PRIDE is our on-campus LGBT recognized student organization.  I was recently approached by the president of the club who wanted to set up a booth in the Union Main Street to promote safe sex and wanted condoms....which the school wouldn't provide, so I made a generous donation of 425 condoms. 

The Safe Spring Break committee lives down the hall from me. They would like condoms as well.  I told them i would make a generous donation to them as well. 425 condoms to them leaves me with only 550 condoms for distribution. (I'm including the 350 my fiance has in his apartment to distribute.)

I would say this semester is going well for my distribution efforts. Thank you Amplify!

Awesome work, Joe!! 

Student provides free condoms

by Ashley Jobe, February 23, 2010

The national community pleads with its youngest generation to be safe about sex, and Elon University students fall well within the demographic that receives that message, but safer sex options are not always readily available.

Two years ago, SGA was faced with a proposal to make condoms available in dormitories.

"This was voted through the Senate but vetoed by the Executive President Rob Saunders," Justin Peterson, current SGA executive president, said. "Since then the idea has not been discussed by SGA."

Because condoms are not conveniently accessed, students are left to their own devices. One place where students can look to for quick protection is the R.N. Ellington Health and Counseling Center.

The Health Center stresses the importance of accessibility to the Elon community and availability in times of need. But sometimes seeking out the "rubbers" can be a bit embarrassing, and even taboo. Additionally, the Health Center is not open after business
hours.

Joe Kiernan, a sophomore, participates in Advocates for Youth, an organization founded in 1980 that focuses its work on youth aged 14-25 both in the United States and in international communities.

Kiernan's chapter is not affiliated with the university, but seeks to prevent consequences associated with unprotected sex.

"Some students voiced that they feel more comfortable asking a fellow student for condoms rather than an Elon staff member," Kiernan said.

"I don't want students options to be limited to one location, one brand of condom or one set of office hours."

He and those who support this particular cause can create "SafeSites."

SafeSites are individual condom distribution points. If students or an organization becomes registered as one, they are given condoms by the Great American Condom Campaign to make available to students to get protection, at any time, and they are recognized in their community as safe zones. Kiernan is given 500 Trojan condoms once a year to distribute to the student population.

"I haven't heard anything negative from the students and the sheer volume of students using the service makes me think I am helping out the Elon community," Kiernan said.

Information about sexual health awareness events and reproductive health issues are also available both by SafeSites and through the Web site.

Information can be found there about condom effectiveness, state profiles and tips for finding SafeSites near you.

Though Kiernan does not identify as a spokesperson for Advocates For Youth, he says that the organization realizes that abstinence is not a typical choice for college students.

"College students are adults and are able to make their own choices about sex, reproduction and reproductive health," Kiernan said. "Our goal is to inform and provide protection."

Hello all!

To educate my floor on the importance of condoms, for the month of Februrary I made a condom awareness bulletin board. The board features witty and funny condom sayings that make condoms easy to talk about. For example, if condoms were sponsored by Pringles the marketing on the condom would be "Once you pop, you can't stop". The white bursts on the board feature facts about condoms / condom usage that are important for students to know. The border of the board uses the cardboard boxes from the last shipment of the GACC condoms (with the condoms handed out to people who passed by as I made the bulletin board) with the always important message of "SHARE THE LOVE, WEAR A GLOVE"

As for hanbding out the condoms, I am planning a Friday handout event before everyone "goes out" for the night. I've organized with the dorm to stand at exit ways with the condoms and to have a grab bowl on my floor. Full speed ahead!

I'll keep everyone updated.

Cheers,
Patrick

An on campus organization put on a fashion show for HIV/AIDS awareness that I distributed at today. There were a few other groups that had tables and were distributing condoms, but no other table had name brand condoms. I put them out in a sort of candy dish and I had refill it at least five times throughout the night. People were really excited that I had Trojan condoms. One girl said, "Finally someone brings condoms we can actually use." I talked with her a little bit about that and basically what she said is that there are plenty of cheap free condoms floating around, but none that anyone would actually care to use. Before tonight, I was under the impression that people weren't using condoms because they just weren't available anywhere. No I know that its the type of condom that counts. People would rather not use a condom than use one that they think might not do anything. Since Trojan is such a well known and respected brand name, I feel people will actually use the condoms that we're distributing instead of just keeping them in a drawer somewhere until they expire. It's one thing to have condoms, using them is a whole different ball game. So, when people want to use condoms they want Trojan, so how do we get more people to want to use condoms?

