By Lytle Wurtzel
Cavalier Daily Associate Editor
"Spread the message and the love." Walking down the Lawn this week, you might hear this shout coming from one of the Lawn tables as someone throws a hand up in your face.
But this isn't a 1970s revival and that hand isn't flashing a peace sign - this is a whole new movement.Gimme five, man: the first National High Five Day is Thursday.
Third-year College students Wynn Walent and Conor Lastowka are co-founders of the movement to bring national attention to an age-old greeting.
"Our hope is that in 10 years the holiday will be legitimate and sanctioned by the government," Walent said. "On that day it would be considered bad form and bad manners not to exchange a high five with someone who offers you one."
The idea, which Walent calls a grassroots movement, had a humble beginning.
"It started out as sort of a silly idea but it's turned into so much more," Walent said. "We thought it would be cool to see two people who don't even know each other give high fives."
Greg Harrell, a third-year College student who is the self-described "heart and soul behind National High Five Day," prompted Walent to remember that there was, indeed, "a lot of alcohol and other substances involved in every planning stage" of the campaign.
Walent conceded, however, that "it's serious now, and we want it to be a success."
Though the namesake act of National High Five Day is simple, the campaign that the two founders are mounting is entirely thorough.
Stocking their Lawn table with flyers explaining the concept and a mission statement that "seeks to promote unity at the University by encouraging, respecting and appreciating the high five," Walent and Lastowka spread the message and the love.
They also are handing out lemonade from their cooler -- a crucial cornerstone to the operation, according to Harrell.
"National High Five Day is only as strong as the lemonade cooler is deep," Harrell said. "That's the basic understanding we have here."
Although they aim to make it a national holiday, Walent and his crew have no political agenda at this point.
"It's going to be a more grassroots movement that will spread when someone visiting here takes it back to their respective abode," Walent speculated. "It will be pracitcally a holiday before the government even recognizes it."
The founders have additional high hopes for the high five.
"We're pretty sure it will be on calendars before you know it," Walent claimed.
Harrell raised the stakes even more when he added they hope to have the editors of both The Declaration and The Cavalier Daily "shake hands right here on the Lawn, in addition to the deans of both the University and Virginia Tech."
The phenomenon is catching though, and the table for National High Five Day already has made believers out of their tabling neighbors.
"It's harmless and fun, so why not?" asked fourth-year College student Jennifer Kim at the nearby Sil'Hooettes table. "They've been friendly all day, offering their lemonade. We probably should have been offering lemonade too."
Mathew Rubin, a second-year College student whose table to the right of NHFD raises awareness for Independence Day in Israel, also supported the movement.
"It's fun and they have a lot of energy," Rubin said. "Plus, their lemonade kicks and makes it a lot easier for all of us to be out here."
"The boombox guy is in on it too," Walent added. "What can I say - it's contagious"
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