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Curtis Meyer reporter
Students for Violence Prevention held a 2-part toilet paper drive on Wednesday, Oct. 12 collecting any kind of toilet paper to donate to a local crisis center.
“Today we are collecting toilet paper for Safehouse, which is our local crisis center, so they do like sexual assault and domestic violence. Part of that is they have a shelter, and one of the things a shelter needs is toilet paper, so we’re here to collect that, anyone can donate,” said Tori Poyner, junior early childhood education major and president of SVP.
The drive featured a competition where anyone could make a toilet paper tower and send it to SVP for a chance to win a toilet paper trophy. After sending in the photo, students and organizations that participated were encouraged to drop off the toilet paper at the oval for SVP to donate.
“We actually do also have a sculpture challenge, which that deadline is Oct. 23. Organizations can collect toilet paper and then make a sculpture out of it, and then send it to us on Instagram, and then donate the toilet paper afterwards, we’ll be back out here on the 24th collecting that,” said Poyner.
SVP will have a table set up on the oval from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., so anyone who wishes to donate or volunteer is invited to do so on the 24th. Any and all store bought toilet paper is acceptable.
Safehouse, the organization that the toilet paper will be given too, is a locally started group that was founded 1n 1979 after a Pitt State class project revealed the need for organized protective care for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence.
“It is very important. It’s on campus whether we see it or not so having people know where to go or what resources we have if that does happen to them is very important,” said Poyner.
At first victims, mostly women, could only stay one night at whatever Pittsburg area family’s house had been volunteered, but since then has grown to over 10 counties, with a second office and shelter location in Coffeyville.
The home office and Child Exchange and Visitation Center are both located in Pittsburg and rely mainly on donations to provide care.
According to their website, the mission of Safehouse “is to aid in the reduction of the incidence of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Agency services include crisis intervention, emergency shelter, victim advocacy, public education and community awareness, statistical analysis, and involvement in legislative reform.
SVP will be doing other events this month, all part of domestic violence awareness month. On October 24, at 12 they will be doing Cover the Cruiser, where they will have a campus police cruiser on the oval and students can cover it in sticky with questions about domestic violence and sexual assault. These questions will be covered at the Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault response panel held Oct. 26, at crimson and gold ballroom in Overmann student center.
For students who want to become involved on campus, SVP is open for all students to join and participate.
“We actually do have a club we are a student organization so you can join our Gorilla Engage, we also have meetings in the basement of the Axe Library, in the GRC, which is the Gender Resource Center, on Wednesday’s 3 to 4,” said Poyner.
