Western Washington University’s Wade King Student Recreation Center held its community-oriented event, Neon Night, on Thursday, May 9. It was a night filled with fun games, prizes and additional activities for students to get involved in campus recreation activities.
The event was exclusive to Western students and took Campus Recreation Communications Consultant Crystal Clausen and her staff nearly 10 hours to fully set up.
“My goal with this event was for everyone to have fun,” Clausen said. “And to get people in the gym who may have been intimidated to come or who didn’t have a buddy, or didn’t have a reason to come, and this was their reason. And now hopefully more people feel comfortable coming into our space.”
Before entering the rec center, students were met with a large inflatable obstacle course to test their speed and agility against other students, as well as music inviting them to dance their way inside.
Inside, students received a Neon Night passport with a list of activities and locations for each activity throughout the night, as well as a glow stick necklace.
Information booths for the event’s plethora of local partners lined the hallway adjacent to the basketball courts. Two courts held a wide array of different athletic competitions for students to test their abilities, including a three-point shooting contest, a large soccer ball style dartboard and a large-scale skills combine.
Students await their attempt at the three-point contest and soccer ball style dartboard in Bellingham, Wash., on May 9, 2024. Approximately 300 students attended Neon Night. // Photo by Cameron Riggers
In the skills combine, students participated in events such as a vertical and broad jump, cornhole, a three-cone agility drill and a free throw competition. If these events were completed fast enough, the participant would be entered for a chance to win an array of prizes, courtesy of the event’s partners.
It was estimated by Clausen that nearly 300 students participated in Neon Night, with over 40 volunteers helping run over 20 events, including a pool party to cap off the night.
Volunteer Sophie Stobie shared a similar sentiment with Clausen regarding inclusion at the rec center.
“I think the goal of the rec center is to make people feel welcome,” Stobie said. “There are a lot of circumstances that can deter people from doing athletics, and nights like this where it’s more casual and game-based can be a lot more inviting.”
Stobie, who ran the cornhole station, said one of the more enjoyable aspects of the night was watching participants celebrate their small successes.
Western student Annikki Laulainen, after sinking a few cornhole bean bags, talked about what made the event fun for them.
“It was good [to get] my heartbeat up, I don’t usually do that,” Laulainen said. “It was really successful at getting people out and about and having fun.”
Overall, Clausen and her staff felt the night was a great success.
“Having that aspect of a community level here shows that it is a place of welcoming,” Clausen said. “College in itself is something where you’re learning so many new things constantly, but being able to meet new people at this event or come with a friend and see all the different things that are around is super cool.”
Cameron Riggers is a sports and recreation reporter for The Front. He writes about the Western Hockey League for soundofhockey.com and can often be found at a rink around the Pacific Northwest. You can follow his work on Twitter/X @cammriggs and on Instagram @cammriggs1 and can reach him at CameronRiggers.thefront@gmail.com.
