Fraternity promotes safe sex

Delta Tau Delta held its first "Slip-n-Slide for Safe Sex" on Tuesday, May 22. The event took place on the lawn of McMicken Commons from 11 a.m. to

2 p.m.

With the temperature climbing into the 80s, students participating in the festivity cooled down with the help of a plastic tarp, an inflatable kiddie-pool and a hose. Delta Tau Delta members crafted their own version of a Slip-n-Slide by running water down the tarp, which led to the inflated pool.

The fraternity combined the attraction with music to attract students passing by. With the main goal being safe-sex education, Delt members passed out condoms and pamphlets about condoms and how to properly use them.

"We're hoping to do this every year," said Dave Sullivan, DTD member and the primary organizer of the event. "The goal is to spread sex education and stop the spread of [sexually transmitted infections]."

With Sullivan and his fraternity putting condoms in the hands of college students, they may have helped do just that.

The American Social Health Association reports consistent condom use provides substantial protection against many STIs, including a significant reduction in risk of contracting HIV, Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Herpes, and Syphilis.

One in two sexually active people will have contracted an STD/STI by the age of 25, according to ASHA's Web site.

"A lot of fraternities will do campus events trying to raise money, we thought education was more important," Sullivan said.

Ann Nagengast, a first-year hospitality management student received the free condoms.

"I think it's a great idea to promote safe sex," Nagengast said. "I mean, we're on a college campus."

Not every person on the McMicken Commons shared the same positive sentiments toward the efforts of DTD.

Micah Armstrong, a man who had been at the commons for much of the day before, was there with a Bible in hand, condemning college students to hell for "premarital sex, being drunkards, and homosexuality." Armstrong thought the message of safe sex was morally wrong.

"Any sex that will send you to hell can not be safe sex," Armstrong said.

While a crowd had gathered around Armstrong in front of Tangeman University Center, DTD members came from the commons and handed out the last of their free condoms, spurring cheers from the students and more reprehension from Armstrong.

"We handed out like 2,000 condoms today, that's a lot of sinners," said Andrew Chupka, another Delta Tau Delta member.

By 1:45 p.m. the event workers were completely out of the informational pamphlets and down to their last few condoms.

Chupka estimates about 100 people actually got wet, while many more at least stopped by to talk, listen to the music they had playing, or toss a beanbag on the cornhole set they had out.

Sullivan and his brothers were met with little resistance, although Sullivan did say there was a small attempt by the Campus Ministry preachers to get them off of the commons.

"They tried to come over and make us leave because they didn't think we had permission, but we've had a permit for this event a while," Sullivan said.