The University of Windsor will hold a place for Danielle Wade, says Tina Pugliese, director of the School of Dramatic Art.

Wade, an acting student who finished her second year, won a national search for the role of Dorothy in a Toronto-based stage production of The Wizard of Oz. The play, adapted by Andrew Lloyd Webber from the books by L. Frank Baum, will begin performances December 20.

The 20-year-old LaSalle native finished as the fan favourite on the CBC-TV series Over the Rainbow to win the role. The show’s finale aired Monday.

“On behalf of the School of Dramatic Art, I’d like to congratulate Danielle on her exquisite performances throughout Over the Rainbow,” Dr. Pugliese says. “We wish her well in The Wizard of Oz, and hope she is able to finish her studies here after the show closes.”

Acting professor Brian Rintoul, who taught Wade last year, says she grew tremendously by applying herself fully to her work.

“Danielle is always honest, and never tries to avoid difficulties but works with them,” he says. “Throughout her performances on Over the Rainbow, she was always in total command, and I believed her performances completely.”

While Danielle is off to see the wizard, the drama school won’t be emptied of Wades—her sister Jordyn began studies in the drama in education and community program this fall.

With the University’s Fall Open House approaching, DailyNews is offering readers a chance to show their school spirit—win a prize package and drape yourself in UWindsor clothing on Friday.

Up for grabs is a collection of clothing emblazoned with the University’s logo—a hooded sweatshirt from the University Bookstore, a golf shirt from the alumni affairs office, a t-shirt from the office of the president, and a silk scarf from the public affairs office.

The winner will be randomly selected from all correct responses received by 4 p.m. Wednesday, November 7. To be eligible, select the most correct answer to each of the following questions on the subject of soda pop (hence “pop quiz”—get it?):

1. Which Detroit-based beverage company claims to have coined the term “soda pop”?
   a) Faygo
   b) Stewart’s Fountain Classics
   c) Towne Club
   d) Vernors

2. With a history dating back to the 1876 Philadelphia Exposition, which of these root beers boasts the earliest production?
   a) A&W
   b) Barq’s
   c) Dad’s
   d) Hires

3. Which of these soft drinks was the avowed favourite of M*A*S*H corporal Radar O’Reilly?
   a) Cherry Coke
   b) Dr. Pepper
   c) Faygo Redpop
   d) Grape Nehi

4. In the 1972 CBS sitcom Bridget Loves Bernie, Bridget accepts Bernie’s advice to switch her deli order from milk to which more kosher beverage?
   a) Birch beer
   b) Cream soda
   c) Ginger ale
   d) New York seltzer

5. Which of these brands marketed itself with a jingle proclaiming it “wonderfully orangey?”
   a) C-Plus
   b) Fanta
   c) Nesbitt’s Orange
   d) Orange Crush

6. Which NHLer acted as a pitchman for the Pop Shoppe?
   a) Tim Horton
   b) Dave Keon
   c) Eddie Shack
   d) Eddie Shore

7. Which of these soda fountain favourites are prepared without carbonation?
   a) egg cream
   b) lime rickey
   c) cherry phosphate
   d) chocolate malted

Contest is open to all readers of the DailyNews. Send an e-mail with your responses to uofwnews@uwindsor.ca. One entry per contestant, please. Note: the decision of the judge in determining the most correct response is inviolable. 

The University Bookstore is offering a 30 per cent discount on regularly-priced clothing at its new kiosk in the CAW Student Centre.

It presents a great opportunity for staff, faculty and students to purchase UWindsor and Lancer theme clothing to wear during the November 9 Fall Open House recruitment event, says Anna Kirby, executive director of Campus Services.

“We are excited about this initiative and hope that people take advantage of our sale to show school pride when we welcome prospective students on Friday,” Kirby says. “Be sure to visit the kiosk and pick up some apparel to show your school spirit!”

The sale continues through Friday; the kiosk is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The liaison office estimates that up to 2,500 prospective students and families will be on campus Friday to view program presentations, meet professors and current students and tour the campus.

Guests will begin their day in the CAW Student Centre; the Commons area will house a welcome centre for check-in and the Ambassador Auditorium is the setting of an information fair from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

View a complete itinerary of the day on the open house Web site.

