The University of Arkansas Staff Senate is hosting its 14^th annual staff appreciation picnic and vendor fair from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, May 17, at the Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium, South End Zone.

Each year the University of Arkansas Staff Senate coordinates with upper-level campus administrators and other volunteers to serve lunch for University of Arkansas staff. Staff Senators, student athletes, and campus administrators volunteer their time to show appreciation to staff members and each year, the hard-working staff are served by university celebrities, such as Chancellor David Gearhart, Provost Sharon Gaber, Coach Tom Collen, and many other campus leaders. Media are invited and encouraged to attend.

Jeremy Battjes, Staff Senate chair, said, “This is the event the Senate looks forward to hosting all year long. We are proud to have the opportunity to thank the UA staff members who work very hard, often behind the scenes, and have earned the respect and honor we are showing them today.” 

Each year most of the food for the picnic is donated by local businesses. For example, First Security Bank brings their Teal Grills and employees to man the grills and the food is donated by Tyson, Harp’s, Catfish Hole No. 3, Golden Corral, and Chartwell’s. The picnic will also feature sweet treats from Little Debbie, ice cream donated by Iberia Bank, and a full taco bar with all the trimmings from On the Border catering.  Other donation partners include Coca-Cola and Eureka Pizza.

“Thanks to the generous donation of space, volunteers, and services from departments all over campus, including Athletics, Transit and Parking, and Facilities Management, we have assembled something big enough to feed over 1,200 staff members on a shoestring budget. And every year, it keeps growing,” said Melynda Hart, vice chair of the senate and special events coordinator. “The generosity and support shown by our community vendors is amazing and none of this would be possible without their assistance.”

In addition to food, there will also be a vendor fair featuring local businesses from the area and door prizes. Buses for the picnic will run from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM according to the following route: FAMA (Key office on Mitchell St.), Gate16, HOTZ, HLTH, WATR, MAIN, GRAD, BELL, & HAPF.  Everyone will be asked to enter at Gates 15, 16, and 1. Food will be served in the concession area on the East concourse. The Central Concourse will feature around 30 vendor booths from around the area.

The Staff Senate is an employee group on the University of Arkansas campus whose primary function is to work with university administrators to address staff concerns related to the quality of work life on the UA campus. The Staff Senate represents nearly 3,600 employees on the Fayetteville campus.

For more information, please contact Jeremy Battjes, Staff Senate chair, at 479-575-6381 or jbattje@uark.edu or Melynda Hart, vice chair and special events committee chair, at 479-575-4153 or melhart@uark.edu.