Thursday, during the Eastern men’s basketball game against Murray State at 8 p.m. in Lantz Arena, Housing and Dining Services will be hosting the Win Stuff: On-Campus Appreciation Night event.

The main prize is the single room upgrade for the residence halls on-campus or Greek Court, which guarantees the winner a double as a single, which is a double occupancy room for one person for the price of only half the room.

This also works for people who wish to get a triple as a double.  The exact price of the discount will be $1,700.

Chad Franks, the publicity and promotions specialist for Housing and Dining, said he has been working on campus for 15 years, and this is his 15th time handling the event.

“I started doing it when I was a grad student, and it was here long before me so this would be at least the 15th year,” Frank said. “At this point, it would almost be tradition.”

The things to be given away are items and treats, which were donated, including cookies and brownies that will be made that morning and put in over-sized gift baskets, he said.

Frank added items from Java Beanery and Bakery and the convenience center to be donated as well.

“In past events, the minute-one person comes back with the first prize, everyone gets up asking where do they get the raffle tickets, and then they go get them,” he said.

Mark Hudson, the director of Housing and Dining, said this has been a long-standing tradition since before he came to Eastern.

“It has grown over the years,” Hudson said. “It started off as a Housing and Dining sort of appreciation for the staff, and also we would have them come. We would incorporate some stuff with the students so we would try to get more people to come to games and give giveaways.”

Hudson said for all the students who come, there will be a big table and banner in the corner of the gym, and they can register there so he can check if they live on campus.

The Housing and Dining staff are getting into the game for free, Hudson said. He will be giving tickets to the game as a part of their gifts for that day.

“There will also be gift cards for the University Bookstore and Java that will be wrapped up in T-shirts that will be thrown into the audience during the event,” Franks said.

There is also going to be a Greek Night, Hudson said.  Anyone under the age of 18 will also be allowed in for free as a part of a high school day.

Hudson added the Columbia Broadcast Station will be there to film the game, so the arena will be packed that day.

Stephanie White can be reached at 581-2812 or at sewhite2@eiu.edu.