Members of a new student organization say their goal is to have fun and make friends — without alcohol.

The ISU Weekend Club has only existed for about a month, but its members hope this new organization can grow to provide substance-free activities for all Iowa State students on a regular basis.

Brian Sheriff, treasurer of the Weekend Club, said the club was started by a group of people who were frustrated by those who think alcohol use is the only option for social events.

“We know some people that get sick of going to parties and drinking, and meeting people that way,” Sheriff said.

Dave Haden, student activities specialist, advises the group, and said it focuses on a unique purpose.

“What I would identify as separating the Weekend Club from other groups is that it’s been formed specifically to create social activities that are non-alcoholic in nature,” he said.

Haden said there are other organizations on campus which plan social activities, but many of those may include alcohol.

The Student Activities Center has other peer education groups that are concerned with alcohol, Haden said, but they don’t necessarily plan social activities like the Weekend Club.

Sheriff said the people interested in starting the club approached Haden to obtain student organization registration. The ISU Weekend Club also applied for funding from the Government of the Student Body for the 1998-99 school year.

Six people attended the first organizational meeting last month, Sheriff said, and they have been working on organizing the group’s first social event on Feb. 27.

He said the Weekend Club will rent the recreation area of the Memorial Union from 12-2 a.m. and students may participate in the activities available there.

Sheriff said the Weekend Club had applied for an Incentives grant, which would fund 75 percent of the activity.

The Incentives grant is available to registered student organizations which sponsor activities open to all of campus that teach students about an issue relating to alcohol or offer a non-alcohol alternative, especially on weekend evenings.

Haden said the Incentive grant applications are decided on by a student committee.

Sheriff said he hopes the group can grow this semester and in the next year. The club hopes for growth next fall when in-coming freshman arrive at ISU, he said.

“We’re hoping that this just turns into a big group of friends that keep bringing new people in,” Sheriff said.