Lighthouse achieves 'fortune and glory'

It started as a charity event and dance. It ended as a party.\nLighthouse was created by the students in X333, Managing Business Functions. The event combined five DJs, two bands and the sweat and brainstorming of about 25 students.\nTheir goal was to achieve "Fortune and Glory." They had to create an event that used business and management skills, and then donate the money to the Middle Way House.\nGround Zero, 213 N. Walnut St., was the venue, with a cover charge of $5. After the cost of rent and other expenditures, the rest of the money was theirs to give away. Some money also came in the form of donations before Saturday.\n"It's interesting where you get support," said senior Adam Zingg, who was handing out fliers at the Indiana Memorial Union prior to the event. "At one point, I ran out of fliers and these girls with the toy drive took a couple flyers off the bulletin board and went and made 100 fliers for us, for free." \nJunior Carrie Owen said she attended the event because she knew some of the band members performing. She and her friends, senior Sarah Langan and freshman Meg Anderson, tore up the empty dance floor downstairs. With excited feet and arms flailing to the beat, they were a part of the energy.\n"There's a change from the bars and parties," said Owen.\nIt was, and most agreed it was fun. With the combined efforts of the caring and inventive students and their professor, the volunteer grooves of DJs and musicians, and the cooperation of Ground Zero, Lighthouse was a success. \nAfter only being open an hour, around 200 people had shown up at Ground Zero. And the numbers kept growing with five hours to go.\nPerforming during the first hour was McDermott, a jazzy groove band who was called that afternoon to fill in for The Debtors. They helped the people downstairs start moving in preparation for the rest of the night. Keyboardist Eric Bark, who also jammed with the second band, Afronesis, said that when they were asked to play, it "sounded like fun."\nAnd fun it was. From the low-key jamming downstairs to the massive amount of dancing on the second level, people were having fun. No matter if they were performing or partaking, participants were having a rousing good time.\nAfronesis lost most of its crowd toward the end of its first set, but that did not stop them from smiling and jamming for themselves and the 10 or so remaining listeners.\nUpstairs, the DJs controlled the sway of the floor. Feet weren't still longer than a single pound of the speakers. The music was infectious; and so was the energy of the packed and danceable floor.