Students who choose to party this Halloween weekend may have something else besides booze in mind: safety.
At least that’s the hope of several student groups that visited University-area residences this week with festive goodie bags promoting holiday safety.
The Office of Student Life, the ASUO, Peer Health Educators and members of Greek Life have spent the last few weeks filling bags with condoms, safe-partying tips and event calendars for students as a measure to counter the rambunctious partying and riots that have marked past Halloweens.
The last holiday-related riot occurred in the West University area in 1998.
The bags, distributed to more than 3,000 students on campus and throughout the West and South University neighborhoods, were first distributed four years ago to prevent large parties from spinning out of control, said Laura Blake Jones, director of Student Life.
“The idea behind them is being really proactive and giving students information,” said University law student Marissa McGilliard. “It’s just a way to reach those students off-campus in a holistic approach.”
Student groups involved in the project also are hanging posters in the University Bookstore, at the Student Recreation Center and at Ducks Village and Chase apartments that educate students about the Eugene police department’s party patrol.
The information reminds students “of their rights and responsibilities if they do go out,” said ASUO Outreach Coordinator Mike Filippelli.
“We’re just making it easy for students to make good decisions,” said University senior Adi Cargni.
Students will also be distributing leaflets on smart partying at Saturday’s home football game to give students different ways to celebrate “besides the typical going to parties or the bars,” McGilliard said.
Both Cargni and McGilliard compiled an event calendar filled with festive outings, such as walking through the corn fields and attending the “Haunted Hike,” a University-sponsored spook walk through Alton Baker Park Friday evening.
The bags, paid for under the Office of Student Life’s budget for substance abuse prevention, cost only about $1 per bag, McGilliard said.