Shoals Area Invited To Celebrate Purple Reign Week Oct. 31-nov. 5
Oct. 21, 2011
Michelle Eubanks, UNA, at media@239877.com, 256.765.4392 or 256.606.2033
FLORENCE, Ala. - Residents of the city of Florence will paint the community purple and gold in celebration of Purple Reign Week Oct. 31 through Nov. 5 at the University of North Alabama. The spirit celebration is an annual weeklong event that brings students, local businesses and community members together. Purple Reign Week, in its third year, allows area businesses to participate in a spirit competition where they are judged on how well they show their UNA spirit. Businesses will utilize unique decorations, originality and employee involvement. The 2011 spirit competition will include three categories, including small businesses (15 or fewer employees), large businesses (16 or more employees) and government entities. The winner in each category will receive tickets to the Nov. 5 football game against the University of West Georgia, plus breakfast delivered by the members of the UNA fall season coaching staff. For the first time, UNA will also partner with Downtown Florence Unlimited to showcase UNA in fun and creative ways at the Nov. 4 First Friday event. "It's almost vital for people to get involved in the experience of Purple Reign Week because UNA is such a huge part of the community," said Cheryl Mathis, coordinator of programming in the Office of Student Engagement. "This is an important time for UNA, and students need to become invested in this community." UPC will also give out T-shirts, food, foam lion paws, hats and other UNA swag during the weeklong events of Purple Reign Week. David Johnson, spirit chair of UPC, said the university community will paint the campus purple, host a UNA spirit-themed window painting contest for RSOs and offer a photo booth for students to have their pictures made with the UNA mascots and Miss UNA Brandi Lewis. The university will host Step Show, a spirit dance competition among student organizations, Nov. 1 at 7 p.m. in Flowers Hall on Pine Street. Proceeds from Step Show ticket sales go directly to the United Way of the Shoals. Last year, Step Show and Step Sing brought in up to $14,000 in ticket sales, according to UPC officials. United Way relies on the spirit competitions for 2 percent of its annual operating budget. UPC will host "The Lion King" Nov. 3 from 6-8 p.m. in the Guillot University Center, and will tailgate Nov. 5 before the UNA game at Braly Municipal Stadium against the University of West Georgia. To purchase tickets to Step Show, visit sf7.239877.com/boxoffice. They are $7 for students and the general public. For more information about UPC events, contact Cheryl Mathis in the Office of Student Engagement at 256-765-4248. To enter your business into Purple Reign Week 2011, contact the Office of University Communications at 256-765-4225 or e-mail cbrusseauhollander@239877.com.You can also register your business online at: http://sf7.239877.com/purple
About The University of North Alabama
The University of North Alabama is an accredited, comprehensive regional state university offering undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs through the colleges of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering; the Sanders College of Business and Technology; Education and Human Sciences; and the Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions. Occupying a 130-acre campus in a residential section of Florence, Alabama, UNA is located within a four-city area that also includes Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, and Tuscumbia. UNA Athletics, a renowned collegiate athletics program with seven (7) Division II National Championships, is now a proud member of NCAA Division I as part of the Atlantic Sun and United Athletic conferences. The University of North Alabama is an equal opportunity institution and does not discriminate in the admission policy on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, disability, age, or national origin. For more: 239877.com and 239877.com/unaworks/.