People gather at Everybody’s Tent in the Grove, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2013.
Photo by Dexavier Sturdevant | The Daily Mississippian
As part of homecoming week, The University of Mississippi’s Associated Student Body will host Everybody’s Tent for the third time in the Grove with help from university alumni and the Ole Miss Department of Athletics.
The goal of Everybody’s Tent is to offer a place in the Grove where all fans can feel included and welcomed. After hosting the tent for the first time at the Southeast Missouri game, the ASB continues to build on the idea.
Everybody’s Tent will be located in front of the Union in the Grove from 2:30-5:30 p.m. Saturday. The ASB runs the tent with help from various sponsors each week. The athletics department will serve as one of three sponsors for the upcoming game against Idaho.
President Gregory Alston is thankful for the support from both Athletics Director Ross Bjork and the department.
“Ross Bjork has been so supportive of our initiatives, including Creed Week,” Alston said. “We are very excited that he is supporting us with Everybody’s Tent.”
Various alumni from the university have also shown their support for the new endeavor, and two will serve as the remaining sponsors for this week’s game.
John N. Palmer, ambassador to Portugal under President George W. Bush, will sponsor the tent this week along with Long Distribution of Corinth, owned by Ole Miss graduate Randy Long.
“We are very excited to have the Ole Miss Department of Athletics, Long Distribution and Ambassador John N. Palmer sponsor Everybody’s Tent this weekend,” Alston said.
During the Texas A&M game two weeks ago, the Trent Lott Leadership Institute sponsored the tent and welcomed politicians from both Mississippi and Texas. Guests included Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant, former Mississippi Gov. William F. Winter, former Mississippi Sen. Trent Lott and former Texas Sen. Phil Gramm. Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who did the coin toss before the game, also made an appearance at the tent.
William Fowler, director of Everybody’s Tent, was pleased to have the politicians come and noted what their presence said about the university.
“Winter and Gramm shook hands under the canopy in a rare moment of bipartisan harmony,” Fowler said. “We hope moments like this will set an example for how we treat one another with respect despite any differences.”
