Something For Everyone

Student Recreation Center
Visual I

You are walking up to the heavy metal doors, dodging the cars zipping past, and you are ready to start a great workout, or at least try to. Trying to leave all the stress from a hectic day behind you, time just seems to stop. As if there was no schedule and you could stay forever and not miss a thing going on. Various different body types and ages are all working out, you are entering a judge free zone. After entering you hear, "Can I have your card please?" from one of the staff members proudly wearing one of the Student Recreation Center shirts.  Quickly sliding your card to confirm that you are in fact, a student at Bloomsburg University.  One of the few tasks the staff at the front desk face upon a shift at the Student Recreation Center.(Visual I)


A day as a staff member is quite straight forward.  The employee would come in, sit down and begin swiping people in with their card to start their workout, as long
as they are a student. If they do not have a membership or Bloomsburg University ID the guest has to pay five dollars.  Teachers and alumni have the option to buy a membership for the gym.
If they choose to do so it will cost a small reasonable fee.

Then, every hour a staff member has to go around to every location and record the amount of people within that location for their statistics.  Throughout the shift, a lot of basketballs are signed out using a Student ID as well as other recreational items. Along with basketballs, the staff also signs out jump ropes, volleyballs, elastic bands, ping pong paddles and balls, boxing gloves and many other useful equipment.

Every freshmen has heard the phrase "Do not wear your lanyard around your neck!"  Another mistake some freshmen are guilty of is leaving their card at the front desk when they slide it.  Who would forget their ID, it is how most students on campus eat! It is just one of the strange and unusual things that the staff deals with.  Also, many people ask where the water fountain's are.(Seriously? There is a water fountain in every room, if not more than one.)  These are only a few of the silly things that happen throughout their shifts.

Very few people who will walk into the dimly lit entrance of the gym walk in alone. Upon entering, you are greeted with empty red seats filling the musty, neutral lobby and a whiteboard containing the trivia question of the day. Some as weird as "What is the only large mammal with ultraviolet vision?"
Where on the back of the whiteboard you will find the answer, which was "Caribou." Everyday a new trivia question awaits each and every new and repeated face that enters the gym.  In the background you will often hear sneakers squeaking and balls bouncing on the basketball courts.  Another thing you will also often hear in the gym is the faint sound of today's most popular music to fill the void of silence within the very high ceilings.

Within the gym you will find five full sized basketball courts that are also used for volleyball and tennis. These courts take up most of the area within the Student Recreation Center. Four of the five basketball courts create the main arena with the fifth basketball court in an adjacent gym. Surrounding the main arena an indoor track is almost always busy. The indoor track extends to one eighth of a mile around the courts where people run, walk and jog every day.  Across from all of the chaos within the main arena are the four racquetball courts that have glass enclosings. These do not have much use however. On the adjacent wall, a multi-purpose room used for anything, attracts many people. The multi-purpose room is never empty. Throughout the week there is a full schedule of activities both day and night for a great workout taught by faculty and sometimes even students. Some of the classes available in the multi-purpose room are Yoga, Jumping Calories and Latin Dance. 

Rock Climbing Wall
Visual II

The weight and fitness rooms with a combined size of twelve thousand square feet, bring people in to do more of a routine workout. They contain equipment for just about any type of workout someone looks for. New cardio equipment, which is said to be one of the greatest improvements this year are used very frequently.  Just outside of the cardio room features a thirty foot tall indoor rock climbing wall (visual II).  This however does not open all the time. The rock climbing wall is a very popular choice with many different paths to choose from, which are marked off by colorful tape.  To climb the wall however, there are precautions everyone must take for safety. Safety gear which is provided, is a mandatory precaution everyone must take.

There are also a few extra things the gym has to offer their guests to use.  At the beginning of the year, signups are held for a personal trainer on a first come, first serve basis. There is however a deposit that must be paid that can be returned by showing up to the sessions requested.  While working out you need a place to leave your stuff right? well, There are multiple locations where you can leave your belongings.  Upon entering there are a few lockers which can be used with a lock or without one, depending on the guests preference.  The gym is not responsible for anything lost or stolen.  So if it is valuable, lock it up, or just leave it at home. Connected to the bathrooms are lockers which can also be used to keep stuff in while one works out.  There are also showers available to refresh after a workout, in the locker rooms.

