Daily Pioneer News

PLATTEVILLE- Whether students preferred a Hawaiian theme, a rave, a casino or a four seasons atmosphere, there was something to please everyone during the University of Wisconsin-Platteville's Mocktail Party contest on the evening of March 9. The competition had 12 student groups vying to see who could throw the best alcohol-free bash.

Good food and fun activities were cited among the reasons that the Intervarsity Christian Fellowship won the first place prize of $500. Their Hawaiian theme and dress, along with the hoola hoop contest, won them a lot of praise and participants. Ben Wood, president of the fellowship, said he was surprised at the award.

"We had heard about some of the other great party themes, and so many people seemed to have such energy and enthusiasm for the contest, we weren't sure we'd have much of a chance. We didn't want to spend too much money either, so we had to be creative in the food we served," he said. A local grocer gave the group a discount on the price of ham and they used it creatively.

Second place ($250) went to Gamma Phi Beta and Sigma Phi Epsilon whose Marker Rave won them rave reviews. According to Kristina Kaker, a UWP student and Gamma Phi Beta member, students wrote on their shirts with glow markers and carried glow sticks for added effects as they danced under black lights. The hosts and hostesses also taped up alcohol fact sheets around the room and had signs telling people to watch for roofies (Skittles) in their drinks.

"The party could not have turned out better. The place was packed with people dancing, playing mock drinking games with water, and just having a good time. I had a blast and met a lot of new people. The mocktail party competition should definitely be an annual event," said Kaker.

Third place ($150) was awarded to a party hosted by Melcher and Wilgus Halls, which also had a Hawaiian theme, though theirs featured a real kiddie pool and umbrella topped-smoothies. Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia won fourth place ($100) with their casino night featuring costumed blackjack dealers and prizes that could be redeemed with players' fake money. The fifth place ($50) winning party, hosted by Kappa Alpha Sigma and Phi Sigma, won visitors' hearts by providing a hemisphere atmosphere-a room for every season, including an igloo room for students who may not have had enough of Wisconsin winter.

The Grant County Drug-Free Coalition, UWP Student Housing and UWP Student Services provided the prize money. Debra Crabtree, UWP Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse (AODA) prevention coordinator and organizer of the event, said the contest was a great success and participation was much greater than they anticipated. "I think this was a wonderful experience for students, and I hope we will be able to do this again. We're grateful to our partners who helped to organize and judge the event, and of course, for the prize money. Hearing these students say what a great time they had without alcohol sends an important message to everyone," she said.

Contact: Debra Crabtree, AODA prevention coordinator, (608) 342-1382, crabtred@uwplatt.edu Prepared By: Evelyn Martens, Public Relations,martense@uwplatt.edu, (608) 342-1194