It was 5 years ago on Feb. 11 that the Beckerman Recreational Center finally opened to the campus community. Students have been using the center for health and wellness, and for one day, they were fed healthy birthday cake by the same place they had been using to burn the calories from said cake.

The Rec Center’s 5th birthday party was supposed to take place Monday, Feb. 11, with a series of events for the whole week, but due to clean-up efforts after the blizzard and the campus being closed, it was moved to Friday, Feb. 15. But that did not stop students from showing up to enjoy the many opportunities the Rec Center had to offer.

As soon as students came in, they were greeted by decorations and Beckerman Rec Center Swag Bags, which included key chains, pens and a celebratory T-shirt to commemorate the event. But that was not all the Rec Center was giving away. The basketball court had a buffet loaded with delicious food, and there was a birthday cake to cap it off.

Besides food and prizes, the Rec Center offered what it’s best at: recreational activities. There were many opportunities for students (and faculty) to pass the time, including a 3-point contest, a Faculty/Staff v. Student Volleyball Game, group fitness on the court and many backyard informal games, including Cornhole and Kanjan.

The event was not only for students; donors were encouraged to come and enjoy the benefits of their contribution. So, Happy Birthday Beckerman Rec Center. Let’s celebrate it for many years to come.