Several campus projects are using the occasion of St. Patrick’s Day to send a message – you don’t have to drink to excess to have a good time.

“St. Patrick’s Day is the biggest drinking day of the year for university students,” says Catherine Joyce, who works with Campus Police as student alcohol education coordinator. “It’s a nice target for us to get to them before the event.”

She organized an information fair in the CAW Student Centre Thursday, with booths on a variety of topics related to alcohol awareness.

“I believe that it essential to promote awareness on the dangers of binge drinking, drinking and driving, and the impact alcohol can have on your grades,” Joyce says.

Jacqueline Mellish, residence life coordinator in Macdonald and Electa halls, is an organizer of “I Clover Sober,” an annual campaign to educate students about responsible drinking.

“We understand in residence and off-campus that students might choose to drink,” says Mellish. “We want to make sure that if they make that choice, they have the knowledge on how to be safe.”

Residence Life staff will don distinctive green T-shirts to display banners and distribute giveaways along Wyandotte Street approaches to campus Friday. On Saturday, the program moves into residence halls, with activities to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day without alcohol.

“Each lobby will have a green theme – green food and activities,” says Mellish. “From karaoke in Alumni Hall to a movie marathon in Mac, from a mocktails party in Electa to a barbecue in the quad, we hope to reach as many students as we can and provide them with the chance to have a fun and safe St Patrick’s Day.”

Watch for members of the “I Clover Sober” crew on Wyandotte Street today. Standing: Jacqueline Mellish, Megan Nicol, Jillienne Simone; kneeling: Catherine Joyce, Sandra Tilo, Elyse O’Halloran.