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Tip Sheet for the week of: September 2, 2008

RELEASED: September 2, 2008

Story idea
UW-Eau Claire's Blugold Marching Band has been invited to perform a halftime show Monday, Sept. 8, during the Green Bay Packers season opener against the Minnesota Vikings. The band's director, Dr. Randal Dickerson, a UW-Eau Claire associate professor of music, recently received word that an opening for the halftime slot was available. The last-minute opening occurred when a retirement ceremony to honor former Packers quarterback Brett Favre was cancelled after Favre's recent decision not to retire and his subsequent trade by the Packers to the New York Jets. This will be the Blugold Marching Band's second appearance at a Green Bay Packers home game. The group first performed at Lambeau Field in October 2004, but a few things have changed since then. "The major difference is that in '04 the band had 125 members, and this year it has 230 members," Dickerson said. "Along with the size difference the band has also developed a much higher energy style." The Blugold Marching Band is the largest marching band of any NCAA Division III college or university, Dickerson has said.

The band also has two upcoming Chippewa Valley performances before it performs at the Blugold football team's opening home game Sept. 13 against defending NCAA Division III national champion UW-Whitewater:

Sept. 5: Halftime performance at the Menomonie High School football game against Wausau West High School. The game begins at 7 p.m. at UW-Stout's Williams Stadium.

Sept. 11: Exhibition performance at "Music Along the Chippewa," a contest for high school marching bands at Dorais Field in Chippewa Falls. The Blugold Marching Band will perform at the close of the competition for about 2,000 high school students and their parents.

Dickerson may be contacted at dickerrc@uwec.edu or 715-836-2312 to discuss the marching band's upcoming season, including its Sept. 8 Lambeau Field performance.

Story/photo idea
Community businesses, area organizations such as neighborhood associations and churches, and city departments will showcase their resources, services and products for UW-Eau Claire students during the university's annual CONNECT! event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 3, on the Central Campus Mall. In the event of rain, CONNECT! will be held in the Council Fire Room, Davies Center. For more information about CONNECT!, contact Paula Stuettgen, senior coordinator for assessment and special projects, at 715-836-4803 or stuettpj@uwec.edu.

Calendar note
UW-Eau Claire fall semester classes began at 8 a.m. today, Sept. 2.

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