LaHue Pied

On Friday, November 10, 2006, in the mid-level cafeteria, seven Penn Valley faculty and staff members each took a pie in the face for the sake of charity: Pamela Yeager (financial aid advisor), Mickey McCloud (English teacher), Lisa Spaulding (English teacher), Al Dimmitt (Dean of Instruction), Mindy Johnson (Campus Life and Leadership Coordinator), Nic LaHue (Chair of the math department) and Terry Davin (biology teacher).

For several days prior to the event, the victims-to-be carried plastic containers around with them, asking people to donate money to the cause. If less than $200 total had been raised, the one who raised the most would have been permitted to choose one participant to be pied. However, the goal was met (they raised $354.95 total), meaning that every volunteer got what they had asked for.

Yeager, glasses and shoes removed and swathed in plastic, bravely volunteered to go first. McCloud was next, then Spaulding, followed by Dimmitt. Shannon Ross, Campus Life and Leadership Technician, offered them towels to wipe down.

Johnson Pied

Davin approached the stage (which consisted of trash bags taped down to protect the carpet) wearing a pair of heavy-duty goggles, presumably pinched from the biology lab. Blanca McKee, a former student of Davin's, refused to pie him until he removed the goggles. "I donated, it's for a good cause!" McKee justified, laughing.

LaHue took his pie without a shower cap or makeshift raincoat. "Like a man," Johnson joked. A small child, Blesyn Swan, was recruited to perform the honors for LaHue. She told Spectrum afterward that it had been fun.

A student, Katie Sisil, was supposed to be pied as well, but became ill and could not attend. Another student, who asked not to be named, complained, "I wanted to pie Katie Sisil. That's the only reason I got up this morning."

Spaulding raised $137, earning a gift basket as a prize for her efforts.

"I thought it was a great idea," said Gretchen Blythe, a counselor from Longview, adding that if her college imitates the event, she wants to be the one to throw the pies.

The event was held for United Way Week, organized by Student Services Specialist Sallie Mathis. For more about United Way Week, see our article.

Copyright 2006 Metropolitan Community College