By Karen Trimbath
Public Information
It was 9:30 in the morning, a little early for the 15 students who had gathered at Beaver Stadium before the start of the Penn State-Bowling Green game. A few yawned or squinted in the clear sunlight as they watched cars and RVs pulling into the surrounding fields and parking lots. Then the students slung bags of newspapers and football program inserts over their shoulders and headed for the tailgaters arranging foil-wrapped food on card tables.
For the next two hours, the students hawked newspapers and programs while promoting their goal: to raise money for a relief fund set up after the July 12 riot in downtown State College. The riot resulted in an estimated $150,000 in property damage and injuries to 14 police officers. The damaged property included three storefronts, 33 street lights, parking meters, street signs and several cars.
"One man was so impressed, he bought a whole bag," said Brian Olivo, vice president of the Undergraduate Student Government (USG). "Sometimes it was tough to sell the papers, but it was fun."
The fund-raiser -- a joint effort between USG and The Centre Daily Times -- will take place before all home football games. USG volunteers will join others from campus organizations and sell CDTs for $1. For each paper sold, The Centre Daily Times will donate 50 cents to the USG riot relief fund. During the Penn State-Bowling Green game, the group sold approximately 300 newspapers and netted around $150 for their cause.
The newspaper program is one of two fund-raising initiatives. The second is a joint effort between USG and two Pizza Hut franchises. Both Pizza Huts in State College will donate 20 percent of the sales made from customers who buy pizzas with a special coupon between Sept. 24 and Oct. 7. All funds will be presented to State College borough.
"Some people think that USG should not be responsible for raising money," Olivo said. "But we are trying to build a partnership with downtown State College. If we do, people will take better care of the community and treat it with more respect."
The partnership between USG and the borough will encompass more than fund raising. In the works are service-oriented projects undertaken by students in downtown State College, meetings that bring borough officials face to face with students, and alternative services and interventions to help students combat alcohol abuse.
As these projects develop during the fall semester, USG president Caroline Casagrande hopes that officials and residents will participate.
In addition to strengthening student ties with the community, Casagrande would like to see a campaign developed highlighting normal student drinking habits and promoting responsible behavior. She wants to dispel the misperception that the majority of college students binge drink. Only 20 percent binge drink on a regular basis, according to Casagrande.
"Most people look around Penn State and see all the things they could do and they want to get involved. The level of drinking drops off by the sophomore year," she said. "Most students realize that this is the only moment in their lives that they have the time for all the cultural events and opportunities offered here."