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The statistics regarding reported sexual assaults on campus do not even come close to what actually happens at BSU. Everybody knows that. What we’re trying to do is attack it from the other side; we’re using awareness and prevention strategies to try and drive down incidents like these that bring our university down. They’re not just statistics, though. "They’re our mothers, sisters, daughters, and friends. We're doing what we can do help out," explains Blaise Exon, our Gamma Theta Chapter President.
Danny Dickman agrees. "This definitely raises the bar for student organization service projects. The Volunteer Services Board’s Service Saturdays are convenient and organized enough, but I think as a growing organization looking to establish itself as a presence on this campus, we are held to higher standards."
The the men of Alpha Kappa Lambda, as leaders in our community, cannot sit idly by while it continues. AKΛ has established a national service project, These Hands Don't Hurt, in an effort to harness the vast resources of our Fraternity. These Hands Don't Hurt was established as a multi-faceted program for our chapters. AKΛ recognizes that throwing money at a problem is not enough. We must help educate the community and offer our hands-on support of such causes. This program addresses each of those needs. The first tool in the battle against domestic violence and sexual assault must be education. The community must not only understand the scope of the problem but also what they can do to help stop it. The opportunities for education are endless. The campus and surrounding communities offer a host of possibilities. We are co-sponsoring the educational event with University health services , and we can provide an valuable service to the community. Students and citizens of all ages are our target audiences. No one is too old or young to help in this cause. The program may range from self-defense courses to a nationally renowned speaker. The ultimate goal is to continue to educate the public and raise the awareness of the need for action and support. As a Fraternity we are capable of harnessing our manpower to assist others in a “hands-on” fashion. Part of this program is offering to lend a collective hand to assist local organizations. These Hands Don’t Hurt seeks to use the skills, talents, and manpower of our AKΛ members to support local shelters and organizations. Like any not-for-profit organization, these local groups have many projects and tasks that are left undone because of manpower. Chapter members may help paint a shelter, organize a holiday party for battered kids, or a number of possibilities. The actual tasks may vary from chapter to chapter but each is of equal value to these organizations. The ability of Fraternities to raise philanthropic funds is long proven. The organizations that benefit from These Hands Don’t Hurt are often in great need of additional sources of funding. Any amount that can be provided by our chapter’s efforts will be put to good use. The fundraising aspect of this program is the most visible. The fundraising will be performed via a “Promise Wall.” The Promise Wall will be displayed prominently in a high traffic area of campus. Students, faculty, and members of the community will be asked to add their “hand” to the Promise Wall for a contribution of $1. By placing their “hand” on this wall they make a promise that their hand will not be used to harm others. The high visibility of the Promise Wall will be used to draw attention to the cause and increase awareness among our community. Education material will be available at the wall as well as information for those interested in volunteering their time and support.
Copyright ©2004-2005 AlphaKappaLambda.com |
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his
year's These Hands Don't Hurt is set to become a complete and utter
success.
Last year we raised over $1000 to help the Women's Center 24-hr Sexual
Assault Response Line. It was our third time doing
something of this caliber, and
we were downright amazed with the response we got from our campus.
We would like to extend our thanks to every professor, student, and
faculty member at Boise State for their "hand" in helping out victims of
sexual abuse and violence.
Andy
Benson (thanks for donating!) did a wonderful job unfolding the true
nature of reporting sexual crimes on campus in his article on April 15th.
Now that Bob Seibolt, Boise State director of Campus Security, is tracking
third party reports of incidents off-campus, we may once and for all gain
a clear perspective on a taboo subject that has been swept under the rug
one too many times.