Mystery surrounded the announcement of “Occupy Fleece.” People’s curiosity forced them to ask strange questions. Would we lay down wet fleeces asking for signs from God like Gideon did in Judges 6? Were we being encouraged to wear dry fleece jackets to stay warm during the cold winter? Were we going to invade a local sheep farm to steal their wool to make fleece coats? Well, it turns out that “Occupy Fleece” was simply a celebration of the opening of our new library called “the G. Allen Fleece Library.”
The celebration Occupy Fleece began last Monday night as CIU students began to put up their tents outside the CIU library. The tents, large warm heaters, and loud music surrounding these “campers” enabled them to survive frigid temperatures. Frostbite didn’t destroy any one’s fingers or toes. The grass outside the CIU library wasn’t lined with frozen humans.
Occupy Fleece continued at 7:00 a.m. Tuesday morning, as students were woken up by the bright lights of a local TV news crew and the blast of a shofar. Because nothing makes you appreciate being a CIU Ram more than being woken up at 7:00 in the morning by a ram’s horn. At least non-early birds were able to take solace in the scrumptious breakfast of Chick-fil-A chicken biscuits that was served near their tents.
As students flooded into the library at 7:30 that morning, students were given tickets for two prize drawings in which they had the chance to win one of twenty Amazon gift cards! The library allowed students, faculty, and staff to buy coffee from its luxurious coffee machine at 50% off! Free cookies were given away! Occupy Fleece was like Christmas, but without the snow, Santa Claus, stockings, reindeer, and actual presents. But other than that, it was the same thing! This Tuesday, when the library is officially dedicated during chapel time, five CIU students will have the opportunity to win five Kindles in another drawing! It’s like Christmas in the middle of January! Woohoo!
-Aaron Sobey