Illustration by Estefania B. Alonso
Valentine’s Day carnival will feature games, goodies and safe-sex awareness.
By Maritza Ramirez
sac-ranger@alamo.edu
Students can celebrate romance — and learn about safe sex — at Cupid’s Mini Carnival 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday in the mall.
The carnival will include free games with chances to win goodie bags containing a plush toy, candy and a Valentine’s Day fortune cookie, said Marisa Martinez, senior student success specialist.
“The fortune cookie is Valentine-oriented,” Martinez said. “It will say something like, ‘Today you’ll meet your soulmate.’”
She said couples on campus can do something fun with their significant other.
All games are quick and easy, and students can play as often as they like. The games have a theme that evokes Cupid: target practice.
Students can try hitting a pingpong ball with water-gun spray, shooting a bow and arrow into a hole on a tarp decorated with hearts or throwing a bean bag in a “hungry heart” corn hole toss.
“There will be a total of three booths and we are hoping to have two more, but I’m not sure,” Martinez said.
The carnival also will feature safe sex awareness and HIV-prevention booths.
Student life is partnering with two campus organizations to provide the health information: Bae-B-Safe and health promotions, Martinez said.
Bae-B-Safe is a new organization aimed at educating students about healthy sexual behaviors.
“We’ll have fun handing out the condom lollipops and condom V-Day cards,” said Lucy Gauna, Bae-B-Safe/PREP coordinator of student success.
Bae-B-Safe made free condom lollipops and Valentine’s condom cards to promote safe sex.
Each condom lollipop will have a condom attached to a lollipop stick. Bae-B-Safe representatives also will give students Valentine’s Day cards, each containing a condom.
Bae-B-Safe is located in the community engagement annex, Portable 19 D402/D403. Call Gauna at 210-486-0140 or email lgauna5@alamo.edu.
Gauna said student success adviser Mary Dayton has coordinated a table for health promotions and Texas Wears Condoms, which will be at the carnival offering free sexual health resources, education and contraception. Texas Wears Condoms, based in San Antonio, provides free condoms and information on HIV/AIDS prevention.
Those resources are especially important this time of year.
“Because, you know, it’s Valentine’s Day, everything is about love,” Martinez said. “Couples are going to be taking things to the next level in their relationship.”
Martinez said the carnival also offers a respite “for those who want a break from class.” She is hoping about 100 people attend.
Though it is not required, student life will scan student IDs to keep count of how many students attend the carnival.
“It’s nothing big, just a quick game — take a break,” Martinez said of the festivities.
Call Martinez at 210-486-0125 or email mmartinez135@alamo.edu.
For information on student life’s health promotions, call Dayton at 210-486-0127 or email mdayton4@alamo.edu.
