In-SPUR-ation: Celebrating 70 Years of Sisterhood with the Spurs and Setons: 1970-1989

Highlights of the 1970s

• The 1971 – 1972 Spurs decided to drop their national affiliation with the Spurs, but kept the name “Spurs”.
• In September 1972, the Gonzaga Spurs were involved in nearly every activity from the various freshman orientation functions to registration, starting with babysitting for faculty’s children.  They met members of the class of ’76 at the airport and helped with moving on campus.   The dorms were visited by the Spurs who gave informative lectures concerning school policy on such things as drugs and liquor. 
• Members of the 1973 – 1974 Spurs wearing clown costumes helped sell 2,150 balloons to raise money for a charity that raised $586.90 in two days.
• The First Charity Ball, a semi-formal dance, was held November 16, 1974.  The $300 raised went to St. Joseph’s Children’s Home for disadvantaged children.
• The Spur Rise “Dawn do-si-do” happened in April 1975 starting with breakfast at 6:30 a.m.  Square dancing followed.  Traditionally a girl-ask boy event, the males were invited to ask the females as well.
• The Knights and Spurs held a dance marathon November 21 – 13, 1975 to benefit the Epilepsy Foundation.
• The Spurs sold carnations in February 1976.  Cost was 50c per flower.  The flowers were delivered to the recipients on Valentine’s Day.
• The November 5, 1977 Charity Ball collected $700 for the Brothers of Reconciliation, a group providing assistance and service to impoverished Spokanites.

• “Spurrise Surprise at Sunrise” was the theme for the newly picked Spurs’ first big event of the year held Saturday, April 18, 1979.  The new Spurs sponsored the event to introduce themselves to the Gonzaga campus.  Breakfast started at 6:30 a.m. with dancing from 7 – 9 a.m.

Highlights of the 1980s

• The 1980 – 1981 Spurs with the Knights helped out with picking up students at the airport, working registration, and helping to move in.  They also ushered for campus play sand for speakers such as Alex Haley.  For Halloween, the children from St. Josephs’ Children’s home went trick-or treating with the Knights and Spurs.
• Proceeds from the 1981 Charity Ball went to the Amerasian program at Gonzaga.  Started by Re. Alfred Carroll, SJ., this program provided for the educational needs of Amerasians, student parented by American Servicemen and Korean women . Many of these Amerasians are discriminated against in their homeland.  Gonzaga was hosting 16 of them.
• The Charity Ball raised $400 to give to the Spokane Food Bank in 1983 – 1984.
• The major activities for the 1985 – 1986 Spurs included the Charity Ball, Oktoberfest, St. Aloysius babysitting, and Monte Carlo Night.
• International Spurs organization threatened to sue the Gonzaga Spurs unless they joined the national group or changed their name in the fall of 1988.  If they joined, each member would have to pay $18 fee to send one Spur to the International Spurs convention. They also would have to turn in their recorded meeting minutes for historical purposes.  Their constitution would have to coincide with the International Spurs’ constitution. 
• Gonzaga Knights and Spurs put on a haunted house for the 280-300 disabled adults at the Spokane Rehabilitation Center on October 29, 1988. 
• In November 1989, the Gonzaga Spurs voted unanimously to change their name to “Setons” rather than rejoin the International Spurs organization.