-- by Matthew Kirby

Members of Windsor’s Pi Lambda Phi fraternity will construct a cardboard shelter outside the Leddy Library on Thursday as a way to call attention to the plight of the homeless.

Volunteers will stay in the shelter overnight, collecting donations of canned goods, clothing and cash to benefit the Downtown Mission.

“We are providing university students with an image of the living conditions of the homeless,” says Armand Anderson, president of the fraternity’s local chapter. “No one should have to live in a cardboard shack. We are trying to let people know that this actually happens to people and they need as much help as they can get.”

He invites contributions to “Homeless for the Homeless” on November 8 and 9. Over the past four years, the event has raised more than $3,000 and over a dozen boxes of canned food and clothes.

You don’t need an excuse to be nice, but you’ll have one anyway this Friday, November 9: the WindsorEssex Community Foundation has designated it Random Act of Kindness Day.

Individuals and groups are encouraged to perform one simple act of kindness for someone else—neighbours, friends, co-workers, or someone they don’t even know—and hand them a card, inspiring them to do the same.

The effort has spread to campus, says Holly Ward, chief communications officer. She has arranged for the distribution of thousands of preprinted cards through the University of Windsor Students’ Alliance and at the CAW Student Centre information desk.

“The hope is to have participation across the University,” Ward says. “A Random Act of Kindness can be as simple as buying someone a coffee, paying for a stranger’s parking, or praising someone’s efforts. Let’s take a moment not only to recognize when someone does something nice for us, but to also do something nice in return.”

Her office has organized the distribution of a free gift to random recipients across campus.

“We’re not saying what it is, but it’s extremely portable and we’ll need a lot of people to give it all out,” says John Powell, director of web communications.

He invites individuals interested in volunteering for an hour starting at 11:30 a.m. Friday to contact him by Thursday at 519-253-3000, ext. 4497 or e-mail johnpow@uwindsor.ca.

More ideas, resources and stories are available at www.wecf.ca.

When Lancer fans enter the St. Denis fieldhouse Friday for the opening of basketball season, they’ll find a welcome upgrade: all-new seating.

The old wooden bleachers were in dire need of an upgrade, according to Mike Havey, the university’ associate athletic director.

“It was time,” he says. “The bleachers have been there since the building opened in 1981 and they do not meet the standard of today.”

The new bleachers are made of aluminum with plastic seats and cost around $650, 000, Havey says. The cost was covered by student fees approved in a 2003 referendum to help fund future projects.

“It was a unique concept for universities at the time; now it’s fairly commonplace,” Havey says.

— article and photo by William Humphrey

The Lancer men’s hockey team has earned top 10 ranking in Canadian Interuniversity Sport for the first time in 13 years.

The squad swept a two-game series against Toronto—ranked ninth last week—over the weekend to go 6-2-0 on the season. Windsor is now ranked 10th in the national media poll, its first appearance on the list since March 1999.

The team’s next home action comes Friday and Saturday, with back-to-back games against the Royal Military College. Both games are at Windsor Arena with the opening face-off at 7:30 p.m.

Read more at goLancers.ca.

A reading on Friday will bring together two UWindsor graduates to recall “It all started at Riverside Arena.”

Laurie Smith (BA 1991, B.Ed 1993, BA 1995, MA 1996) recounts that she and Kevin Shea (BA 1977) have been friends since the first day of Grade 1.

“Growing up in the shadow of Riverside Arena, we had no idea how important that rink would be in our lives as writers,” she says.

During Friday’s event, she will read from a 2011 collection of her poetry, The Truth About Roller Skating. Smith describes it as “a suburban coming-of-age story of the ’60s and ’70s.”

Shea has been talking and writing about hockey since first playing the sport at Riverside Arena when he was seven years old. The award-winning author of 12 hockey books and editor of publications and online features for the Hockey Hall of Fame, he is launching his latest books, the abecedarium H is for Hockey and Derek Sanderson: Crossing the Line—a biography written with the former NHL star.

The free public event begins November 9 at 7 p.m. at Biblioasis Books, 1520 Wyandotte Street East.

The University has declared various audio-visual equipment for sale by bid as Disposal File 887. Please click here for details.