For Valentine’s Day 2010 I gave away suckers that said “Love Pops” with a condom attached for the GACC. I noticed that quite a few people were offended by this seemingly harmless gesture. Even after I explained what they were for and what I was trying to do some still refused to accept my gift. However, the gesture wasn’t a total failure most of the people around campus were delighted and asked if they could have more!

I was at the store just a while ago, and i saw that the condoms were behind a glass case.  i was confused and asked the shop owner why this was and he replied with, "Condoms are our most "lifted" item. I have to take drastic measures to make sure that the condoms are no longer stolen." 

I have filled my condom envelope several times, putting 12 in each time and by now instead of 100 condoms gone in the last week, im at 124 condoms gone in the last week.  Condoms cost money at our health center here  on campus.  You get 20 for $3.00 and it comes with one packet of astro glide lubrication.  Im surprised and shocked at how quickly prices are climbing for condoms. 

Also, I have been posting on my facebook account status little things about the GACC and Amplify.  I recently put this as my status:

"Its condom week.  If you are needing any condoms, please, dont hesitate to ask for some."
It caused a stirr among my followers.  I got this in response: "this is sad and when i mean sad i mean pathetic. i understand promoting safe sex but to go on facebook and announce that you have condoms for free is like telling the population to go have random sex. this is just as bad as _____ telling the world she cheated on her boyfriend."

I luckily have great supporters out there who agree with what i do and will support safe sex.  
"Just because someone has a condom doesn't mean they will go out and have sex. People are going to have sex regardless. There is absolutely nothing wrong with promoting safe sex."
and my favorite response of all time :)  was from my friend who just recently decided that condoms are safer than not having any form of protection, "besides, there are enough people in relationships who dont want to use condoms because they are so expensive. I know it makes me want to be safe, and its FREE!"

So I just wanted to say that i am not ashamed of my facebook posts, Im happy that im doing this.  I enjoy promoting safe sex and the decision of such individuals. 

I wanted to inform the readers of this blog that my fiance and i have a floor program meeting coming up soon, and that we took old, expired condoms (that our health center was throwing away) and blew them up.  I put "Expired" on it and a note that said, "I can be even more full of air, i just choose not to be."  Also, i have another one with water in it and it says the same.   I want to teach people that condoms do not have to be embarassing, that they can be used.  So far, i have had a good response out of that. But for how much longer? keeps ringing through my head. 

My fiance, Garrett Nekuda is also a Safesite Advisor.  He does not have an account here on Amplify, but we have combined our campaigns.  We have a school comedy group called "Zoiks!" and it is and improv group.  They are doing their post Valentine's Day show(s) tonight.  We are close friends with the president of this club, and so we gave him 500 condoms and two packets of pamphlets.  There can only be 250 people in the theatre where they preform at a time, so we thought that 500 was a good number of condoms to distribute.  We are also having them at the beginning and the end of the show say that they can get more by contacting myself and Garrett.  Also that the Healt Center gives 20 for $3.00

Day 1 = Success!

Handed out tons of condoms. I put them in a clear plastic bag and they gave themselves away. I got a lot of crazy looks but most people just wanted to know what I was doing with a big bag of condoms. I even showed a bunch of people outside of one of my classes how to make a dental dam with one! It was a lot of fun and I definitely got people talking about safe sex. I didn't take any pictures today except for before and after of my bag. I can't wait to hand out more on Wednesday and to read about everyone else's experiences!

I've got a huge event planned for Wednesday with my buddies band playing to help attract people but please I need some ideas on activities to do at this get together. I was thinking about a huge snowball fight because of the snow but I need stuff also to help promote the condoms please keep in mind everyone is competitive so any activities like that I would greatly appreciate the suggestions...