‘Great Catsby’ week begins with ‘Paint the Town Blue’

UK+students+Paint+The+Town+Blue+on+campus+with+the+Great+Catsby+theme+in+Lexington%2C+Ky.%2C+on+Monday%2C+October+20%2C+2014.+Photo+by+Jonathan+Krueger

UK students Paint The Town Blue on campus with the Great Catsby theme in Lexington, Ky., on Monday, October 20, 2014. Photo by Jonathan Krueger

By Anne Halliwell

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The UK Student Activities Board named the Delta Gamma and Tri-Delta sororities the winners of “Paint the Town Blue” 2014, the first Homecoming Week event, Monday afternoon.

A total of 31 Greek organizations and student groups such as Team Wildcat, the College of Design and the pre-pharmacy club designed and painted windows around the Student Center, White Hall Classroom Building and Chemistry-Physics Building, said SAB director of traditions and interior design junior Zoe Pittman.

On Saturday and Sunday, the teams actualized about a month of planning, Pittman said, climbing ladders with painting supplies outside of White Hall to finish their designs.

Kappa Delta earned second place as determined by randomly selected faculty and staff judges, Pittman said, and Tau Beta Sigma and Kappa Alpha Theta tied for third place.

The windows were decorated with iconic “Great Catsby” images like T.J. Eckleburg’s glasses and lyrics like “A Little Party Never Killed Nobody,” from the movie remake in 2013, keeping with this year’s homecoming week theme. Pittman said the theme was chosen not only because it was novel, but because it was something that virtually all students would recognize.

“Homecoming this year is very different,” Pittman said. “We’re trying to reach a more diverse and broader audience than we have before and have student voices heard.”

The three judges’ score cards graded on creativity and adherance to the theme and were averaged for the final scores beginning on Monday at around 10 a.m.

The winning teams have earned points toward the Wildcat Cup, to be awarded to a winning organization during halftime at the homecoming game, Pittman said. In the meantime, the windows will be left as they are for the duration of Homecoming Week.

“We wanted to bring a homecoming atmosphere to campus,” Pittman said. “The Great Catsby brings that festivity and atmosphere on campus.”