The Missouri Valley College 2006 Homecoming festivities begin when the first team of MVC athletes kick off the 37th annual torch run when they leave from Canton at 11:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 12, headed for Marshall. This year's festivities include the homecoming parade, classic car show, bonfire, alumni banquet, and a full schedule of Viking athletics.

The college will host an alumni banquet from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 13, in the R. Wilson Brown Room of the Ferguson Center. In addition to recognizing the classes of 1966, 1976, 1986, and 1996, the class of 1956 will also be inducted into the MVC 50-Plus Club. The alums who will be honored this year include Outstanding Alumni David J. Ross, II; Outstanding Young Alumni Angel Gambino; and Service Award winners Hospitality Services, Inc.

Other alums who will be recognized include Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees including the 1996 MVC NAIA National wrestling championship team, the 1941-48 MVC football teams (41-game win streak), Reggie Palmer '93 of Marshall, Tom Venice '67 of Sea Girt, N.J., Larry Hall '59 of Willard, and Bill Lingenfelter '50, posthumously. The ceremony will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 14, in the MVC cafeteria.

A memorial service for longtime professor of the MVC biology department Reed Kepner is being held at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 14, in the Eckilson-Mabee Theatre.

An alumni social will take place at Stone Hedge Golf Club from 7 p.m. until close.

37th Annual Torch Run

Traditionally, the annual torch run begins at the town of the college that the Vikings will take on at Saturday's football game. This year, the Vikings face the Culver-Stockton Wildcats, so the first of the MVC athletes/torch runners will begin in Canton and will travel 153 miles carrying the torch in a relay.

The last leg of the relay is scheduled to arrive at a bonfire at 8:30 p.m. on the Burns Athletic Complex on the MVC campus. Participating organizations include the women's wrestling team, men's wrestling team, women's softball team, cross country team, baseball team, men's basketball team and the MVC Alumni Association.

The first Valley Torch Run was held during the 1958 season for Homecoming and later that same season the Vikings were invited to play in the Tangerine Bowl in Orlando, Fla. --1,285 miles. A group of 58 Valley students ran the torch 1,285 miles from Marshall to Orlando. One of the students who helped organize and was a major participant in the 1958 torch run is now a faculty member -- Professor Ed Leslie. Leslie also organized the 364-mile torch run, which was held in August 1999 when the Vikings played in the Wheat Bowl in Ellinwood, Kan. Leslie still serves as the torch run coordinator.

MVC Parade and Car Show

The MVC Homecoming parade will take place at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 14, beginning at North Odell (and North Street). The parade will begin forming at 9 a.m. on North Street between Brunswick and Odell. Parade entries should enter from the north.

The parade will start at 10 a.m. and will proceed west on North Street to Lafayette, south on Lafayette to Arrow, east on Arrow to Odell, south on Odell to College and east on College to Conway, and south on Conway to disband before reaching Morrow.

This year's parade will feature local high school bands, classic cars, and numerous campus and community floats.

After the parade there is a car show and inflatables on the MVC Quadrangle. For late parade entries, contact Deanna Wheeler at (660) 831-4238 or wheelerd@moval.edu.

For the safety of the public, no candy or items of any kind may be thrown from parade floats or entries. Participants wishing to hand out candy or other items may walk along the parade route and hand out items at the street curb line.

ATV's are not allowed on the streets of Marshall during the parade except for authorized parade officials, who must possess a valid Missouri driver's license.

Background on MVC alums to be honored

David J. Ross II, retired assistant chief scout executive, Boy Scouts of America, will receive the Outstanding Alumni Award.

Ross, MVC alumnus '67, became assistant chief scout executive of the Boy Scouts of America in August 1999. Ross was responsible for the Program Group, Development Group, Strategic Initiatives Group, International Division, and Learning for Life.

Ross began his Scouting career in 1967 as a district executive in Fort Wayne, Ind. In 1972, he was promoted to director of finance services, and in 1974 to director of field service in the Fort Wayne council. In 1977, he was promoted to Scout executive in Dubuque, Iowa. In 1983, he was promoted to Scout executive in Binghamton, N.Y. He went to the National Council in 1987 as director of Council Services Division. Ross then spent seven years as assistant chief scout executive until his retirement in the fall of this year.

Ross received his bachelor of science in human relations from MVC in 1967. He is also a graduate of the Harvard Business School/Not-for-Profit Strategic Initiatives Program.

Ross and his wife, Jane (Fey) '67, have three grown daughters and reside in Southlake, Tex.

Gambino, is Vice President of Commercial, Strategy, and Digital Media, MTV Networks and will receive Outstanding Young Alumni.

Gambino, MVC alumnus '94, is the vice president for commercial strategy and digital media for MTV Networks United Kingdom. She is responsible for creating and implementing MTV's business strategy across the 11-channel portfolio of MTV, VH1, VH2, TMF and Paramount Comedy brands, initially with particular focus on expanding MTV Networks position in digital media and activities in the interactive TV, gaming, VOD and SVOD, IPTV and other on-demand and interactive areas within the UK and Ireland.

Gambino is responsible for managing all non-advertising revenue streams including new ventures, affiliate relationships and mobile and other partnerships as well as collaborating with the Viacom Brand Solutions group on below-the-line commercial alliances.

Prior to MTV Networks UK Gambino was at the BBC.

Gambino resides in Nottingham, UK.