Spring break is right around the corner! Whether you are traveling to far-off places or staying in familiar locales, spring break offers needed downtime with your friends and family.
  • For Every Student: Be active, supportive friends by looking out for each other, using the buddy system and not hesitating to call for help if a friend is in trouble. Check out these general spring break health and safety tips and ones specific for international travel for great ideas to make your spring break fun and full of happy memories.
  • For Students in Recovery: Clean Break is an affordable, peer-based recovery event for college students during Spring Break that creates new relationships, supports recovery, and provides ideas for sober fun--all in a safe group setting.
Spring Break Safety Contest
The Gordie Center wants to reward you for your efforts to promote spring break safety for your school, community, friends, or family through our Spring Break Safety Contest! Each submission will be entered into a drawing to win a Gordie Center prize pack valued at $130! The prize pack includes 100 GORDIEcheck BAC cards, 50 4"x6" GORDIEcling vinyl mirror clings, 20 GORDIEmagnets, 15 GORDIEposters, and 10 GORDIEkoozies (you can learn more about these products in our GORDIEstore). Visit our Contest Entry Form to submit information about your efforts and photos of your campaign in action. The deadline for entry is April 14, 2017. We will announce the winner in our May newsletter, and feature some of your submissions--we can't wait to hear about your campaigns!
Gordie Center Ideas and Updates
Acts of Kindness
Those who knew Gordie Bailey remember his frequent bear hugs and how he valued his friendships. To celebrate Gordie's 31st birthday on February 22nd, the Gordie Center created #RememberGordie Kindness Cards to spread Gordie's lifesaving message along with an act of kindness--like a hug! The card encourages recipients to #RememberGordie and share his story by keeping the good going: perform an act of kindness and pass the card on. You can download a printable version of the card to hand out on your campus and in your community to pay it forward!
 
Springtime in Recovery
Spring is a time of renewal and rebirth. It's a seasonal reminder of the power of recovery from addiction. When someone in recovery shares their story, it gives a "face and voice" to recovery, helping eliminate the stigma. Those of us who work with students in recovery should look for opportunities to share and celebrate their successes, strengths, and transformation! Sharing these stories empowers others who still may be struggling, acknowledges that recovery is possible, and can help build a recovery community on campus.  Adapted from Faces of Recovery.  
On April 12, 2017, the Gordie Center will participate in the University of Virginia's 2nd annual 24-hour giving day: GivingToHoosDay. Last year on GivingToHoosDay, Gordie Center supporters donated over $28,000 to our programs--thank you so much! Your support enabled us to create our student-athlete BAC cards, increase our national outreach, and share Gordie's story with more students nationwide. This year, we have a $15,000 matching challenge gift from a generous donor: gifts made from now through April 12th will be matched 1:1 up to $15,000. Stay tuned to learn more about the initiatives that this year's donations will support, and plan to help us reach our $30,000 goal on April 12th!

Until next month,

Susie Bruce,  Director, Gordie Center for Substance Abuse Prevention
Jill Maurer, National Development & Program Coordinator 
 

 
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