Celebrating good times
World Day promotes ethnic diversity downtown
By Kelli Lacey
Staff writer
Thursday's World Day celebra
tion was a free, interesting lunch
option for people from downtown
offices on their noon breaks.
But when an R&B band struck up
“Celebration,” by old-school
funksters Kool and the Gang, even
businessmen in dark suits started
dancing.
A range of revelers crowded
Centennial Mall for music, food and
as organizers hoped, a touch of
diverse culture.
World Day on the Mall, in its sec
ond year, celebrates and recognizes
the diversity of state employees in the
work force.
For many, like Mary Smith, it also
meant a fun break in the day.
Smith, who is retired said she just
wanted to get out of her home for a
good time because she lives in an
apartment with 40 other people who
never leave.
Smith said she tries to attend a
variety of different events around
Lincoln, but World Day was one of
her favorites.
The mall took on a carnival-like
atmosphere as vendors represent
ing different ethnic countries
served ethnic foods such as Indian
tacos, enchiladas and Chinese
food.
Gov. Ben Nelson used the cele
bration to urge Nebraskans to fight
discrimination.
“Regardless of race, religion, sex,
background age or ability, we are all
Nebraskans, and we will move for
ward by working together,” Nelson
said in prepared remarks.
A few stores had booths showing
examples of handmade crafts from
Indonesia and India. Such items
included scarves, bags, jewelry boxes
and bracelets.
Bodhi Imports, a south Lincoln
store that sells internationally made
items, operated one of the booths.
Crafts for sale included tan, heart
shaped paperweights; black, woven
backpacks; and silver, beaded
bracelets.
“It is a good way to represent our
selves and to represent diversity,”
said Iggy Jay, a friend of the owner of
Bodhi Imports.
And with the spirit of a village
marketplace, local businesses used
the party as an opportunity to adver
tise.
National Bank or
Commerce had its booth
set up directly in the center
of Centennial Mall.
Workers gave away water
bottles when people
applied for bank cards.
“We are a hometown
bank,” said Evangline
Lager, an NBC teller. “We
like to keep positive rela
tions with the community.”
Another booth was
operated by the National
Managers Association. The
NMA has been a chapter
for 15 years and consists of
280 managers from across
Nebraska.
Su Perk Davis said the
NMA participates in World
Day for recognition.
“It is one way to get
NMA known to state
employers,” Davis said.
“It's great (public rela
tions).”
Kilty Band of the band
St. Giles Kirk played
music on bagpipes early in
the celebration.
Bossphilly, a local
rhythm and blues band,
played contemporary
music during its two-hour perfor
mance. Lincoln Nights, a singing
quartet, also entertained on the mail's
sidewalks.
A staff of about 15 volunteers -
all state employees - worked at the
celebration all day.
Louise Latimer, a staff member
and the governor’s urban affairs
director, said she was pleased with
the turnout.
“World Day was held to celebrate
the growing number of minorities,”
Latimer said. “It is to celebrate who
we are.”
It is a good way to represent ourselves
and to represent diversity
Iggy Jay
World Day attendee
Dawn Dietrich/DN
ANITA WEBB, of Lincoln, dances to the music
of Bossphilly over her lunch hour Thursday at
World Day on the Mall. More than 200 people
attended the ethnic festival on Centennial
Mall.
Dawn Dietrich/DN
JAN ELLSTON runs Indian Jan’s Taco Stand during World Day on the Mall
on Thursday afternoon. Ellston is from the Rosebud-Sioux tribe of
South Dakota.
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UNL selected as site
for ESPN broadcast
By Darren Ivy
Staff writer
Each week “ESPN College Football
GameDay” airs live from the site of the
top football game in the country.
Saturday’s matchup between No. 2
Nebraska and No. 8 Washington drew
that billing after Washington beat BYTJ
on Sept. 19 to remain undefeated, said
Steve Vecehioni, coordinating producer
for GameDay.
That means Comhusker fans will
have a chance to get their faces seen
nationally today at 4:30 p.m. and
Saturday morning at 10:00 when the
show is broadcast live from the east side
of Memorial Stadium.
The gang of Lee Corso, Kirk
Herbstreit and Chris Fowler will return
to Lincoln for the first time since the
Colorado game in 1994.
The group takes turns discussing
college games involving top 25 teams.
But the focus of their show is talking
about the game of the week. Comments
from the announcers usually draw
responses from the crowd.
That’s when the GameDay cameras
pan the audience.
The college football atmosphere is
what the producers and members of
GameDay enjoy, Vecehiom said.
“We do love college football,” said
Vecehioni, who's produced “NFL
GameDay,” "Baseball Tonight” and
“SportsCenter.” “1 think it really shows
from the guys on the set, to the produc
er to the camera man.”
Herbstreit, Fowler and Corso get
most of the air time, but there are a lot of
people behind the scenes who make the
show a success.
Two ESPN crew members arrived
Thursday morning in a big rig with the
GameDay set and stage.
They were met by a crew of local
workers who assisted with the assembly
of the stage.
By 5 p.m., everything was ready.
“We are the first ones in, and the last
ones out,” said David Weiler, director of
GameDay, who oversees and organizes
operations.
i ne uameuay crew naa to aispiace
a crew' from Gear Up, a touring carnival
of off-beat sporting events. Gear Up had
been scheduled to use the same space at
the same time.
Today, electrical technicians will
wire the stage and connect the television
equipment.
John Green, a University of
Nebraska-Lincoln graduate student and
worker at the Department of Landscape
Services, was one member of
Thursday’s crew.
"It makes you feel good when you
get it all together, and it works right,”
said Green, who’s been assembling
stages and sound systems for 13 years.
