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Thursday, May 20, 2004
Since 1900 University of Oregon Eugene, Oregon
Volume 105, Issue 159
Much ado about Noah
University Theatre actors will try to raise money this weekend
to aidformer student Noah Smith's recoveryfrom a paralyzing auto accident
By Chelsea Duncan
Senior News Reporter
lormer University student and aspiring actor Noah Smith's
life took a tragic twist on Dec. 1, 2002, when he was involved
-L in a car accident that left him a quadriplegic with little hope
of walking again.
Smith, 23, has since found hope on his way to recovery, thanks
to the support of friends and strangers.
"1 wouldn't have been able to do hardly anything if I hadn't
had so much support," Smith said in a telephone interview. "It's
taken me a long way."
The path to healing has been strenuous, especially consider
ing that the driver who caused the accident was uninsured.
Smith said he had limited coverage, which provided little relief
for such a devastating accident. He and his family have relied
mostly on donations to help fund a variety of rehabilitation
programs. A special needs trust, which can be found at
http://www.noahsmith.org, has also been established to aid his
recovery.
Through rehabilitation, Smith said he is now able to take steps
using a walker or support from his therapists, and all of his major
muscle groups are functioning.
He said he moved out on his own about five weeks ago for the
first time since the accident. He now lives in Carlsbad, Calif., hun
dreds of miles from his parents' home in Hood River. He moved
to seek therapy at a rehabilitation center called Project Walk, a cut
ting-edge intensive program for people with spinal cord injuries.
There, Smith attends what he calls "the best rehab available" three
hours a day, four days a week, working his body through differ
ent ranges of motion and working on his coordination.
"It's just a real test of patience, I guess," he said.
While retraining his body to function properly poses unfath
omable challenges, the cost of the program provides its own ob
stacle. Treatment, along with living expenses, costs about $7,000 a
month, according to his Web site.
But fellow actors from local theaters have joined together to raise
money for Smith's cause through a fund-raiser called "Noah
Nights." After performances given at the theaters, actors have asked
audience members to donate money toward Smith's therapy.
So far, about $3,500 has been raised, said local actor Greg
Foote, who organized the fund-raiser. Foote, who is also a Lane
County Circuit Court judge, said Smith could need up to a year
at Project Walk.
"He wants to be there as long as possible," he said. "The more
we can raise, the longer he can stay."
In April, actors from Cottage Theater Inc., Actors Cabaret of Eu
gene, Lord Leebrick Theater Co. and Willamette Repertory The
atre asked audience members for donations. This weekend, Uni
versity students acting in the play "Much Ado About Nothing" at
Turn to NOAH, page 4
Courtesy
Twenty-three-year-old Noah Smith exercises on a pool treadmill as part of his rehabilitation
at Project Walk. Smith was seriously injured after a car accident in 2002.
Same-sex
opponents
await OK
to petition
An initiative to ban same-sex
marriage could appear on
November’s ballot pending
Supreme Court approval
By Parker Howell
News Reporter
Authors of an initiative to ban same-sex
marriage may start gathering signatures to
day, pending final approval of the ballot
title by the Oregon Supreme Court.
If approved, supporters will have until
July 2 to collect the 100,840 valid signa
tures necessary to put the initiative on the
ballot. The signature drive is being led by
the Defense of Marriage Coalition, an or
ganization that has been involved in sev
eral court cases challenging same-sex mar
riage in Oregon. If enough signatures are
gathered, the initiative will appear on the
ballot as an Oregon constitutional amend
ment in November.
Although the Supreme Court on May
13 approved the ballot title — the entire
text of the proposed initiative — it has to
allow five business days for opponents to
ask for reconsideration. Barring any re
quests, the court may issue its ruling as ear
ly as today.
The American Civil Liberties Union
challenged the title of the initiative on
April 22, stating that its wording didn't
convey the subject matter, scope and effect
of the measure, but the Supreme Court
ruled that the tide was acceptable.
Opponents argued the ballot wording
should be changed to indicate that die ini
dative might alter the scope of Article 1
Section 20, which guarantees equal
Turn to MARRIAGE, page 3
Student Senate approves 3 groups’funding requests
In the year's final meeting,
the Student Senate approves
budgets for Club baseball
and Mad Duckling Theatre
By Sheldon Traver
Freelance Reporter
The Student Senate met for the
last time this year on Wednesday
night, approving more than $ 10,000
in new budget requests and helping
Club Sports baseball attend the Na
tional Club Baseball Association
World Series.
In a full show of support, the Sen
ate unanimously voted to approve a
$6,400 request by the team to help
pay for lodging and transportation ex
penses.
"This opportunity is really good for
the school," Club Sports baseball
team captain Jonathan Loomis said.
"We're exposing the school in a posi
tive manner."
Loomis said he hopes the national
eq>osure will give the University a
chance to become a Division I team
in the future.
Mad Duckling Theatre, a children's
theater that hires students for summer
performances, also received $2,500 to
pay for stipends for the actors as well
as production costs for two shows.
University Theatre Director Joseph
Gilg said the program operates on
box office revenue and funds allotted
through the Senate. Sen. Rodrigo
Moreno-Villamar had a few concerns
about this allocation.
"I went to Winnie the Pooh' last
year and really enjoyed it," Moreno
Villamar said. "I just wonder why you
don't get more support from Univer
sity Theatre."
Gilg said University Theatre pro
vides access to costumes and sets as
well as land use but that it did not
have the budget to support Mad
Duckling, which has been a huge at
traction for Eugene residents.
Not all student groups had their re
quests approved. Hie Community In
ternship Program asked to transfer
funds to pay for office supplies and a
stereo. Sen. Jesse Harding voted to
deny the disbursement for the new ra
dio.
"When we can use student money
effectively, that is what we should do,"
Harding said. The Senate decided to
transfer funds for supplies but not the
radio.
The Senate has been dealing with
problems arising from senators not
attending meetings. A vote to change
minor Senate rules had to be post
poned because the meeting failed to
meet quorum. President Ben Strawn
motioned to censure Sen. Colin An
dries for non-fulfillment of duties
according to Senate rules; however,
no decision was made and Strawn
said it will likely not come up again.
"It has to die; there's no way to con
tinue it," Strawn said.
Sheldon Traver is a freelance reporter
for the Emerald.
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INSIDE
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Crossword.15
Pulse.5
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