Written by Jessie Polley. Media by Shannon Geary.
Photo from the Greenville College Facebook page
As we take a look back on the 2014 Valentine’s Day season (or for all the ladies out there who celebrated Galentine’s Day instead), let’s take a moment to ponder all of the relationships that were started due to Cupid’s involvement. Greenville College’s campus had an interesting Valentines Day on Friday February 14. Many people got the once in a lifetime chance to see Cupid, or—as the case of the students and faculty on Greenville’s campus—rather President Ivan Filby dressing up as Cupid for the occasion!
What a snowy, cold Valentine’s Day we experienced this year. Poor President Filby felt it, and even wondered, “How do women do it?” Filby was dressed in a costume provided by Professor Rachel Foulks, the new Director of the Factory Theatre. He wore a white toga of sorts, with feather wings Professor Foulks made her self. Filby carried with him a red bow and arrow—with the tip being a heart of course—that he later donated to the Theatre. This wasn’t just for a laugh, though, it was for a good cause.
Last semester, for Professor Davis’ Professional Business Leaders class, a group of three students developed an idea for their Kivea project. The group consisted of Ashley Woodrome, Bryn Mackie, and Kyle Dugan, and they were raising money for a boy named, Livio Raul, so he could attend college. The fundraiser was set up like a “Kiss-the-Pig” fundraiser. There were jars sitting out with four different faculty members on them. Each faculty member had picked something they would be willing to do if their jar had the most money. Dr. Dunnington would walk his dog around campus, Professor Sayler would wear clown shoes and a clown wig, Dr. Norm Hall said he would wear a towel as a cape, and President Filby would dress as an elf.
The contest was close, it was between Professor Sayler and President Filby, but Prof. Sayler ingeniously wrote a check and stuck it in President Filby’s jar. Filby won, so why was he dressed as Cupid? When the time came for him to dress as an elf, he had meetings he had to be in. Due to the fact that he is first the President of Greenville College, he promised he would dress as Cupid for Valentines Day. The group raised around $170 for Livio’s education last semester, and another $30 on Valentines Day. Filby said if a person paid $10 he would sing to who ever they wanted him to. He sang to three people; Lori Gaffner, Mrs. Filby, and a student.
President Filby’s day as Cupid started at 9:30am where he met for chapel with the faculty and staff of Greenville College, sang “Oh, Lori” to Professor Gaffner and “Can’t Help Falling in Love With You” to his wife, Kathie Filby. Though President Filby says it was a bit “embarrassing and cold,” it was a lot of fun and he enjoys being involved. The real Cupid was aloud to take a break from the Greenville College campus this year, but I think he will be back next year since Filby said no relationships were started as a result of his playing Cupid.
