Kaley Patterson
Newswriting Student
On Nov. 5, Cameron students, faculty and staff wore black and gold in honor of Ole Kim turning 49.
Ole Kim’s birthday celebration started at 11 a.m. on Tuesday with free cake in the MCC. Students gathered around the table for a piece of the six-foot black and gold birthday cake, complete with Ole Kim’s face made out of frosting.
Students were given buttons, mustache stickers and a mustache on a stick reading “Go Aggies!” to celebrate the special day. Ole Kim helped to hand out cake and he took the time to pose for pictures with students.
At 5:30 p.m. students were invited to a tailgate on the north side of the Aggie Gym. Students enjoyed hot dogs, chips, cookies, punch and last, but not least, their friend Ole Kim. Students posed for pictures with their mustaches and Ole Kim, as well as played the games corn hole and ladder ball.
After the tailgate, the students and Ole Kim made their way to the Aggie Gym to cheer on the lady Aggie volleyball team as they played Northwestern Oklahoma State University. Ole Kim cheered the lady Aggies on the sidelines and also made his way into the crowd to greet some fellow fans.
Between sets, Ole Kim was called onto the court and given a piece of cake along with a candle to blow out while the cheerleaders, the dance team and the crowd sang him “Happy Birthday.”
PAC is the organization who came up with the idea to celebrate Ole Kim’s big day.
This is the first time Ole Kim has ever had a birthday party thrown for him. Student Activities Specialist Megan Canfield and two PAC co-chairs were in charge of the party planning.
“We think this is a great way to kind of build Cameron spirit” Canfield said.
Canfield said that in the past they would reveal the identity of Ole Kim by lifting off the mascots head at homecoming. Canfield hinted that the past revealing may be a tradition that could be brought back sometime in the next year or so but no conformation for homecoming 2014.
“Ole Kim is a representation of what Cameron University is,” Canfield said. “He kind of symbolizes the pride that students have in their university. He is something very tangible that they can get behind and that they can root for and be excited about.”
Canfield said PAC is looking to do something bigger for his 50th birthday.
For those interested in getting involved, in PAC holds weekly meetings at 6:30 p.m. on Monday nights in the Buddy Green Room on the second floor of the MCC.