A little birdie told us that there’s something different about Mary Baldwin’s annual
Apple Day festivities this year: We’re encouraging everyone to use
Twitter and Facebook October 7 to post their thoughts about Apple Day, pictures
of celebrations, and musings about the fabulous fruit. We’re still planning
the traditional activities, too — a morning trip to a nearby orchard to glean
apples for the area Food Bank, service projects, a carnival complete with
a bucking bronco ride, and a scrumptious apple-themed brunch.
From The Cupola (October 2009):
Social networking had an entirely different meaning when Apple Day was conceived
in the early 1940s. Twitter was something you’d hear in an apple orchard
rather than a tool
you’d use to communicate from it. Students wanting to spread the word about
Apple Day activities likely used word-of-mouth instead of Facebook.
But this is 2009 and Mary Baldwin students are living in a new age of social media.
This year, Apple Day organizers and celebrants are using laptops and cell
phones to connect students, faculty, staff, and a broader, off-campus community
of alumnae/i before and during the big day.
Apple Day Around the World was born, in part, after the success of the college’s
Facebook page, which has seen a 71 percent increase in fans since May.
“It was several streams coming together at once,” said Crista Cabe, Mary Baldwin vice
president for public relations. “Clearly, there’s a growing pool of fans
on our Facebook page, and more and more students and alumnae/i are using
that page to communicate with each other. And we thought it would be fun.”
Though network capabilities aren’t guaranteed on October 7, many Apple Day
2.0 revelers hope to tweet from Johnson Brothers Orchard in Bedford County.
Mary Baldwin President Dr. Pamela Fox also will be tweeting in a conversation during
the day with students and alumnae/i at twitter.com .
. .
Read more at go.marybaldwin.edu/cupola