Week Seeks To RID Students Of Bad Drinking Habits

The Alcohol Abuse Initiative will work toward Reducing Irresponsible Drinking with a week of interactive activities, workshops, simulators, skill games coinciding with sporting events and screenings beginning Monday (Feb. 27).

“RID Week is a fun and exciting time to learn about alcohol and its effects on students' lives,” said AAI chair Roseanne Keathley.

What can you do if a member of your family is showing signs of alcohol abuse?

Craig Henderson, assistant professor of psychology will give students insight on how students can help with the recovery process, how to cope when family members abuse alcohol and how to intervene with the first event, “Alcohol on the Home Front,” Feb. 27 at 2 p.m. in Lowman Student Center Ballroom B.

Monday evening, the AAI will give students an alternative to spending their after-class hours in a smoky bar consuming high-calorie drinks during the Walk Across Texas Kickoff, at 5:30 p.m. at Intramural Field 1.
Participants who strive to complete the 830 miles without leaving Huntsville in eight weeks will receive a free pedometer at the kickoff.

On Tuesday, students can find out whether they demonstrate evidence of physiological and psychological problems with alcohol with the SHSU Counseling Center’s alcohol screenings from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in LSC Room 331.

Afterward, students can learn the chemical makeup of different alcoholic beverages without the chemistry prerequisite when chemistry professor Rick White addresses “The Chemistry of Alcohol,” at 2:00 in LSC 320.

That night, AAI will encourage students to “Play it SAFE” during the SHSU baseball game against Centenary at 7 p.m. at the Baseball/Softball Complex.

“The first 200 students to attend the baseball game on Tuesday will receive a free T-shirt,” Keathley said. “Upon arrival, students can enter their names in a drawing for the chance to watch the game from a suite, with snacks provided by the Alcohol Abuse Initiative.

“In addition, the first pitch will be thrown by Alcohol Abuse Initiative leaders wearing beer goggles,” she said.

Wednesday’s events include criminal justice lecturer Stephanie Frogge leading an “Alcohol Victims Panel,” where students will discuss how alcohol has affected their lives, at 3:30 p.m. in LSC Room 304.; the “Don’t Gamble with Alcohol” Texas Hold’Em tournament, which will also be held on Thursday at the same time, in the LSC Kat Klub; and “Take it to the Hoop,” which will have students cheering on the Lady Kats against the University of Texas in Arlington at 7 p.m. in the Johnson Coliseum.

On Thursday, students can take a ride in the “Save-A-Life Tour Drunk Driving Simulator,” co-sponsored by the Student Health Center and the Recreational Sports Department.

The event, which will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the LSC Atrium, will “ticket” the “drivers” for the number of offenses they commit while driving under the influence of alcohol.

At 6 p.m., the AAI will explore the stereotypes associated with Greek life and alcohol during “Can you out-drink the Greeks?” outside of the HKC addition.

The drinking game, with a mystery beverage, will also look at the dangers of peer pressure involved in those types of games, according to Keathley.

Rounding out the week’s events will be the judging of the “Student Perspectives on Alcohol” Display Contest submissions, which will be the LSC Art Gallery all week for anyone who wants to stop by the LSC Information Desk to vote and “Beer, Bones and Pizza,” with dominoes, cards, board games, pizza and root beer for all students, beginning at 4 p.m. in the HKC Multipurpose Room 2.

Throughout the week, student participants will have the opportunity to receive AAI prizes, enter educational information on their co-curricular transcript, and also to sign in for their academic classes, Keathley said.

For more information about the week’s events, contact Michelle Lovering at 936.294.4347 or mlovering@shsu.edu, Keathley at 936.294.1171 or hpe_rsk@shsu.edu, or visit the Web site http://www.shsu.edu/aai.

—END—

SHSU Media Contact: Jennifer Gauntt
Feb. 23, 2006
Please send comments, corrections, news tips to Today@Sam.edu.