‘Duke Appreciation’ to Include Movie Night, Baseball
Celebrate staff and faculty employees during May events
This year's Duke Appreciation celebration has something for everyone: discounts at Triangle restaurants, all-you-can-eat hot dogs and hamburgers at a Durham Bulls game, tours of Duke Lemur Center, an outdoor movie screening and more.
Duke is paying tribute to its more than 35,000 staff and faculty during the month of May, which includes free or discounted events for employees and their families. Staff and faculty who are marking career milestones of 10, 15, 20, and 25 years or more of service will also be recognized.
Read MoreThe appreciation events are a way for Duke, as a decentralized institution, to say thank you, said Kyle Cavanaugh, vice president of administration.
"We want to raise up your contributions and say thank you for the service you've provided and say thank you for your performance," Cavanaugh said. "We're very fortunate that we have incredibly dedicated faculty and staff, and taking this opportunity to express appreciation to them and their families is something we take very seriously."
Here are some of the highlights of this year's Duke Appreciation:
Batter Up
Baseball fans or those planning a family outing can take advantage of Duke specials to see the Durham Bulls on May 1, 16 and 31. Specials range from a "Duke Family Night" picnic to terrace-reserved tickets.
Evan Huntley, a web developer with Duke Fuqua School of Business, said after a recent addition to his family, a baby boy, he's planning to use the discount and take his two daughters to a Durham Bulls game for a father-daughter evening.
"We went when my daughter was 1 and we only got through four innings, so I want to go back," Huntley said.
Duke Dines Out
Triangle restaurants are appealing to Duke employee foodies in May by giving special discounts. Eateries such as BurgerFi, Alivia's Durham Bistro, Maggiano's Little Italy and Old Havana Sandwich Shop are on the list.
Lemur Love
Through May, the Duke Lemur Center is offering its Lemurs Live! tour, in which tour groups see 10 species of lemurs and learn about the center's conservation efforts, for a discounted $5. The Walking with Lemurs tour, when employees can walk among the lemurs in their enclosure, will be discounted at $85. All tours are by appointment and can be arranged by calling (919) 401-7240.
"We are very happy to have more and more Duke employees coming out," said Niki Barnett, education programs manager at the Duke Lemur Center. "They have worked at Duke a lengthy amount of time and never knew the center was here."
Visit the Stacks
Employees can register for free Duke Perkins Library tours on May 12 and 14. Tour stops include the Carpenter Reading Room, East Asian Collection and the library's movable stacks, said Brittany Wofford, Duke Libraries research services desk coordinator.
"It's such a wonderful resource that I really think it'll be something people won't just walk by," Wofford said of Perkins Library. "They'll check out a book or pick up an e-reader on their way home on a Friday afternoon."
Movie Night
Duke Appreciation's Movie Night is on the East Campus Lawn, where employees and their families are invited to bring chairs and blankets and watch "The Lego Movie" May 16 at 8 p.m. Hot dogs, popcorn and drinks will be provided on a first-come, first-serve basis. Movie-goers must bring their DukeCard ID and are encouraged to bring snacks, too.