The Quad

Issue date: 11/19/07 Section: News

The Off-Campus and Commuter Association (OCCA), along with students representing various student on-campus organizations handed out pretzels to intoxicated people in 17 different locations throughout the streets of West Chester late Thursday night into early Friday morning as part of their Fall Pretzel Service Project.

Approximately 186 students helped out with this cause, repesenting 20 student organizations. They handed out 1,330 pretzels between 11:30 p.m. and 2 a.m.

According to Anthony DiJiacomo, president of OCCA, Project Pretzel was designed to help relations between the borough and West Chester University.

"The Fall Pretzel Service Project helps keep the noise complaints and police charges involving alcohol low," DiJiacomo said. "A pretzel soaks up the alcohol, and chewing it makes it harder to yell. Also, having peers tell others to be safe seems to come across better instead of the cops."

DiJiacomo also said that the students who volunteer for this project are made more aware of the behavior and noise that occur at night. All volunteers signed a contract stating that they would not drink that night.

Last week's project was the third time OCCA had handed out pretzels. They started in September with only 10 students and gave out 200 pretzels. In October, along with the students, the Friar's Society had two tables stationed in town, and they gave out 300 pretzels. Both times, they went from midnight until 2:15 a.m.

"We manage to get rid of all the pretzels every time," Public Relations chair Kylie Fitzgerald said. "We have given some pretzels to the police and bouncers of some bars."

They also have printed 60,000 napkins with four different messages to place in the bars as a friendly reminder. The messages include "Stop, don't walk alone: Be a friend," Stay safe" and "Warning, time to refuel: Eat before or during drinking."

According to Fitzgerald, West Chester Borough Council President Paul Fitzpatrick has been very excited about this project.

The project came about over the summer when the executive board of OCCA sat down to discuss different projects they could do for the school year.

The Borough was concerned about the noise and littering in town, and OCCA wanted to improve borough relations.

Fitzgerald and DiJiacomo both said that they wanted to send the message out that OCCA cares about the concerns of the Borough. With this project, they wanted to bring the light to the positives in regards to the students and borough relationships.

Continued...

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