Gilbert’s 12th Birthday Party by: Lauren Sincerney

Hardin-Simmons University’s favorite resident, Gilbert the Goose, will celebrate her 12th birthday with the biggest party of the year, at April 25, from 8-10 p.m., on the Intramural Fields.

In 2013, a group of freshman boys decided to play a prank on their friend. They went to the Abilene Zoo, stole a goose and hid her in the bathrooms of Ferguson Hall. The campus police soon found out and were sent to capture this stowaway. They eventually found the goose and placed her in the campus pond on Anderson lawn. Now, it is a tradition to have Gilbert in her pond, all thanks to a joke played by a few freshmen. Every year SABERS, a club at HSU in charge of putting on events, puts on a big celebration in honor of Gilbert the Goose. 

“The event is essentially an end of year party on the Intramural Field but also a birthday party for the best goose in town,” Megan McKinney, director of student engagement and student life, said. 

There will be many activities and treats provided. Students can participate in a cornhole tournament, run in an inflatable obstacle course, play various yard games and eat free snow cones from the Lonebull snow cone truck. The cornhole tournament is offering some great prizes. Each person that wins will receive a mesh beach bag, a $25 Chick-Fil-A gift card, a new Stanley cup, sunglasses, a $25 Braum’s gift card, a 12 pack of Celcius and a JBL speaker. The tournament is open to HSU students in teams of 2. The link to sign up is: 

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There will also be a huge firework display at the end of the night. The party is free for all students who wish to attend. SABERS has also made and ordered some Gilbert’s Birthday

shirts. If you have ordered one, make sure to pick it up before the party. If not, some will still be sold before the big day. 

“I think people should come to Gilbert's birthday for one last fun event before summer break,” McKinney said. It is one of the biggest parties that HSU puts on so you don't want to miss it.