When snow falls, sleds sell quickly
By Sarah Morrison Special to the Kansan
Basketball tickets are not the only things hard to come by at KU during the winter months.
Students planning on sledding down Campanile Hill had better buy their sleds now because after the first snow, they might have better luck getting tickets to the Final Four.
According to local retailers, seeds are almost impossible to keep in stock after the snow hits.
Phyllis Brubeck, an employee at Cottin's Coast to Coast hardware store, 1832 Massachusetts St., said her store sold out of sleds within a day of the first snowstorm.
"The minute the sleds came in the back door, they would go out the front door," she said. "We couldn't order more because the warehouse was even backed up."
Kirsten German, Wichita senior, said she was frustrated by the lack of sleds available.
"I have never been sledding before, and I was really looking forward to it," she said, "But I couldn't round up a sled or an inner tube or anything. Every place I went was sold out."
Sean Miller of Cottin's Coast to Coast said the most popular sled was the Flexible Flyer, a traditional wooden sled with metal runners. He said they also carried a plastic disc sled made by the same company.
Brubeck said that after the store sold out of sleds, students bought anything that
"We were selling buckets, lids to trash cans, just anything that would slide," she said.
could be used to glide down a hill.
German said she finally made a sled out of a cardboard box.
"It worked fine until the box got so wet that it fell apart," she said.
Lori Collier, Lawrence junior, also created her own sled.
"I did not have a sled, but a friend loaned me his water-bed cover," she said. "I just hopped on that sucker and flew down the hill. It was great."
Collier said that many of the other students sledding on Campanile Hill had makeshift sleds.
"Lots of people had cardboard boxes with
plastic stapled to the bottom," she said, "But there were two guys who made body suits out of trash bags, and they were just diving head first down the hill."
Collier said another popular alternative to the conventional sled was cafeteria trays.
"Some people smuggled trays out from the dorm cafeterias and used those, but they did not look like they were working too well," she said.
German said that trying to find something to use as a sled was half the fun.
"I don't think I would have had as much fun if I had bought some cheap, plastic sled," she said. "Getting together with your friends, patching together a sled and crossing your fingers in hopes that it works is part of the fun.
Downtown Lawrence provides one-stop shopping
By Holly Boren Special to the Kansan
What gift are you going to give your boyfriend or girlfriend, parents, friends, or brothers and sisters this year for Christmas? When it comes time to shop, you may not need to go anywhere else except downtown Lawrence.
The stores on Massachusetts Street have it all.
If you're looking for an unusual gift for a unique person, you might want to stop by The Creation Station,726 Massachusetts St. The Creation Station sell items such as incense, clothing, massage oils and lava lamps. Lava lamps are clear glass tubes that
contain oil and wax. When heated, the wax moves up and down throughout the oil. The lamps come in different colors and sell for about $60.
The Palace, Eighth and Massachusetts streets, sells a variety of gift items. Among the strange gifts the store sells is an out-of-the-ordinary wall clock that is numbered backwards and moves counter-clockwise. It sells for $20.50.
For those of you wondering what to give the child you know, Thomas the Tank Engine seems to be a popular theme. Marks Jewelers, 817 Massachusetts St., carries a ceramic Thomas the Tank Engine piggy bank for children. Fun and Games, 816 Massachusetts St., sells Brio Railways wooden railroad tracks and trains. The system starts at $14.50 and some pieces can cost more than $100. This system also features Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends.
Dinosaurs are also high on children's Christmas lists. Fun and Games also carries a line of museum-quality Carnegie dinosaurs. Prices range from $2.99 to $19.99. They also sell the popular Madame Alexander collector's dolls for $40.
Natural Way, 820 Massachusetts St., sells a variety of custom gift baskets where you can choose a theme for your basket. You can select a variety of items that include natural body care items, incense, cocoa, coffee, bath products, loofahs and men's shaving
products. Nearly anything can be included in the basket. The prices range from $10 to $30 for a basket.
Something new to Campbell's Clothing, 841 Massachusetts St., is the line of men's Nautica Footwear. The line includes boots, bucks and loafers, and prices range from $75 to $120..
If you're stranded in Lawrence for the holidays or if you know someone who will be, some free food might be greatly appreciated. Teller's, 746 Massachusetts St., and Paradise Cafe, 728 Massachusetts St., offer gift certificates. Certificates come in any denomination and can be purchased from the managers of both restaurants.
Left:
Samie Milligan
Kennedy
3rd grade
The best thing about the K-Youth program is:
"meeting KU students."
Right: Elizabeth Snyder Centennial 3rd-grade The best thing about the K-Youth program is: "It is fun to have a design in the newspaper along with my name."
December 8, 1993 *K-you* • COMMUNITY
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