 Even though on a given day there is not much work for a staff member to do, they still seem to find the job rewarding.  "You see a lot of people and talk to a lot of people." a cheerful senior explains.  "I'll be walking around campus and think, 'I know your name. But you have no clue who I am.' which is kind of hilarious."  There is also a lot of downtime to become annoyed as well as finish up any homework for the day.  Some of the staff just do not understand why guests and students will not listen to them.  "The rules are pretty easy I think" she explains, while signing out another basketball for a student. 

A male student who regularly uses the gym seems to think so too.  "It's pretty simple to just give your ID to be swiped in then start a work out" he said annoyingly.  Within the gym, he prefers to have a routine workout. On a given day, his routine consists of using one of the many treadmills then moving onto the weight room to use some of the free weights. The staff are not the only ones to have crazy experiences while at the Student Recreation Center.  "The muscle heads who skip legs. It is just hilarious. I will be running and these huge guys come and they have tiny legs!"

At the gym you are never alone. From open to close, the gym usually bustles with people. Sometimes even overwhelmingly filled with people. Opening before the sun rises and closing well into the night, the hours are very convenient. Usually open seven days a week regardless of weather, the gym is a great place to just leave reality. "It is a great way to lose a lot of stress" a BU student explains.  "Something about working out makes me feel better after a long day".

After completing the workout and rehydrating from one of the many water fountains (unless you are one of those freshmen), it is time to go back to reality.  "Have a good day", the staff member recites for the hundredth time that day. As you walk through those doors, time resumes. Dodging the cars flying past to continue with the rest of the day.

That's Amore



A Ferris Wheel, located at the beginning of the park.

Arriving at Knoebels on a beautiful summer day, people look forward to having a relaxing day off from their busy lives. From the rides to the food, Knoebels offers it all. Walking through the park, one feels the excitement in the air, sniff the delicious scents coming from many different stands, but there is one particular place that always seems to pull people in. That place is none other than Cesari's Pizza. As one walks towards the building, they can smell the deliciousness in the air and can hear a familiar tune if one has ever been there previously. "When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's amore."

Knoebels is a family owned amusement park which opened its gates in 1926. Since then, it has won many awards for its rides and food. Although Knoebels has been open for close to a century, Cesari's wasn't established until the spring of 1981. The shop was owned by Angela Cesari along with her brother and parents. Over the years, Angela's parents decided to give full ownership to both her and her brother Brian. They lived up to the expectations of being full time business owners and had a wonderful experience doing it.  In 2001, Brian died from a fatal heart attack, leaving Angela as the sole owner.

"This pizza is definitely the best I've ever had," twenty-three year old employee Christa states. Christa, a short, stern, blonde-haired woman, has worked at the restaurant for nine years. Now a supervisor, she thinks back to the days when she was first employed by Angela Cesari-Martini. From bad times to the good times, Christa reminisces on her past years. "Some of my best friends were made here. I've made so many great friends and met some great people working here throughout the years. This place is definitely one of my favorite places in the world, but I wish it would close a little earlier." The park closes at ten p.m. every night except for Sundays, when closing is at nine p.m.

Standing in front of the large, Roman-like structure, people crowd the lines to get their hands on the award winning food the place has to offer. Smells of Italian food flood the nostrils of thousands of visitors a day, mesmerizing them as they patiently wait for even just one slice of pizza. Walking up the small gravel path to one of the six queues to begin their wait, people stare into the shop where the cashiers greet each customer with a smile and ask them the question they have been patiently waiting for, "Hi, how can I help you!"

The menu lists everything that can be purchased that day.

