On Sept. 19 at 5 p.m., students will gather on Notre Dame’s South Quad for Welsh Family Hall’s signature event, “Hoedown Throwdown.“ The event will feature apple cider, donuts, yard games and a large mechanical bull for event-goers to ride.
Hoedown Throwdown “became our biggest signature event, just because a mechanical bull garners a lot of attention,” Abby Klink, president of Welsh Family Hall, said. “It’s something we all look forward to.”
Attendees can purchase apple cider, donuts and a ride on the mechanical bull for two dollars apiece, or all three for a discounted price of five dollars. There are options to pay with credit card or cash.
Proceeds from Hoedown Throwdown go to Unity Gardens, a nonprofit organization that aims to increase accessibility and knowledge of locally-grown produce. The organization is based in South Bend, but they maintain community gardens and host educational events all across Indiana.
“The money raised and donated through Hoedown Throwdown will go to help with the upkeep of the gardens and the farms and all the work that goes into that, as well as the nutrition classes that they host,” Klink explained.
Welsh Family Hall residents will also have the opportunity to take a class at Unity Gardens shortly after Hoedown Throwdown ends and witness the impact their fundraising has on the organization.
Notably, the event was called off last year due to poor weather. However, last years’s cancellation has led to increased enthusiasm for the upcoming rendition.
“We’re hoping to get at least $500 this year [for Unity Gardens]. Last year, since it got canceled, we unfortunately didn’t get to raise anything for them, and so we’re hoping to hit that amount at least,” Klink said.
Additionally, event organizers are looking forward to Hoedown Throwdown as a way to build community and enthusiasm within Welsh Family Hall.
“We’re trying to keep the hype up within our dorm … this is the first year we’re doing a hype up event — cops and robbers — just to raise the hype within Welsh Fam — because our main focus really is our Whirls [hall residents],” hall vice president Kylie Fuerbacher said. “We love putting the event on for the rest of campus, but we want to make sure our Whirls are also involved.”
Whirls will be volunteering throughout Hoedown Throwdown to ensure the event runs smoothly while also getting a taste of dorm spirit.
