Anyone walking near South Quad Saturday likely heard the sounds of Scottish music and the enthusiastic cries of those participating in and watching the modern-day Highland Games sponsored by Duncan Hall.
The event was an adaptation of the traditional Scottish Highland Games and featured food, music and games of skill, strength and endurance, which included spear-throwing, catapulting water balloons through rings, dodgeball and a variety of other Scottish-inspired activities.
Other dorm teams participated in events and were awarded with points for their accomplishments.
"As a dorm, we really wanted to choose an event that involved the Scottish heritage of the Hall's sponsor, the Duncan family," Duncan Hall president Tom Bacsik said. "The event was chosen to raise money for the St. Baldrick's Foundation, a charitable organization devoted to childhood cancer research. ... We wanted to show our support for a fellow resident of Duncan Hall who was diagnosed with cancer this past fall semester, and this was his charity of choice."
Duncan Hall raised $400 for St. Baldrick's, and the dorms who competed in the games raised over $300 in donations, Bacsik said.
"These donations were all collected in the last month and really show the great support that has been generated for this event and for the St. Baldrick's Foundation," he said.
Despite the cold weather, Bacsik said the event had a good turnout.
As a result of the positive response and success of the Highlander Games in this inaugural year, he said, the residents of Duncan Hall look forward to making the Games their annual signature event, and to expanding next year's participation across campus and increasing the charitable contributions.