"I'd like to order a large pepperoni pie please." "I need two slices of mushroom pizza and a large drink." "Do you have any Stromboli ready?" These questions are asked several times a day by hundreds of customers. The cashiers, all dressed in the same uniform, a teal blue T-shirt and a black visor, take each order and prepare it individually. When ordering slices of pizza, they immediately get to work, moving their way towards the person behind the island that is situated in the middle of the shop, where the pizza is dressed in specific toppings and put into the small oven adjacent to them for preparation. After a few minutes, the slices are moved from the oven to either a plate or complementary box, and are given to the soon-to-be satisfied customer (See Figure 1). For whole pie orders, the cashier writes the order down and gives it to the guys in the back, who read each individual slip and prepare each pizza to perfection. If they get lucky, sometimes customers get a bird's eye view of them taking the dough, stretching it out, and watching with amazement as they twirl it into a perfect circle, sometimes throwing it into the air to satisfy one of the many pizza making cliches.

Figure 1

After getting their complete orders, customers then can move from the queues to the grand patio on the side of the main building.  Under the patio sits generic-looking picnic tables, surrounded by smaller, salmon-colored, hexagonal tables, each adorned with a large blue and white umbrella that shades the customers from the heat of the sun. When ordering an entire pie, a customer is given a place holder, which is in the shape of a pizza with a number on it. They are to place it on their table so that when their pizza has been finished, an employee will come out with their order and bring it to their table. "This is so delicious!" they can hear from another table while waiting for their order.

"You can have all the money in the world, but you can never buy more time," Angela Cesari explains while sitting at her desk working through a clutter of papers. Though both items have high importance to a variety of people, Angela places time over money in the matter of importance. Being the sole owner of a very popular restaurant, Angela works from six-thirty in the morning to eleven-thirty at night every single day from late April to late October. "You learn to appreciate your free time when you don't have much of it," she adds as she goes to grab a pen. Her office, a small bungalow hole in the back of the establishment, is a main getaway from the stress and heat of each day. She talks about not only the struggles of being the only owner of a business, but some of the greatest things in return that she has received from it. "I've learned to work with many different personalities. I've also become extremely organized in all aspects of life, not just work itself. Disciplining is something I never look forward doing, but sometimes it has to be done. Not only disciplining my employees, but sometimes disciplining myself in certain situations."

Can't wait to see you again!

Although things may always seem to run smoothly, there's always a small kink here and there. Not every customer is going to be happy and willing to cooperate with the cashiers or any other employees, Angela reveals. "This one time there was this guy who came up to one of our counters, cutting in front of many customers, screaming how he's been waiting over an hour for his pie. I had went and looked at his order and it just so happened he had only been sitting there for ten minutes. When I went to tell him, he called me a liar, and preceded to make a huge scene screaming about how terrible we were and telling people to take their money somewhere else. I later refunded the man for his food, gave him a smile, and told him to have a good day. After dealing with him, many people came up to me who were behind him in line and apologized for his behavior. Yeah, you'll never be able to please every person in the world, but the people that you can please is well worth it."

Cesari's Pizza isn't just a restaurant to a lot of people, it's a second home, a vacation, an old friend. So many people look forward to coming back and remembering past memories of fun, food, and fantasy. At the end of the day, after the stomachs of so many people have been filled with the happiness of pizza, people prepare to return to their cars and drive back to their normal, busy lives. They aren't thinking of what they will be doing the next day, however. They will be thinking of when the next time they can come back and enjoy another slice of pizza, humming along to those famous lines heard from shop, "When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's amore."

Underrated Coaching

"During a normal week in season I get to the office around seven in the morning and I am here until eight-thirty or nine-o’clock at night, " states Jack Lydic, the quarterbacks and receivers coach at Bloomsburg University. Those are the hours that he spends working during the week while in season. These are the hours needed by each coach on the Bloomsburg coaching staff in order to have a successful program. Division II football coaches do not make the big bucks like most Division I coaches, such as Nick Saban (Head coach at the University of Alabama) and Urban Myer (Head coach at Ohio State University). Although they put in the same amount of time and effort as these Division I coaches, coaches like Coach Lydic do not get the same fame and the glory. Regardless, they still spend time away from their families, work long hours in and out of season, spend a lot of time in the office all day, and build strong relationships with their players.

