User talk:Olarmyd

OlarmyD,

Love the additions to the Aggie Bonfire page, but as a featured article, it's standards are higher than most. We'd like to see this maintain its status and be featured on the main page in a couple of years on the 10th anniversary. I'll give you a week to get some references, otherwise, we can't keep them and maintain its status as easily. That said, welcome to Wikipedia!

Welcome!

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Wow

I have been having some AMAZINGLY complex computer problems (blue screen of death, computer locking up, mouse functionality disappearing, etc.), so I apologize as to the tardiness of my reply. Specifically, you need to cite the last three paragraphs.

In large part because of this deviation from the widely-known "wedding cake" design of Bonfire 1999 and the changes in responsibilities that the design presented to the participants, Unity Project leadership wore grey pots (helmets) out of respect for the Red Pots who had led University sanctioned Bonfires. While leadership in 2002 was on a volunteer basis, with no formal training required and no chain of command, in the years that would follow, Bonfire support and participation grew as did the responsibilities of every level of Bonfire leadership. In 2003, the top tier of Bonfire leadership was chosen by the leadership of Bonfire 2002. These 8 students were called Grey Pots, and were provided with training in safety, leadership, construction and tradition through a growing support system of Texas A&M alumni and leaders of University sanctioned Bonfires. 2003 was also the year that Brown Pots would return in their roles as technical experts. Today, they advise on engineering and construction decisions and are responsible for the upkeep and repair of all equipment.

In 2003, other major changes were made. The Unity Project organization became Student Bonfire; the burn event would come to share the name. 2003 saw the first vertical Bonfire stack since 1999 using a wedding cake design developed by a Texas A&M alumnus and professional engineer. In a departure from tradition, every log in the stack touches the ground. For added support, four 24 feet (7.3 m) poles are spaced evenly around stack. Each are secured to the 45 feet (13.7 m) center pole with a steel beam. From above, the structure forms a cross (+) shape. The four support poles are known as "Windle Sticks", named after Levi Garrett Windle. Levi was one of the 8 original Grey Pots in 2003, and according to his 7 "Bonfire brothers", was a motivator and elder statesman. He died in an unrelated accident in October of 2003.

After Bonfire 2004, the Grey Pots were approached by former Red Pots, leadership of Bonfires built before 1999. While they reportedly did not represent all Red Pots, or even the Red Pot position itself, these individuals did offer their experiential and financial support and the title of "Red Pot" to Student Bonfire leadership from that point on. This marked a dramatic milestone in Bonfire history, leading to a shift in public perceptions of the modern Bonfire, especially within the Texas A&M community. Since the group does not receive University funding, Student Bonfire relies on three primary sources of funding - registration fees from participants, burn night ticket, parking pass and merchandise sales, and donations. Attendance estimates for the Student Bonfire burn event range from 3,000-15,000, while participation has ranged from 1500-4000 people. The burn events are held in Brazos County or one of the surrounding counties.

As you suggested, you "may need to do some work." You know and I know these are true (at least for the most part), but they need citations to be kept on Wikipedia (especially in a Featured Article); please read WP:V and WP:NOR for more information. Myself and Karanacs intend to push heavily for this article to be featured on the tenth anniversary of the 1999 collapse. The more

I would be EXTREMELY happy to help you in the matter. A few suggestions

1. See if some of this information is already included on the website/online. If so, just cite that source.
2. If not, if you still have contacts, I recommend getting the Student Bonfire website to feature some of this material first, with the explicit statement that this material is NOT copyrighted and may be used freely with no attribution (or something to that effect).

I was going to work on Bonfire the night of the collapse, but a Bible Study I went to ran long and I needed to study for a test. By then it was past midnight and I opted to get some sleep for a test that coming day. At 2:45 I was woken by a fire alarm going off. Considering our dorm was set on fire by an arsonist the previous year, the first thought through my mind was "you have my undivided attention." We ran outside for a head count (and no one in our dorm was unaccounted for) where our Commander and First Sergeant told us stack had collapsed. My buddy told me that his sister was out there. I called my mom and VERY quickly told her what was up, got dressed and we ran out to stack. We stood by until about 0700 when Texas Task Force 1 or CSPD (not sure which one it was at the time) asked for a list of names of the missing.

They asked for the ranking cadet and someone from the Residence Hall Association to put together a list. I was jsut a junior at the time, but the seniors and the First Sergeants were in a meeting with the Commandant. Most of the other juniors went back to get chow (can't help on an empty stomach). Lo and behold I was the ranking cadet, so I took names for a couple of hours until relieved by another junior. The President of the RHA was there taking her names and her list was MUCH more extensive (We later became friends through a completely unrelated way) because there was much less accountability with the Residence Halls. The Corps had a head count within an hour, but there was still ambiguity on the nonreg side until later that evening. That evening people stood around in a daze. One girl brought her dog, a miniature dashchund, to help comfirt some of the cadets, they lost him, and I spent an hour helping this friend of my girlfriend at the time find her dog (we found him after a 15 minute search)...I later married this friend of my girlfriend.

I went to 4 funerals over the next 5 days, but missed the funerals of 3 other friends (it was impossible to make them all).

I freely admit I have a vested interest in this subject and I want it to be the best it can. If there is anything else I can do to help, please let me know. (BTW, this is BQZip01, but I am not able to log in at work) 131.44.121.252 22:46, 3 December 2007 (UTC)

Well, I had to delete the template up top, but if you want to join Wikiproject:Texas A&M, let me know and I'll hook you up. BQZip01 16:47, 4 December 2007 (UTC)