Get your major chapter event in the SigEp Journal

Is your chapter holding a large alumni event or anniversary celebration? For our spring issue of the Journal, we want to include as many major alumni events as we can under the "Save the Date" section. If you have an event that will occur between May 1, 2014 and December 31, 2014, please email communications@sigep.net by Monday, March 24, with the following information: Name and date of your event. A web address or contact with email for RSVPs or additional information.        If you would like to have your chapter's alumni event profiled with an article in the Journal or on The SigEp Blog, please email communications@sigep.net with the contact information for a confident writer who can draft an article and take or obtain photos. Once you provide confirmation of your celebration date and a contact, we will follow up to provide more guidance on the article and photos. Celebrations will be considered for the Journal depending on the space and timing of submissions. The following chapters have a milestone anniversary during the next academic year. If you have information on these events, please let us know at communications@sigep.net. 2014-2015 Anniversaries 100th Lawrence, Wisconsin Alpha, February 17, 2015 Pennsylvania State, May 8, 2015 75th Wake Forest, April 19, 1940 50th Cleveland State, November 21, 1964 Michigan Tech, May 8, 1965 Nebraska-Kearney, May 15, 1965 Thank you! Sincerely, Jan Brammer Marketing and Communications Coordinator

Stevens Sigma Phi Epsilon Accepts Outstanding Chapter Award from National Fraternity

Communication VPs: This is an example of how to get good publicity for your chapter. Pictures, a standout reason to get attention, and a well written story for the paper.

Stevens Sigma Phi Epsilon Accepts Outstanding Chapter Award from National Fraternity | Stevens News:

9/30/2013

The Stevens chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon, New Jersey Alpha, received four prestigious awards at the fraternity’s national convention in Dallas, Texas this summer, including its third consecutive Buchanan Cup Outstanding Chapter Award. The Buchanan Cup is awarded to the highest performing chapters which excel in every area of operations and demonstrated superior and sustained achievement.

“Our goal is to get at least five in row,” said Stevens Chapter President Ed Watt ‘15.

In addition, the chapter learned it is one of three finalists for the Pay It Forward Grant, up to $5,000 in funding given to a deserving chapter to support housing or educational infrastructure improvements or operational budgets for activities and programs. The chapter would use the grant to improve its dedicated study spaces by purchasing new whiteboards, better seating and desk space and a new projector.

Stevens also took home the Man-Mile Award, recognizing chapters whose brothers traveled the most combined miles, and the Conclave Attendance Award, for chapters with the highest numbers of undergraduates in attendance at the convention.

“Everyone in attendance had a great time, and has been energized for a great semester,” said Watt.

Sigma Phi Epsilon, which has 66 brothers, organizes a number activities for the Stevens and Hoboken communities including, including Hall Brawls, a fundraising event in which freshman halls compete against one another in a variety of sports, and MLB Pitch, Hit & Run, a baseball skills competition for local children. 

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PR 101 - for Chapter communicators

Sam Moschelli, District Governor for Michigan, wanted one of his chapters to get some practice with press releases and making a media push. This excellent example is what they came up with. How well does your chapter publicize itself? 

CLA Leadership training is coming up. If you want your chapter to do a better job of getting noticed in a positive way be sure that your VP Communications is attending the sessions. If he can't make it have him ask someone else to help out.

Sigma Phi Epsilon

Contact: Matt Russell
russelm1@mail.gvsu.edu
989-600-3225
http://gvsusigep.org/
www.sigep.org

January 27, 2013

IMMEDIATE RELEASE: GVSU student achieves prestigious level in Balanced Man Program

ALLENDALE, MI – The brothers of the Michigan Kappa Chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon are proud to announce that Tyler Kinch of Grand Valley State University has achieved the highest level of the fraternity’s Balanced Man Program: Fellow. Kinch, a junior Athletic Training Major, completed the rigorous final challenge, which included the proposal and completion of a 500- hour or 60 day service project.

Only brothers who commit to undertaking a community service learning project of this level are able to apply for this challenge, which makes the number of members nationally who achieve this level in the program very small. Through these projects, Fellows receive hands-on experiences that teach leadership, mentoring, and how to care about and serve others.

