Hot Dog Day cares

Last October, three students established a campus-wide campaign. senior Susan Morrison, junior and current Student Senate Diversity Director, Kevin Carr, sophomore and out-going Student Senate Diversity Director, Adrian To together with Coordinator of Diversity Programming, Craig Arno, launched "Think Before You Speak."

This campaign asked students and faculty to pledge on a t-shirt that they would think before they spoke. The aim of the campaign is to raise students’ awareness of intentional and unintentional “verbal attacks” on certain groups of people, such as the phrases “That’s so Gay” and “That’s Retarded.”

More than 120 students and faculty members made the pledge, and it successfully raised campus’ understanding of the use of unintentional and hurtful language.

Morrison expanded "Think Before You Speak" this semester and invited former Student Senate Vice-President Matthew Brown to join the committee. Morrison and Brown hoped to inspire other students and community members to act responsibly during Hot Dog Day (HDD), while focusing on the community impact of the festivities.

Many students focus on the “celebration” part of HDD, but few realize that over the past five years, HDD actually contributed $41,160 to local charities. This year, the HDD committee selected the beneficiaries, which included ACCORD Corporation, AE Crandall Hook and Ladder, Alfred Box of Books Library, Alfred Boy Scout Troop 19, Alfred Montessori School, Alfred Station Fire Company, Allegany ARC and Allegany Country Mental Health Association.

More than 300 students signed the new pledge to promise to “Be Safe, Give Back, Have Fun” on Hot Dog Day and to care about the community contribution. Students also passed out pins and buttons to publicize the cause.

Craig Arno added, “This campaign will hopefully draw focus to the significant contribution of Hot Dog Day and reiterate that it is an event designed to celebrate and better the Alfred community.”

The campaign was a great success after several days of setting up tables in Powell Campus Center and on Main Street during Hot Dog Day.

More students are willing to learn about the community benefits brought by HDD.

“All I heard from others about HDD is ‘drinking and drinking,’ but now I came to realize that Hot Dog Day is beyond celebration or drinking and more on the contribution to community,” said first-year student, Alan Yuen. An official estimate on the amount raised during HDD 2011 is yet to be released.