Figure 1: see note

           He and his players watch film in a classroom up at Nelson Field House at Bloomsburg University. The classroom resembles a big square that seats about thirty people. The room usually is very dark with the only light being the projector shining on the screen. Coach Lydic usually stands in the front of the room. He stands about five feet ten inches tall with light brown hair. He has a short stubbly light brown beard (Figure 1). He has blue eyes and is a very nice but serious coach. This is where Coach Lydic finds out which of his players have been studying the opposing teams defense for the week either online or from the coverage sheets. He also likes to go over new plays and review check calls and hand signals for the plays.

        

           Coach Lydic calls on any of his quarterbacks and wide receivers during the meetings to see if they know what coverage the defense runs on specific plays. “I do this to make sure they understand what to do on the field during the game,” exclaims Coach Lydic.  He also states “By doing this I can see who watches film in there free time and going over their coverage sheets.” He had already made players in the past run for not knowing the coverage’s that the opposing teams defense runs after two days of reviewing. He spends lots of time on reviewing many film clips and making the coverage sheets so the quarterbacks and wide receivers can easily prepare for the game.

         

          Apart from watching film, Coach Lydic spends much of his time on other aspects of football. He spends pretty much all of his day in his small windowless office working until practice. The office which takes on the shape of a small square, and has a desk that takes up most of the room. On the desk he has a phone, a laptop, and a desktop computer. Right in front of his desk on the wall hangs a thirty-two-inch T.V. On the other two walls hang two big white boards that are completely covered in plays that would be great to run for the next game. “Spending most of the day in there everyday can get kind of boring sometimes,” says Coach Lydic. That’s why he cannot wait to meet with his players for the start of each day's practice.  

        “Coach Lydic is one of the best coaches I have ever had,” says Tim Kelly.  He is the starting quarterback and a captain for the Bloomsburg Huskies. Tim stands at six feet tall and weighs about a buck eighty-five. He has dark brown curly hair and a scruffy brown beard to match. Tim has an athletic build, and at practices you will find him wearing a red jersey letting you know he is the quarterback and may not be hit. Tim and Coach Lydic have a very good relationship. Tim spends lots of time talking to Coach Lydic on and off the field about practices and upcoming games. This type of relationship comes along with all the time Coach spends on football in and out of the office. This relationship not only benefits for games, but practices as well. This is the time Coach Lydic has prepared for in his office all day long.  

Figure 2: see note

         Once Coach Lydic steps on the field it is all business. When he walks into Redman Stadium, with the extremely high home stands that are topped with the president’s box and the press box, he immediately gets excited for practice. Then he steps on to Danny Hale Field, which consists of a nice bright green turf with a big maroon and gold Bloomsburg logo in the middle (Figure 2). The field has one end zone designed with big maroon and gold letters spelling out "Bloomsburg" while the other end zone, in the same maroon and gold, spells out "Huskies". He walks over and greets his players by saying, “Men how are we doing?” Then he explains what will be covered that day at practice. Next he yells, “QBs, Wide outs noose!” Which is a drill his players run everyday to get the quarterback’s arms loose and the receivers hands and legs ready.  Then once the drill is done they start running routes and catching passes.

         



Figure 3: see note

          Then practice shifts gears into a team session. This is where the starting offense goes against the starting defense. This is not only where Coach Lydic gets very intense, but the other Coaches as well. Head coach of the Bloomsburg Huskies Paul Darragh, who stands about six-foot-three, with a thick build, reddish blonde hair, and a short rugged beard. He is about fifty years old. "This practice needs to live and intense men," yells Coach Darragh in a strong southern accent. He leans more to the defensive side of the ball when coaching, considering he use to be the defensive coordinator before becoming the head coach. Under Coach Lydic, the offense starts out with the ball on the opposite twenty yard line of their end zone  Tim Kelly looks to the sideline to get the signs from Coach Lydic so he knows what play to run. Once Tim gets the signs he then calls the play in the huddle, and it is then run accordingly. If the play is successful, Coach Lydic does not say anything at the moment but he as well as the players have a look of pure happiness that the play call was successful (Figure 3). Then later that night he and the quarterbacks and wide receivers will meet in the classroom at Nelson Field house to go over the practice.

