Dining Services will be doing more than just filling the stomachs of Loyola in the near future.

Rachel Preslan, marketing coordinator for Dining Services, is enthusiastic about several new promotions. “We want to do more than serve food,” she said. “We want to get students involved. I think the students would like something different.”

That “something different” includes promotions like Cans Across America, a canned food drive, a Halloween party, a Thanksgiving dinner, a Christmas dinner and monthly birthday parties, all taking place in the Orleans Room. Many events are based on monthly themes and holidays. Recently, because October is National Pasta Month, Dining Services had Italian Night Oct. 5.

Preslan said so far student response has been good. Not only are students participating, they are also helping to put the events on, she said.

“This year is the first time, to my knowledge, that Dining Services is working in conjunction with Loyola student organizations for our promotions,” she said. “I am hoping to work with more organizations throughout this school year.”

Cans Across America could have put Loyola in the record books. According to Preslan, it was a corporate fundraiser in which Dining Services attempted to set a new record the Guinness Book of World Records for most canned food or cash donations raised at a single event.

Dining Services worked with Greek life and created a competition for the fraternity or sorority that collected the most cans. The one that collected the most cans won a Godfather’s Pizza Party.

The University Programming Board has also helped Dining Services with events and promotions.

“UBP has been wonderful to work with. They really did a great job promoting the Sushi Nite during the first week of school. Students loved making their own sushi. I am looking forward to working with them again for our Halloween Pumpkin Carving Contest,” Preslan said.

The Halloween party is Tuesday night from 5 to 7 p.m. Along with a pumpkin carving contest will be a costume contest with three guest judges. First prize for the costume contest is a 7-inch DVD player.

With the monthly birthday parties students can have their cake and eat it too. Students whose birthdays are in the current month are given treats and their very own pair of Loyola boxers. “Students often seemed surprised with the free stuff,” Preslan said.

Dates for the November birthdays, Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas dinner, and other upcoming events are on the Loyola Dining Services Web site. The Web site is updated often, and menus are posted online.

Preslan said that she has been getting positive reactions from students. “The ones who talk to me seem into it,” she said.

She said she would love more feedback from students, and that a comment box is located in the Orleans Room.

Barbie Cure can be reached at [email protected].