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Spooky Sights Mark Halloween in Lynn Hall

Members of the Veterinary Nursing Program team played the parts of the Peanuts Gang on Halloween in Lynn Hall (front row, left-right) Holly McCalip as Pig-Pen, Rachel Kelly as Snoopy, Dr. Chad Brown as Charlie Brown; (back row, left-right) Angela Arellano as Linus with blanket, Beth Laffoon as Woodstock, Pam Phegley as Peppermint Patty and Jennifer Smith at Lucy.
Members of the Veterinary Nursing Program team played the parts of the Peanuts Gang on Halloween in Lynn Hall (front row, left-right) Holly McCalip as Pig-Pen, Rachel Kelly as Snoopy, Dr. Chad Brown as Charlie Brown; (back row, left-right) Angela Arellano as the blanket-toting Linus, Beth Laffoon as Woodstock, Pam Phegley as Peppermint Patty and Jennifer Smith as Lucy.

Halloween made for an especially festive Monday in Lynn Hall this week, with a variety of costumed characters and Halloween happenings marking the occasion at the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine.  Among the notable sightings was that of the Peanuts Gang, led by Charlie Brown, aka Dr. Chad Brown, director of Veterinary Nursing Programs and clinical associate professor.  He was, of course, accompanied by others on the “team,” including Snoopy (Rachel Kelly, academic advisor), Woodstock (Beth Laffoon, RVT, instructional technologist), Peppermint Patty (Pam Phegley, RVT, clinical rotation/mentorship coordinator), Pig-Pen (Holly McCalip, RVT, instructional technologist), the blanket-toting Linus (Angela Arellano, VN Program administrative assistant) and Lucy (Jennifer Smith, RVT, RLAT, instructional technologist).

Another spooky twist Monday came courtesy of the Diagnostic Imaging Team’s Halloween Dessert Bake-Off.  With Harry Potter themed decorations and characters, the setting for the Bake-off definitely looked appropriate!  The judging was by popular vote, with some 100 votes cast in each of two categories.  Second-year Small Animal Internal Medicine Resident, Dr. Nicole Gibbs, took top honors in the “Best Design” category for her “dirt pudding graveyard;” and Versa Technologist Torrie Shackelford won the prize for Best Taste with her Oreo and Reese’s dessert cheeseballs.

The “dirt pudding graveyard” by second-year Small Animal Internal Medicine Resident, Dr. Nicole Gibbs, won for “Best Design” in the Halloween Bake-Off.
The “dirt pudding graveyard” by second-year Small Animal Internal Medicine Resident, Dr. Nicole Gibbs, won Best Design” in the Halloween Bake-Off.
Versa Technologist Torrie Shackelford’s Oreo and Reese's dessert cheeseballs claimed the prize for “Best Taste.”
Versa Technologist Torrie Shackelford’s Oreo and Reese’s dessert cheeseballs claimed the prize for “Best Taste.”
Costumed canines in the Canine Educators Halloween Parade followed a parade route that led them in front of Lynn Hall Friday afternoon, October 28.
Costumed canines in the Canine Educators Halloween Parade followed a parade route that led them in front of Lynn Hall Friday afternoon, October 28.

Another Halloween-related event took place Friday, October 28, as the Canine Educators Halloween Parade traversed Memorial Mall on campus.  With the Canine Educator Care Team alongside, the costumed dogs in the parade loved being the center of attention.  The parade participants gathered for a group photo when they arrived at Lynn Hall around 4:15 that afternoon.  Following the event, voting commenced for the best costumes. Congratulations to the following winners!

  • 1st Place: “Jurassic Bark” featuring Freedom, Cleo and Twitch
  • 2nd Place: “Charlotte’s Web” featuring Charlotte and Ollie
  • 3rd Place: a tie between “Barnyard” featuring Angus, Kwame and Curly Sue, and “Candy and Donut” featuring Mary Francis
First place costume winners “Jurassic Bark” featuring Freedom, Cleo and Twitch.
First place costume winners “Jurassic Bark” featuring Freedom, Cleo and Twitch.
“Charlotte’s Web” featuring Charlotte and Ollie won 2nd place in the costume contest.
“Charlotte’s Web” featuring Charlotte and Ollie won 2nd place in the costume contest.

The Canine Educators Program at Purdue provides opportunities for DVM students to interact with dogs that help them learn important skills such as how to perform physical exams.  At the end of each year, the Canine Educators are adopted.

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