         

          The next morning he arrives at the office for another twelve hour day. He plans for the practice that lies ahead of him in the afternoon. He does this because football is something that he truly cares about. He proudly sits in his small office in Nelson Field house reviewing the plays that need to be run for the game that week. Although he puts in more effort than some Division I coaches he does not receive the same amount of credit and glory.  “I love coaching here and I wouldn’t trade this for any other job out there. I enjoy the coaches I work with, as well as the players and the atmosphere,” says Coach Lydic. He creates great relationships with his players. Coaching is a hard job and it is not as easy as everyone out there thinks. Imagine putting yourself in that position and not getting credit that Division I coaches receive. Coach Lydic is not only a great coach but also a very hardworking and dedicated man.

Bloomsburg University. Jack Lydic Quarterbacks/Receivers/Video Coordinator. N.d.Bloomsburg Huskies. Web. 21 Sept. 2014. <http://www.buhuskies.com/coaches.aspx?rc=406&path=football>.

Larson Design Group. Redman Stadium, Bloomsburg University. 2013. Larson Design Group. Web. 21 Sept. 2014. <http://www.larsondesigngroup.com/portfolio/site-design-land-development/redman-stadium-improvements-bloomsburg-university/>.

Bitner, Chuck. Bloomsburg v. California 2014. 2014. Facebook.com. Web. 22 Sept. 2014. <https://www.facebook.com/alex.dundore.3>.

Pushing Out the Pain

      Ever wonder how you were brought into this world? Ever consider the people, machines, and skills involved in it?  Many couples are pondering over these same questions as they are considering having a child or are closing in on the time for their baby to arrive. Although it is a time of joy and celebration, the pain of having a child and all the anxiety of not knowing what to expect can be overwhelming for any expecting couple.

     

      ‘Push Button’-the sign posted above a tan button just outside of the maternity ward of Evangelical Community Hospital’s maternity ward, the very button that allows entry if one of the staff members in purple scrubs at the end of the long menacing hallway permits your passage.  It could say “Enter at your own risk” and be no less intimidating.

        The wide glass doors slowly creak open. The pungent aroma of disinfectant and antibacterial hit the nose like a punch. Dimmed and cold, the hallway is a long stretch of tan wallpaper and wooden panels, separating the entrance from the admission desk. Stacks of papers and charts protrude from the top of the counter, practically guarding the secretary from anyone who approaches.  Popping up from her chair appears a young, blonde woman, Krista, the day shift unit secretary who welcomes everyone entering the unit with a friendly smile and warm greeting, as she directs them where they need to go.  Suddenly it is not so threatening after all.

Figure One (See note)

     For over a hundred years, Evangelical Community Hospital of Lewisburg, Pennsylvania has been taking on the role of being one of the best labor and delivery and early infant care centers in the area.  The hospital was founded in 1876 in what is now the Slifer House Museum. (Figure 1) The initial purpose of the hospital was to serve as a general health facility, orphanage, and home for the elderly.  During the mid-1900s, the hospital moved across the street to its current location, One Hospital Drive.  The maternity unit, including labor and delivery, has been historically busy throughout its 138 years, currently delivering about one thousand babies each year. Thus, the hospital has been continually adding on to the maternity unit and making renovations, with the most recent renovation being completed in June of this year.  (Figure 2)

Figure Two (See notes)

      The Family Place is a welcoming, family-oriented birthing and maternity center that has been lending a hand to thousands of women throughout their pregnancies.  It guides women throughout their pregnancies and helps prepare them for delivery as well as for caring for their babies once they are born.

       There is a lot of education given to the parents before the first labor pain occurs.  "We meet with women and discuss a vast array of topics.  We discuss the process of labor and delivery, why breastfeeding is the most beneficial feeding method, the possible diseases a child could obtain such as whooping cough and ways to avoid it from occurring, to the basics of inserting a car seat,” explains Pam Kline, a nurse from the Perinatal Education Program of the Family Place. The education continues throughout the hospital stay.  They go home knowing how to care for their babies which includes bathing, diapering, circumcision care, feeding, and installing a car seat.  Family care and education for a pregnant woman is there from start to finish.



