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The GW Hatchet

Serving the GW Community since 1904

The GW Hatchet

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Officials name senior vice president, chief of staff
By Fiona Riley, Assistant News Editor • March 26, 2024

SAC develops alcohol-free events

Weekend fun at GW doesn’t have to include alcohol, according to the founders of Triple Play, a new program on campus.

The program, a collaboration between the Community Living and Learning Center and Student Activities Center, will provide funding, advice and publicity for non-alcoholic campus events on weekends that are open to the GW community.

The program offers reimbursement up to $500 dollars for each event, said junior Matt Kernkraut, the student coordinator of the Peer Leadership Mentor Program, which also works with SAC. A fund has been created so student organizations can receive grants to put on programming.

Kernkraut said the goal of the program was to sponsor non-alcoholic events for GW students every weekend.

The unique thing is, it’s really up to the creativity of the organization to come up with events, Kernkraut said. Maybe it’s a cultural organization having a fashion show and poetry reading or a jazz night.

The guidelines for acceptable events are being distributed at the first student organization meetings and will also be available in the Center for Alcohol and other Drug Education.

The purpose of Triple Play is to help any student organization on campus with events scheduled on Thursday, Friday or Saturday night between 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.

This is really to provide programs on the weekends that are very fun and sociable, Kernkraut said. Things that you wouldn’t even notice if there’s alcohol there or not.

Organizations can apply for Triple Play reimbursement in the SAC office, Marvin Center 427.

The only requirement for getting help from this program is a 20-minute pre-event two weeks before the event, and a 20-minute post-event within two weeks after the event. The pre-event ensures thorough organization, and the post-event helps evaluate the program and is also the time to collect receipts for reimbursement of funds. The post-event is important to see how the evaluation part is going and if it is effective.

Students were actually introduced to the Triple Play concept at Colonial Inauguration at Casino Night, Kernkraut said. That’s one of the most fun things at CI and now freshmen will remember that as a Triple Play event.

Triple Play hosted a Play it Safe campaign Aug. 29, addressing responsible choices and non-alcoholic activities.

I want students to know that 20 percent of the GW campus does not drink and there are other activities that are not alcohol related on weekends sponsored by Triple Play, said Peter Konwerski, executive director of the Marvin Center and SAC.

Any student can become involved in working on Triple Play committees, Konwerski said. The Marvin Center Hippodrome and other places on campus like J Street, residential facilities, and the Mount Vernon Campus are going to be hot spots for Triple Play events, Konwerski said.

On Thursday, Aug. 31, SAC, CLLC, and CADE are hosting a variety of meetings with student leaders to launch advertisement and promotional materials, as well as the new Triple Play Program.

Upcoming Triple Play events include a barbecue in connection with the Program Board’s Graduate Students and the Hillel organization Aug. 31. Also on Thursday night, there will be free food and drinks at XandO coffeehouse in DuPont Circle for GW students. On Friday, Sept. 1, Hillel Shabbat Services and Dinner will be held, as well as a New Orleans-style party in the Hippodrome. On Saturday, Sept. 2, Aerobics on the Quad and a Jitterbugs Swing Club in the Hippodrome will be held.

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