MTU Preparing for Parade of Nations Celebration
The eleventh annual Parade of Nations will feature 71 countries represented at MTU and in the local community. Differing from previous years, the Parade will begin at 11:00 AM at the Super 8 Motel parking lot in Houghton and end at the Chutes and Ladders park area at Houghton Beach. Directly following the parade at 12:00 PM, ethnic food and entertainment will be available under the Houghton parking deck. This years display will feature a life-sized Tyrannosaurus Rex that weighs over 6,400 pounds and is large enough for a grown man to stand under. Betty Chavis, coordinator of outreach and ethnic programs at Michigan Tech, explained that the dinosaurs seem to be a natural part of the Parade of Nations celebration because "Dinosaurs were here before man, but they too came from all ends of the world." Local schools will be visiting the dinosaurs, and students will have an opportunity to operate one of the robotic dinosaurs. Several prizes will be given to local students including dinosaur cards, stuffed dinosaurs, and dinosaur models. "We hope to show students that there are a lot of fun things you can do as an engineer," said Chavis, "Learning and engineering can be fun." The "Walk and Gawk" is a historic guided tour through Ripley, the oldest community in the area. It is scheduled for September 16, and walkers may begin from 9:00 to 10:00 AM. Free t-shirts and other freebies will be given to the first 50 walkers according to Erin Carter,coordinator of the MTU Wellness Program. "Many people drive through Ripley without knowing what is there," explained Chavis. "We want to show them the waterfalls, mines, and historic significance of the area." For more information contact Betty Chavis at 906/487-2920 or by e-mail at ythbetty@mtu.edu. #### 09/05/00--MTN349
HOUGHTON, MI--Michigan Technological University is preparing for the annual Parade of Nations celebration. This year's celebration includes the parade and an ethnic food fair on September 23, dinosaur exhibits September 10-24, and a "Walk and Gawk" through Ripley on September 16.
Four Dinamation International Corporations animated dinosaurs will be displayed on the MTU campus from September 10-24. The dinosaurs, sponsored by General Motors, Upper Peninsula Power Company, Wells Fargo, and MSX International, will be run by mechanical, electrical, and chemical engineering students at Tech.
Other dinosaur exhibits will be displayed in the Van Pelt Library and the Seaman Mineral Museum, including dinosaur bones, fossils, and even dinosaur droppings!