Figure Three (See note)

     Over the years, Evangelical has made advancements in infant security.   On every infant’s ankle is a band with its mother’s name on it and a number that matches its mother’s band.  Every time the baby and mother are separated, the bands are matched to assure that the mother is receiving the correct baby. A tan device, a HUGS tag, is tightly fastened for security purposes on the other ankle.   (Figure 3)  According to Joanne Bender RN, “An alarm will sound and all the doors of the hospital will lock if someone attempts to take an infant from the unit or if the band is removed.”

      

     Although the first impression of a birthing room can be intimidating, having family present for the experience makes the process more bearable.  Once inside a labor room, a large wooden door cuts off all sounds from the rest of the hospital, including the resonating screams from laboring women in other rooms, ringing bells, and voices paging staff over the intercom.  Several monitors, computers, infant warmers, and IV pumps enclose the room, all reminders that this is a hospital.  A high, raised bed with plain white sheets centers the room with a remote controlling almost every aspect of the room. The familiar tan walls with wooden paneling encircle and warm the room. Chairs for family, a sink, and a TV in the far corner make it feel more like home. A whirlpool tub provides a place for hydrotherapy to relieve some of the pain of labor.   



Figure Four (see notes)

       What makes this scary time of having a baby less daunting and one that so many couples remember as such a wonderful experience despite the pain and the unfamiliar surrounding?  “The nurturing, kindness, and friendliness that the nurses provide make all the difference.  (Figure 4) When we are given the opportunity to help a mother through the birthing experience, it is a truly a blessing for us as well as the couple. We stay by mom’s side to encourage her to do what she needs to do. We do it together,” says Kelly Everitt RN.

       After a mother delivers, she and her baby stay in a postpartum room. This is where the mother, father, and child stay until they leave the hospital.  Warm, plum colored walls, modern furniture and bathrooms, and a flat screen TV adorn the room.  It is its own private retreat from the rest of the hospital.  Here, a couple can learn what it is like to be a parent with the convenience of having a nurse a step away. The baby is cared for around the clock in a loving, home-like environment. The same nurse cares for mother and infant, allowing most of the infant care to be done right in the mother’s room.  This is Evan’s “mother baby nursing” concept.  Kristen Showalter acknowledged this as one of the reasons why she delivers at Evangelical, “I love the fact that I can get great care so close to home.  After having my first child at Evan, I felt like I knew what I was doing. Evan’s nurses stayed with me and showed me how to care for my baby. They were kind and helpful. I wouldn’t have had it any other way.”

       The nurses and faculty of the Family Place are quite amusing women who obviously enjoy their jobs. They gather together to share some of their comical delivery stories.  “When I came in to deliver my third child, I was in the whirlpool tub when I felt like I had to push.  Robbie told me to move it back to bed because she didn’t want me to deliver in the tub. I somehow got up and waddled like a penguin over to bed.”  While telling the story the nurse had her knees together as she walked, and they all laughed. The nurses said the best way to make it through the day is with a little humor and smile on your face. "It doesn't even seem like work when you're joking with your friends and enjoying your patients. Everything I do I try to do with a smile," interjects Pam Kline.

      Although generally a happy place, the unit is also faced with times of grief. “This can be the happiest place, but this can be the saddest place. When a mother loses a child, it is devastating for the whole family,” declares Joanne Bender RN.  “Pictures are taken, the baby is held, and footprints are obtained.  We support the grieving family any way we can.”

        The Family Place has been helping the community from conception to the early days of child birth for years, giving women the help and education they need in order to become better mothers. The Evangelical nurses are not just a group of nurses getting a pay check at the end of a week. They are a helpful community lending a hand to help others.

Citations:

"Hugs Tag - Bing Images." Hugs Tag - Bing Images. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Sept. 2014.

"Slifer House - Bing Images." Slifer House - Bing Images. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Sept. 2014

"Evangelical Hospital Family Place New Rooms - Bing Images." Evangelical Hospital Family Place New Rooms - Bing Images. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Sept. 2014.

 "Nurses and Babies - Bing Images." Nurses and Babies - Bing Images. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Sept. 2014.