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WVU saluting military personnel, hosting Mountain Stage as part of celebration
Diversity Week 2001: The Diversity of Appalachia

A military breakfast to honor members of the armed services, a live taping of Mountain Stage, an American Indian Dance performance and the University’s traditional Women of Color Day luncheon will showcase the diversity of the Appalachian culture when West Virginia University observes Diversity Week Oct. 8-12.

The week’s events get under way at 11:40 a.m. Monday, Oct. 8, with a special appearance by the Highland Dancers – middle school children from Elkins who perform Celtic dance – at a cake cutting ceremony in the Mountainlair food court. Other cake-cuttings across campus will be staged beginning at 11 a.m. at the College of Business and Economics and ending at 1:45 p.m. at Allen Hall.

Also on Monday, an American Indian Dance Concert will be held at 7:30 p.m. at the Creative Arts Center (call 293-7469 for tickets).

Lt. Gen. Robert H. Foglesong, a West Virginia native and one of the highest ranking officials at the Pentagon, is scheduled to be the guest speaker at a Tuesday, Oct. 9, breakfast honoring current members and veterans of the U.S. armed forces. The 7:30 a.m. appreciation event in the Mountainlair is free, but reservations are requested by calling 293-9232. Also on Tuesday, producer-actor Henry Holden will give a special presentation on disability in the media at 7 p.m. in the Mountainlair Blue Ballroom.

Ilene Evans, African American Appalachian storyteller and performer, will be the guest speaker at Wednesday’s, Oct. 9, Women of Color Day luncheon at noon in the Mountainlair Ballrooms. Cost is $10; $5 for students. For reservations, call 293-4555.

Mountain Stage will round out the week’s events Friday, Oct. 12, when the Charleston-based show comes to the Creative Arts Center at 7:30 p.m. for a taping that will be broadcast internationally on Public Radio at a date to be announced.

Scheduled to perform are Appalachian musicians and groups including Danny Barnes, Gandydancer, the Johnny Staats Project, Scott Miller and the Commonwealth. Tickets are $6 in advance by calling 293-SHOW or $8 on the night of the show.

In between, there will be a variety of Appalachian performers, storytellers, speakers and movies, including:

• CornSmoke, Native American flute music, noon, Mountainlair food court; SangRun, traditional Irish music, noon, HSC Bookstore and 1:30 p.m., Mountainlair food court
• Kirk Hazen and Ellen Fluharty, "Language Diversity and Bidilectialism in Appalachia," 6:30 p.m., Greenbrier Room, Mountainlair
• Artisans and Vendors, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Mountainlair
• Appalachian Movies, Appalachian Song, Folktales and Dance, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Vandalia Lounge. Mountainlair

• Bill Lepp, winner of the West Virginia Liar’s Contest, noon-1 p.m., Mountainlair
• Food Court
• WVU Women’s Studies Professor Elizabeth Engelhardt, "Beating the Biscuits in Appalachia," 4-6 p.m., Mountainlair Rhododendron Room
• Henry Holden, actor- producer, "Disability in the Media Everywhere," 3:30-5 p.m., Creative Arts Center Concert Theatre
• Artisans and vendors, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Mountainlair
• Movies, Stories of War and Mining, 10 a.m.-3 p.m, Mountainlair’s Vandalia Lounge

• Bill Hairston, Appalachian storyteller, noon-1 p.m., Mountainlair Food Court
• Ilene Evans, African American Appalachian storyteller/performer, "General Moses: Stories from the Life of Harriet Tubman," accompanied by Detroit Blues Artist, Richard Smith, 7-8 p.m., Mountainlair Gold Room
• Artists and Vendors, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Mountainlair
• Movies, Natural Resources, Religion, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Mountainlair Vandalia Room

• Appalachian Authors Cheryl Ware and Joe Gatski autographing session, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Mountainlair Commons
• Carrie Nobel Kline and entourage will perform "Revelations: Appalachian Resiliency in Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual and Transgendered People," 7-8:30 p.m., Mountainlair Blue Ballroom, in honor of National Coming Out Day
• Artists and Vendors, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Mountainlair
• Movies, Appalachian Concerns and Issues, 10 a.m.-3:15 p.m., Mountainlair’s Vandalia Room; special presentation, "Through their Eyes: Gays and Lesbians in the Mountains," 2:30-2:45 p.m.

• Appalachian Author Cheryl Ware, interactive fiction writing workship, 12:30-1:30 p.m., Mountainlair Greenbrier Room
• Artists and Vendors, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Mountainlair
• Movies, Appalachian People, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Mountainlair’s Vandalia Room

Jennifer McIntosh, WVU executive officer for the President’s Office for Social Justice, said Diversity Week is an annual event designed to educate the University community about various parts of the global community.

For more information, call 304-293-5496 or visit www.wvu.edu/~socjust for a complete schedule of events.