After being a “dead zone” for nearly a year, the Rattler’s Den has been revitalized and the administration is looking for volunteers and work-study students.
The Rattler’s Den is looking for a game host/hostess, volunteer staff, disc jockeys, videographers, game monitors, servers, event coordinators and a photographer.
“The only staff that is appointed is me,” said Lynette Boatner, coordinator of business operations and analysis.
Boatner, who re-opened the facility in January, said the facility is now a game room and is normally open on Monday-Friday from 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. The facility however has not been open until 10:00 p.m. this semester due to the need of a night staff.
The lack of assistance could threaten the administration’s future plans for the Den. The main initiative Boatner wants to implement at the moment is to find volunteers.
“If I could get enough staff, I would like for us to be open from noon-8:00 p.m. on Saturdays,” Boatner said.
She said that having more volunteers will allow her to request more funding from SGA.
According to Boatner, she received $1,000 from SGA last year to re-open the doors of the facility. Boatner said she has requested more funding for the Den, but the response process has been slow. Due to the lack of funding, the Den
can only accept volunteers instead of workers. Wallace Temple, a fourth-year arts and science student from Delray Beach Fla., has been volunteering at the Rattler’s Den for over a year. “I enjoy my work,” said Temple. “I love playing games because it brings people together.”
Most of the facility’s success has come from donations, Boatner said. Students and organizations are able to donate or lend their games and other equipment.
Although students are able to check out games, it is not permitted after 4:30 p.m. But students are able to check out the pool table, ping-pong table and card decks.
Because an average of 130 people visit the Rattler’s Den daily, administration is now implementing a Rattler’s Den card. Instead of allowing students to check out materials by simply writing their name and ID number on a check-in sheet, the new system will provide more information on the students who are checking out the facility’s games.
James Burt, a first-year History education student from Titusville, said he goes there every day to play spades and pool.
“It’s not a bad environment…everything’s fun so I enjoy myself,” Burt said.
Students are encouraged to join the Rattler’s Den Facebook fan page to win prizes that are given away periodically as a method to keep them aware of what’s going on.
Students who are not in good standing academically will be ineligible to volunteer.
“I am working to make this place awesome,” Boatner said. It’s still a work in progress.”