FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Linda Emery, assistant director of annual giving, UNI Foundation, (319) 273-6078

Vicki Grimes, University Marketing and Public Relations, (319) 273-2761

Note to editors/news directors: A 200 dpi JPEG photo of the Tremel family is available via the Internet at: http://www.uni.edu/pubrel/newsroom/photos/tremel.jpeg. If you need higher resolution or have other photo needs, please call the University Marketing & Public Relations contact listed above.

Tremel family named 2000 University of Northern Iowa Family of the Year

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa —The University of Northern Iowa 2000 Family of the Year will be recognized by the UNI Parents Association on Saturday, Sept. 23. Their recognition is a part of the annual UNI Family Fest, Sept. 22-25.

The Tremel family of Dunlap will receive the award as part of Family Fest weekend. They will be honored at an outdoor tailgate event, from 2 to 4 p.m., prior to the UNI football game against Stephen F. Austin State University in the UNI-Dome. They also will receive recognition at half-time of the football game.

The outdoor tailgate party will be located in the Northeast Plaza at the UNI-Dome. Festivities will include Panther family photos, music and food.

The Tremel family includes parents Gerald and Jane, and their children Tracy, Robin, Todd and Nicole. Nicole, a UNI senior, nominated her family for the award because of how they support and motivate one another.

“We remain very close and encourage each other to go after our dreams and support each other when things are difficult,” wrote Nicole in her nomination. “My father and mother were never able to buy us a new car or glamorous things, but we never regretted not getting material things like that. We are forever thankful that, instead, they gave us hugs before we slept, support in our decisions and prayers as we ventured to college.”

The youngest of four children, Nicole not only cites her parents as role models of hard work and community service, but also her three older siblings as role models for education. “As a child, I always looked forward to the weekends when we could go visit one of them at college. They always tell me that they think of me so often while I am at college because they received numerous drawings, packages and letters from their littlest sister while they were away.

Jerry and Jane live on a farm outside of Dunlap, where Jerry raises beef cattle and farms corn and beans. Jane works as a waitress at the Dairy Sweet and as a cashier at Main Street Cakes and Gifts. Jerry has served as a school board member for several years and Jane is active on various committees in Dunlap and at St. Patrick's Catholic Church.

Tracy, the oldest, and her husband, Tom Noble, reside in Grand Island, Neb. They have three children: John, 5; Katie, 3; and James, 2. Tracy has a master's degree in speech pathology from the University of Iowa. She is a full-time mother and Tom is an investor for Edward Jones.

Robin, the second oldest, and her husband, Mike Olmstead, reside in Omaha, Neb. Robin earned a bachelor's degree from the College of Saint Mary and works as an orthopedic care manager at Immanuel Hospital. Tom is a computer programmer at Catholic Mutual.

Todd resides on a farm outside of Earling. He graduated from Iowa Western Community College with a degree in agriculture business. He operates his own business, Todd's Carpentry, and farms.

Nicole currently resides in Omaha, Neb., (with Robin and Mike) where she is student teaching in drama and humanities at North High School. While at UNI, Nicole has been a member of the speech team, the Student Alumni Ambassadors and the summer orientation staff, and she served on Senior Challenge 2000. She will graduate with a degree in English education in December.

For more information, contact Linda Emery, UNI Office of Development, (319) 273-6078.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Keevan Kosidowski, UNI Foundation, (319) 273-6078

Vicki Grimes, University Marketing and Public Relations, (319) 273-2761

The University of Northern Iowa Family Weekend 2000 to be held Sept. 21-24

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — The 26^th Annual Family Weekend, or “Family Fest,” at the University of Northern Iowa will be celebrated Thursday through Sunday, Sept. 21-24. Activities include separate open houses for the five colleges at UNI, Saturday, Sept. 23, along with informative presentations on campus activities and tours of the campus.

The 2000 Family of the Year will be officially recognized by the UNI Parents Association during Saturday's tailgate event, as well as at halftime of the late afternoon football game in the UNI-Dome. The Tremel family, which includes parents Gerald (Jerry) and Jane of Dunlap, and their four children, were selected for this year's honor. (see related story this date)

Activities include:

• Thursday, Sept. 21
  • Panthers on Main, 5:30-7 p.m., will be held in downtown Cedar Falls. Activities include a pep rally, bed races and food.
• Friday, Sept. 22
  • Self-guided tours in Rod Library, 7:30 a.m.-9 p.m. This event will also be held on Saturday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m., and on Sunday, 9 a.m.-midnight.
  • The Wellness/Recreation Center will be open, 5-10 p.m., for families to enjoy racquetball, basketball, table tennis and swimming. The WRC will also be open on Saturday, 8 a.m.-10 p.m., and Sunday, 1-5 p.m.
  • The UNI Hillside Observatory will be open at 8 p.m. The Planetarium in the Department of Earth Science, Latham Hall, will be open instead if cloudy.
• Saturday, Sept. 23
  • The Study Abroad Center will have an information table, along with former participants and members of the UNI Panthers Around the World (UNI-PAW), 11 a.m.-2 p.m., in the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center.
  • The Marshall Center School will be open in conjunction with the College of Education Open House, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
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• Dining center managers at Henry's, Commons and Towers will be available to answer questions, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
• A carillon recital will be performed by Robert Byrnes, 1-2 p.m., at the Campanile.
• The Wellness Resource Lab will be open, 1-3 p.m., in the Wellness/Recreation Center.
• KUNI radio station tours will be held, 1-4 p.m., at the Communication Arts Center.
• The UNI Museum will be open, 1-4 p.m., featuring the “Temple and Village: Patterns and Prints of India” exhibit.
• The Family Feast Tailgate will be held at the UNI-Dome Northeast Plaza, 2-4 p.m. The Family of the Year award will be presented by UNI President Robert Koob, the UNI Spirit Squad and Marching Band will appear. Music will be provided by Sensational Sounds. Reservations are required.
• The UNI Football Team takes on Stephen F. Austin University, 4:05 p.m., in the UNI-Dome.
• Sunday, Sept. 24
• The Seventh Annual American Humanics Golf Classic will begin at noon at Pheasant Ridge Golf Course, Cedar Falls. The event is a fundraiser for students in the American Humanics program. The cost is $40 for non-students and $30 for students. For more information, contact Gordon Mack at (319) 273-6819.

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