They’re beasts of burden but instead of carrying heavy loads, the donkey will be saddled with an important message this week at Brock.

Off-Campus Living and Neighbourhood Relations has kicked off its Don’t be a Donkey campaign again this year, reminding students who plan to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day to not test the luck of the Irish too much and go easy on the green beer.

That means having fun on March 17 but doing it in a way that’s safe and mindful of others – Brock students and local residents alike, explained Curtis Gadula, manager of Off-Campus Living and Neighbourhood Relations.

“(St. Patrick’s Day) has been a day where there’s been a dramatic increase in social interaction but it has been in a very respectful fashion,” he said. “That’s what we want to continue to encourage because it is a day of such celebration.”

To help spread the message, posters emblazoned with the cartoon mug of a donkey and the reminder to celebrate the day responsibly – along with the possible repercussions for those who don’t – can be found throughout campus.

Gadula and crew will also hand out goodie bags with coasters featuring the buck-toothed, long-eared campaign mascot containing information about parking, public urination, noise and property standards bylaws and cautionary tales about poor behaviour.

The goodie bags will also include a magnet from the Region’s waste management department, information about the knowfire.ca fire safety campaign, candy and extra garbage bag tags to encourage cleanup after St. Paddy’s parties.

Goodie bags will be handed out Thursday from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the hallway near the computer commons.

This is the second year Gadula has used the Don’t be a Donkey campaign to remind students it’s important to party safely rather than hardy on St. Patrick’s Day. So far, it seems to be working, he said.

The number of complaints from residents about issues with students off campus on St. Patrick’s Day has decreased, Gadula said.

The donkey coasters also seem to be making it home with students, he noted.

“If you’re handing stuff out and it’s not ending up on the ground, that shows how effective it is,” Gadula said. “They’re not ending up on the ground, which is the cool thing.”

Brock University Students’ Union will collect empty bottles on Monday, March 18 as part of a post-St. Patrick’s Day community cleanup. Students can register home addresses online with BUSU for bottle pickup.

The bottles collected will be used to raise money for BUSU’s Harlem Shake Disaster Fund.

Volunteers will also clean up garbage along Glenridge and Jacobson avenues. For more information, email volunteer@busu.net.