Purple Fire events offer fun, friendship during Labor Day weekend

Students will have to venture no farther than the Oak Grove and the Florida Polytechnic University soccer field to find fun and exciting events this Labor Day weekend.

Purple Fire Weekends, which began at the start of the fall semester, culminate Sept. 4-6 with events designed to bring students together and promote fun, friendship, and fitness. All activities will take place with appropriate social distancing and other safety requirements in place.

“We will have all kinds of activities,” said Tonya Chestnut, Florida Poly’s director of student development. “Students will be able to have a great time and find lots of fun things to do while staying here on campus.”

Activities will include an outdoor escape room, laser tag, do-it-yourself stress relief, and a showing of the movie “Knives Out” at the Oak Grove. Attendance is limited for some events to ensure proper physical distancing, so registration may be required.

“Everybody has been very welcoming at these events – that’s just the Florida Poly culture,” said Madeleine Sirok, a junior majoring in computer science from Naples, Florida, and a member of the Campus Activities Board (CAB). “Even with the mask on, I try to look as friendly as possible because this is a new experience for the freshmen and I definitely have to set an example of who we are as a community.”

David Schindler, a sophomore engineering mathematics major and a member of CAB, said the Purple Fire Weekends events have felt very safe and welcoming.

“I’m happy to see everyone out and having a good and safe time,” said Schindler, from Philadelphia, Pa. “Everyone is being extra mindful and extra respectful of everyone’s space – I’m happy to see everyone taking this seriously while having still getting together and having fun.”

This emphasis on preventing the spread of COVID-19 while encouraging a vibrant University life was by design, Chestnut said.

“The whole point is to keep our community together and make students feel like they don’t need to return home or go out into Lakeland for activities,” she said. “It’s safer for us to all stay together.”

Purple Fire Labor Day weekend events

Friday, Sept. 4

• Escape with Us (two escape rooms), 6-10 p.m. at the Oak Grove
• Rocket League (virtual esports event), 6-10 p.m. online

Saturday, Sept. 5

• Shaun’s Mile Run, 10-11 a.m. at the Student Development Center
• Phoenix Fit Workout (bootcamp-style circuits), 3-5 p.m., at the soccer field
• Laser Tag, 7-9 p.m., at the soccer field
• “Knives Out” movie on the lawn, 8-10 p.m., at the Oak Grove tent 1

Sunday, Sept. 6

• Sexual Misconduct – Title IX Training, 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., Innovation, Science, and Technology Building room 1002/1003
• Get the Scoop and Color (gourmet ice cream and coloring), 2-4 p.m. at the Oak Grove tent 2
• Stress Relief DIY (make stress balls, origami, coloring, sidewalk art), 2-4 p.m. at the Oak Grove tent 2 and the soccer field

Contact:
Lydia Guzman
Director of Communications
863-874-8557