By Logan Jones
Assistant-Sports Editor
Northwestern Oklahoma State University Department of Fine Arts will present its annual Holiday Gala at 7.p.m, December 8, in Herod Hall Auditorium with the tree lighting ceremony to follow.
All are welcome, as admission is free and open to the public and the Herod Hall doors will open at 6:30 p.m.
The Gala will feature works and performances by the Northwestern Concert Choir, Chorale, University Singers, Symphony Band and Jazz Ensemble.
To finish, the choir and band will join to perform a holiday sing-along to conclude the concert.
After the concert, the audience will then be invited to gather on the Herod Hall lawn where the choir will sing a small verse before University President, Dr. Janet Cunningham performs the traditional lighting of the tree at the Bell Tower on the North side of campus.
The music groups are under the direction of Karsten Longhurst, instructor of music and director of choral studies, and Michael Seth Cudd, instructor of music and director of bands.
Both Longhurst and Cudd said they think it will be a fun concert and encourage the campus and local community members to attend and show support for the choir and band members as well as get into the spirit of the Holidays.
Those attending the Holiday Gala also will have an opportunity to make a non-perishable food or monetary donation to the Campus Cabinet, Northwestern’s soon to open food pantry for its students and employees, prior to entering the auditorium.
The Campus Cabinet will allow for both Northwestern students and faculty alike to have free access to necessary items that the individual may not have the monetary means to acquire them.
Besides monetary donations, the campus food pantry is predominately looking for “dorm-friendly” type non-perishable foods such as canned meat, soup, fruit and vegetables, peanut butter, jelly, cereal, breakfast foods, crackers, macaroni and cheese, rice or pasta, tomato sauce, Ramen noodles, instant potatoes, box meals, single-serving foods and non-frozen microwaveable meals. Personal hygiene items also will be accepted.