On March 19, Millersville’s Center for Health Education and Promotion held Project Safety, an event previously known as Project Condom. This popular campus event was composed of tabling from various organizations, educational activities about safer sex, and a Project Runway-style fashion show with competitors from student-run clubs, all wearing outfits made out of condoms.
The program, which was held from 7 to 9 p.m., started with attendees having the opportunity to browse tables to receive educational information from organizations such as Planned Parenthood, along with interactive activities from CHEP. The fashion show included the following clubs: Dance Team, Fencing Guild, Gender and Sexuality Alliance, Horror Movies and Media Club, International Association of Emergency Management, Mock Trial Team, and Sneakers2Stilettos. The Mock Trial Team placed third, the Dance Team placed second, and the Gender and Sexuality Alliance won the competition with their Wild West-themed skit encouraging condom use. Each winner received a cash prize for their club funding.
Dara Helfrich, a member of the skit and GSA’s future secretary, emphasized that the fashion show was a team effort and a way to bond with her fellow club members.
“All of us were just excited to be in it and it allowed us to bond, brainstorm, and get creative,” said Helfrich. “It was more than those who were performing in the skit; it was a team effort and it couldn’t have been done without everyone involved.”
Apart from the top three places, other clubs received smaller awards from both the judges and the crowd. The Horror Movies and Media Club won Most Creative Use of Condoms, the International Association of Emergency Management chapter won Most Likely to Go Viral, Sneakers2Stilettos won Most Runway Ready, and the dance team won Crowd Favorite through a form that was given to the audience.
In between voting, audience members participated in activities regarding the most important part of Project Safety: advocacy for safe sex, consent, and protection.
“Being a CHEP member to me means to be a peer advocate that uses creativity to connect students with resources and important education,” said Julie Cremins, a graduate assistant for CHEP’s Healthy Relationships team. “Our team at CHEP specifically focuses on healthy relationships, sexual assault and domestic violence awareness, as well as safer sex practices. These topics can sometimes be heavy to talk about; Project Safety makes learning about consent and STI prevention more fun.” Molly Binkley, a CHEP Peer Educator, described her work as “having a community of like-minded individuals who are passionate about helping others and enjoy creating educational events and programs for the student population.”
If you missed Project Safety, CHEP is still hosting a variety of events. The Rainy Day Book Club, a discussion relating to a comic book about healthy relationships, is being held on April 15. You can also stop by their office in the Student Memorial Center for resources, and follow their Instagram at @millersville_chep.
