ERIN FLOM
Guest Writer
A small audience of former leaders and past participants watched as Outdoor Recreation reeled out the highlights of its annual film and photo contest April 16 in The Cave.
The hosts of the event, senior Doug Smith, sophomore Reza Refaei and juniors Sonja Schaefer and Jonner Griffin, made the atmosphere fun and relaxed as they commented on the submitted photos and videos. They even made up games to entertain the audience during technical disruptions.
Schaefer, an Outdoor Rec trip leader, said she liked hosting because she can “try to be funny” while laughing at herself.
The photos and videos ranged from stunning scenic landscapes to funny inside jokes. It was almost like experiencing an Outdoor Rec trip.
Senior Savannah Phelan, one of Outdoor Rec’s personnel directors, likes the community that forms during Outdoor Rec trips.
“[These trips] bring people together,” Phelan said.
“I actually only knew one or two people on the trip and by the end of it I knew all 14 of them,” senior Andrew Leung said.
Leung won the photo contest with his photo from the Outdoor Rec spring break trip to Utah (above).
Leung said he does not take photos professionally and that all of his submitted photos were taken on his iPhone.
Phelan said she’s also an amateur.
“Luckily we have beautiful places to look at, so that helps,” Phelan said.
Senior Kristin Hayes, an Outdoor Rec trip leader, won the film contest. Her film was a compilation of memories from her time with PLU’s ultimate frisbee team “Reign.”
Hayes has played for Reign since her first year and “wanted to make a special video to remember all of our time together.”
Hayes was at the event with many of her teammates, and the video was met with laughter and awws alike.
