The ISU substance abuse prevention team in the Office of Student Affairs is offering students an alternative to drinking alcohol on game days.

Linda Ciccone, university coordinator for the substance abuse prevention team, has organized an alcohol-free tailgate for the ISU community.

The tailgate is two hours prior to every home game in the lot across from the Scheman Building.

“It’s a real collaborative kind of effort between the students, the university and the community,” she said. “We did it because students expressed a need for it.”

Ciccone said studies show that one-fifth of ISU students do not drink, and more than 60 percent don’t drink excessively.

She said she believes these students deserve to have a place to tailgate without alcohol present.

“We think it’s really important that those students have a place to go to have fun where they don’t have to worry about drunk people,” she said. “Fun is the important word.”

The first non-alcoholic tailgating party took place last fall at the Iowa vs. Iowa State football game, Ciccone said.

She said few students participated last fall, but this year students are more excited.

“This year we have had a great turn out,” she said. “We’ve had more student organizations wanting to sponsor them when we have home games. We had so many students last time that we had to go out and get more food,” she said.

Ciccone said three or four student-run organizations have helped sponsor each game this fall.

“It’s done by students for students,” she said. “They supply the manpower to get everything set up.”

Ciccone said the students are usually helpful in finding entertainment because they know what students want to see. This year the non-tailgating party has featured bands, a stereo contest and a small carnival with pie-throwing.

Eddie Weatherington, program assistant for the substance abuse prevention team, said Delta Chi fraternity, 405 Hayward Ave., sponsored the last alcohol-free tailgate at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas game.

“They did a great job hosting; they took care of everything,” he said, including the music. Far Cry, a band composed of three Delta Chi members, played at the event, which included about 200 participants.

“You don’t have to drink to have fun, and we had fun,” said Delta Chi member Nick Thompson, senior in finance and member of Far Cry.

Weatherington said the athletic department, Cub Foods, Fareway, McDonald’s, Hy-Vee, T Galaxy and the Memorial Union are sponsoring all of the alcohol-free tailgates.

“There is no way our budget could withstand these costs,” said Weatherington, whose budget covers about $200 of the costs each week. “We would be burned out if we were doing this on our own.”

Weatherington said the alcohol-free tailgates are something he would like to continue.

“It’s a healthy, social alternative for those who don’t want to deal with beer and alcohol,” he said.