistic.”
Instead, Physical Resources built the cake with wood, and the Office of Alumni Relations painted it.
ACU alumnus Kristi Dominguez designed the cake using ACU’s colors-purple, white and red-and each layer will feature a different design, from stripes to a harlequin pattern.
The cake is square and fits inside the Gata Fountain.
A carnival will also take place in the mall area from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., said Jama Cadle, coordinator of alumni relations. The presentation of the cake will take place during the carnival at 4:30 p.m.
Dr. Royce Money, president of the university, will present a brief greeting, and Taylor County will present ACU with a proclamation, Adkins said.
All alumni, faculty, staff, students and Abilene residents, have been invited to attend the event, Adkins said.
“We don’t have candles to blow out, but we have a fun little ending,” she said.
A focus group of students helped to determine what events should be at the carnival.
Eleven “extreme games,” such as dodgeball, a climbing wall, inflatables, a Velcro wall and laser tag, will be available as well as a beanbag toss for children. Wristbands for access to games cost $3.
“I’m comparing this to Homecoming, and I would love to sell 300 wristbands for the carnival,” Cadle said.
The Wildcat cheerleaders will also be available at the carnival to take pictures with children at the event.
Students are able to purchase carnival food with a meal plan, Cadle said, and an all-you-can-eat buffet will be in the Bean. For those who don’t have meal plans, the cost will be $6 for adults and $4 for children.
“What I’d like to see more than anything is the students to participate,” Cadle said. “I want them to feel like this is for them, too.”
