Salve Regina and the Gordie foundation host Safe Spring Break Week

By: Amy Saramago
Posted In: News

Spring break.

When college kids hear those two words the first things that come to their minds are: vacation, alcohol, sun, cruises, wasted, friends, parties, tropical, smoking, relaxing, boys or girls (depending), no school, and fun.

Spring break is a chance for students to throw caution to the wind in order to enjoy a week out of school with friends. For graduating seniors, spring break getaways are some of the last opportunities they’ll have to make college memories they’ll remember forever.

And there is nothing wrong with students wanting to do those things, as long as they are being safe about it. As the old proverb says, “Whatever you do, do it in moderation.”

However, most students haven’t mastered that concept. Salve’s residential life, student life, health services, VIRGO, and counseling center, have stepped in to give some healthy advice to those going away this spring break and for those enjoying it from home.

Liz Minifie, from Counseling Services, said, “It is a great opportunity to educate students of the risks associated with Spring Break when people go into the “party mode” and do things in excess that could compromise their health and safety.”

The advice comes in the form of a Safe Spring Break Awareness Week that starts March 3 until March 7 all around campus. “Safe Spring Break started as a response to the many ‘incidents’ that occurred during Spring Break,” said Minifie. “Like alcohol related problems including excessive drinking, automobile accidents, deaths, sexual assaults, sexually transmitted diseases, drug problems including Rohypnol, sexual assaults and serious sun burns.”

Some events for the Safe Spring Break Week include information tables set up in O’Hare on Wednesday and Thursday with safety tips and goodies (including alarm clocks) from the Gordie foundation. Club VIRGO will provide a wrecked car with a sign saying “friends don’t let friends drive drunk” and will distribute SADD (students against drunk driving) ribbons on parked cars Wednesday morning.

This is the first year Salve has been working with the Gordie Foundation, which is dedicated to the memory of Gordie Bailey, an 18-year-old freshman at the University of Colorado,who died of alcohol poisoning due to a fraternity initiation ceremony for pledges on September 17, 2004.

Kelly Willette, area cooridnatior of residential life who works closely with the foundation, said, “The mission of the Gordie Foundation is to provide today’s youth with the skills to navigate the dangers of alcohol, and through education and promotion of self worth prevent alcohol poisoning, binge drinking and hazing. And next fall we hope to show at Salve the movie HAZE a new documentary of Gordie’s actually death.”

Salve would like for all their students to always be safe. Thus, all the associations connected with Safe Spring Break Week and the Gordie foundation want students to remember these safety tips and advice while having their fun:

Know your safe limits of alcohol consumption

Always go out with a friend, never leave your friend alone, or let them leave with a stranger

Don’t let yourself or friends who have been drinking drive

When in public order (or make) your own drinks, cover your drink, and never leave them unattended

Use protection in order to safeguard yourself from sexually transmitted diseases

Where plenty of SPF 30 sun-block (or higher) and reapply frequently

Lock your doors at hotels and put emergency numbers in your cell phone

Although spring break can be that much needed get away time to have fun with friends, make memories, and take pictures you’ll laugh about in 15 years, just remember that you want to still be alive in 15 years.