Thorold Fire and Emergency Services Captain Kurt Wilkinson (left) provides safety and responsibility resources to second-year Physical Education student Cody Hefford during a recent outreach visit to a Thorold neighbourhood.Don’t rely on luck this St. Patrick’s Day.
That’s the message Brock University is sharing with its students, encouraging them to instead make smart decisions to celebrate safely and responsibly on and around March 17.
The University is hosting a series of alternative events on campus beginning this week while also engaging students in a comprehensive awareness campaign that reminds them: Don’t Put the Bad in Badger. The initiative asks students to consider what it means to be a good neighbour and community member, both on St. Patrick’s Day and throughout the remainder of the year.
As part of the campaign, Brock has again teamed up with community partners, including the Niagara Regional Police Service and local municipalities, to visit near-campus neighbourhoods with large student populations.
Police, Brock staff, local dignitaries and bylaw officials went go door to door to speak with students and other residents while sharing resources that not only encourage respectful behaviour, such as the University’s Good Neighbour Guide, but also educate students on the possible fines that can be incurred if municipal bylaws are violated. The neighbourhood visits come in addition to resources being handed out on Brock’s campus to raise awareness.
“Our students are such an important part of Niagara’s vibrant community fabric,” says Jenn Skelding, Brock’s Executive Director of Student Life and Success. “Each day, they have an opportunity to make a positive impact on the place that they call home. We ask that they keep this in mind as St. Patrick’s Day approaches.”
To support safe and responsible celebrations for all, Brock University and the Brock University Students’ Union (BUSU) have funded additional NRPS officers to conduct neighbourhood patrols throughout the St. Patrick’s Day weekend. During those times, police and city bylaw officers are taking a zero-tolerance approach and will have high visibility in near-campus neighbourhoods.
Various Brock departments are also offering a series of alternative events and activities to provide compelling on- and off-campus options for students to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.
Among those is a St. Patrick’s Day Fair on Thursday, March 13 that will highlight campus and community resources while focusing on important topics such as health, safety and well-being.
There will also be an arts and culture showcase at the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts on Friday, March 14 as well as a trip to the Agapé Valley Sugar Bush, to learn how maple syrup is made, on Saturday, March 15. Students can also take part in a fun afternoon of St. Patrick’s Day crafts on Monday, March 17.
BUSU President Anusha Pahuja says the St. Patrick’s Day holiday provides an opportunity for students to be a positive example of what it means to be part of the Brock community.
“Here on campus or in our neighborhoods, the way we conduct ourselves says everything about who we are,” she says. “Let’s look out for one another, celebrate responsibly and make sure this day is enjoyable for everyone around us.”
Christian Santesso, President of the Graduate Students’ Association, also encourages students to be thoughtful about how they mark the holiday.
“Let’s paint the town green but always be mindful of our community’s health and safety,” he said. “As we celebrate St. Patrick’s week, let responsibility be our lucky charm and remember the best luck of all is the luck you make for yourself.”
