Wesley's mascot entertains the crowd during the parade.

By Melissa Boyd and Shannon Perry (Whetstone staff writters)

About 50 students, alumni and neighbors came out to cheer the floats and reminisce during the Wesley Homecoming parade on Oct. 8.

“[The parade was] more fun than last year,” said junior Brett Sansbury, a member of Delta Phi Epsilon.

It was just as fun for former Wesley students.

“Seeing the young people so happy makes us happy,” said Barbara Hall Schubert, class of ’51.

The parade made its way from Legislative Hall to the intersection of Cecil and State Streets.

Many organizations made floats, including sororities, fraternities, the Black Student Union, Psychology Club, and individual dorm floats.

“It’s fun to make a fool out of yourself and trying to sing,” said junior Kerri Wetterau, the president of Delta Phi Epsilon, referring to her and her sisters chanting on the DPE float.

Theta Phi Alpha performed a choreographed dance, “I Just Can’t Wait to be King,” from “The Lion King.” Judges voted them No. 1 in the float competition.

Second place went to the Children’s Theater Company, which sang a song from the musical, “Oliver.”

The local community actors club perform a piece from Oliver Twist.

Roe Hall won for best dormitory float.

Residents of Williams Hall, however, created their float with blue men – they wore not only Wesley blue clothing, but also painted their bodies where there was no clothing, such as their arms, chests and faces.

Mark Oldenburg, resident assistant for Williams Hall, said that their resident director, Brandon Hoskins, came up with the idea.

“I didn’t get blued up because, initially, there was only supposed to be two residents getting blued, but when I woke up, Michael Streeter, Kevin Mangini and Erik Shellenhamer had all their blue on.”

Oldenburg said he was the blue man group coordinator.

Because of the recent shooting in front of Williams Hall, Oldenburg said the timing of the event was good.

“It came at the right time for residents’ morale to come up because as long as the negative is substantially outweighed by the positivity of Williams residents, then I believe we will have an even greater year.”

Alumni also enjoyed the parade.

Margaret Bosley Eldon and Walter Norbert, class of ’51, said they wanted to join it.

“I always loved the parade,” Eldon said. “Makes you want to get up and walk with them.”

Eldon recalled her days at Wesley.

In 1951, there were fewer than 200 students in the entire school, and Wesley was a junior college, she said. Now, Wesley’s freshman class more than doubles that amount.

“The friends – it was so small you knew everyone,” Eldon said.

Betty Copp, class of ’61, said she misses Wesley.

“I miss the night atmosphere at Wesley the most,” she said. “College was the time of my life.”

Neighbors also enjoyed the parade.

“It was very nice,” said Deborah Neidig, a Dover resident. Neidig brought her 3-year-old nephew, Caden Allaband.

Caden said he enjoyed the parade and got a lot of the candy, which was his favorite part of the parade.

Carl Obeng was the DJ for the parade and set up behind the judge’s station.

“The band and the music [were my] favorite part,” Neidig said.

Parents of students – and potential students – also enjoyed themselves.

“I loved the parade,” said Debra Lewis, whose daughter is thinking about attending Wesley next year. “I wish the football players were in it.”

Kim Bowles has a daughter at Wesley.

“The cheerleaders were the best, but we know someone on the team,” Bowles said.

Her daughter is on the cheerleading team.