Students Collect 1400 Wrappers In Attempt to Win Soccer Ball

Notices asking students to "help liberate a soccer ball from the deadly clutches of the Popsicle Company" by depositing their Creamsicle wrappers in specially marked bones, appeared in all House dining halls last week.

The drive to obtain the ball began several months ago when approximately 10 Winthrop House students realized they could obtain the ball by collecting a certain number of Hood popsicle wrappers, said Vincent Y. Ho '84 of Winthrop House. According to an advertisement on the wrapper they could obtain a rubber with added control and playability" for only 3,475 wrappers or $9.95 and five wraps.

"When you're a little kid, getting something for free seconds like a near idea, but my mum said it sounded ridiculous," said Winthrop House resident Stephen P. Lundblad '86, adding that they intend to collect the wrappers.

Currently the group has collected 1,400 wrappers, Ho said.

But the group's main objective isn't to get a free soccer ball, he added, but to take a road-trip to the popsicle company in Englewood, New Jersey once they obtain the wrappers.

"We figure either we're the first ones to do it or some crazy college kids do it every five years," said Ho.

According to Lundblad, the group wants to see the popsicle managers reaction when they arrive with the wrappers.

The group, however, has more competition than that. School clean-up squad from all over the country send in the required number of wrappers frequently, a sales manager at the company said yesterday.

But they don't usually bring the wrappers to Hood's door.

"If they walk in the door with their 3,475 wrappers, why--I'll give them the soccer ball immediately," Morgan said.

The group's main problem, however, is encouraging people to eat the popsicles, Ho said.

Levels of defined for popsicle differ from, House to House, He said. Kirkland residents the all their creamsicles, but Dunster and Mather had a lot of leftovers, he added.

Even kitchen managers were excited by the group's initiative.

"I thought the kids had a great thing going, to challenge the company," said Quincy Kitchen Manager Joseph J. Micucci.

Yet, managers said they cannot serve popsicles more frequently to help the group. That decision to made by the Food Services' dietician who serves the popsicles every two weeks, Micucci said.

Other possible developments include starting a fund-drive from the collection to aid House programs for local elementary schools, Ho said.