Fiscal Note
No appropriation required.
Title
Recognizing the legacy, creativity and sense of humor of Leon Varjian on the cultural landscape of Madison and proclaiming February 23, 2016 to be LEON VARJIAN DAY.
Body
WHEREAS, Leon Varjian enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1977, bringing his joie de vivre, his puckish sense of humor, and antics to Madison from New Jersey and Indiana; and,
WHEREAS, Leon began his University of Wisconsin student activism by collecting signatures to rename the University of Wisconsin-Madison the University of New Jersey, in part because New Jersey did not have a “University of…” and students at UW could attend a prestigious Eastern school; and,
WHEREAS, this petition failed but didn’t deter Leon from running for Wisconsin Student Association (WSA) where he served as a student senator; and,
WHEREAS, Leon ran for a higher position (Vice-President) on the Pail and Shovel Party with his running mate, Jim Mallon, and changed forever the cultural landscape of the University and the city of Madison and the University’s position in the world of college pranks; and,
WHEREAS, the Pail and Shovel Party promised to bring the Statue of Liberty to Madison and in February 1979, students and other citizens awoke to Lady Liberty‘s 22-foot head and crown from the nose up and 40-foot arm from the wrist up to the torch on a frozen Lake Mendota located near the UW Memorial Union; and,
WHEREAS, this fulfillment of this campaign promise to bring the Statue of Liberty merited an entire chapter in the 1992 book, “If At All Possible, Involve a Cow: The Book of College Pranks”; and,
WHEREAS, the Pail and Shovel party hosted Halloween toga parties bringing over 10,000 revelers to State Street and UW Lot 60; and,
WHEREAS, the Pail and Shovel Party’s other memorable prank was the appearance of 1,008 pink flamingo lawn ornaments on Bascom Hill on the first day of the Fall semester 1979; and,
WHEREAS, Leon took his energy to organize t...
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