For his service project, Kinch started his own 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Students Providing Opportunities and Recreation Through Sports (S.P.O.R.T.S.), to provide fun, interactive experiences for underprivileged children in the inner cities of the Midwest. Kinch created this organization to be fully operated by GVSU students and to be built upon Christian values. The goal is to enhance the quality of life for these children through proper mentor guidance and building a brighter future.

Since its inception, the organization has already partnered with campus organizations to hold an athletic equipment drive between Thanksgiving and Christmas. This event encouraged students to bring back new or used athletic equipment from home to donate to local athletic programs as well as Christian ministries working in African countries.

Kinch has also partnered with Sigma Phi Epsilon and Kramer Entertainment to organize a $1 All-You-Can-Play Laser Tag fundraiser on Friday, January 25, 2012, from 6:15PM – 11:00PM in the GVSU Fieldhouse. Students and members of the community were encouraged to come and enjoy a night of laser tag, with all of the proceeds going to S.P.O.R.T.S. for future activities. The caused raised $300 in a very short amount of time that will go towards more equipment and camps on the east side of the Michigan in the 2013 summer.

Sigma Phi Epsilon, established in 1901, is one of the nation’s largest fraternities, with over 15,000 undergraduates on 240 campuses across the United States. Its mission is building balanced men, which is achieved through a continuous member development program that has contributed to a fraternity-wide GPA of over 3.0, a focus on the principles of Sound Mind and Sound Body, and service learning efforts that allow members to develop leadership skills while giving back to the community.

Penn student dies weeks after apparent fall on campus

"While he was no longer affiliated with the chapter, he remained close with many of the undergraduate members. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends." -- Brian Warren Jr.

Penn student dies weeks after apparent fall on campus

With perfect SAT scores and on full scholarship at the University of Pennsylvania, Thomas J. Hartford had a bright future and the brightest of outlooks.

"He lived life to the fullest," his father said.

But that life came to a tragic end on Wednesday after Hartford, 22, a senior from Stroudsburg, suffered a massive stroke following an apparent fall on campus nearly two weeks ago.

Hartford's body was found in a pool of blood on a concrete surface outside the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity house about 1:30 a.m. on Jan. 10, said his father, Thomas W. Hartford. He had been in intensive care at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital.

His son, he said, had attended a gathering for potential new members at the fraternity house on the evening of Jan. 9. After the event ended, he remained at the house, socializing with a small group of friends, the father said. His son was last seen at 12:45 a.m.

Hartford suffered multiple skull and facial fractures, severe brain trauma, a broken wrist and optical nerve damage, he said.

The doctor told him the injuries were consistent with a fall from about 15 to 20 feet, he said. University of Pennsylvania detectives who investigated told him they believe Hartford either fell from the window or had been locked out and was climbing up to get in the window.

How NOT to hold a "Damage Control" Press Conference

We had an earlier post about the Pike chapter at Tennessee, where a member ended up in the ER after apparently butt-chugging a bag of wine. The chapter has been suspended by both the University and the National Fraternity.

Undaunted, the chapter members found a lawyer, and had a press conference where they proceeded to deny everything - thereby assuring themselves of being in a few more news cycles. Watch the video. Is this the way you would want a lawyer to help you deal with an "unfortunate incident"?

Oh, and in case you are interested, the article has a copy of the police report after the videos. Seriously, you do not want this kind of publicity.

The New Sigma Phi Epsilon HQ site is up and open!

After several months of challenging redesign work the new SigEp HQ site design was unveiled today.
You will immediately notice the site has a much 'cleaner' look and feel with good use of white space to focus attention. The navigation has been updated in a way that should make it much easier to find the particular section or information you are seeking.

For those of the geek persuasion the new site uses a database driven CMS (content management system) which will make keeping the site up to date much simpler and easier. The site also integrates with the master registration database so changes to personal data made here will flow through and update across the system.

Check it out, and tell the folks at HQ where you heard about it first.

Sigma Phi Epsilon Homepage:

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One last thing. Not to toot our own horn here, but if you go to the "Social Media Hub"you will see that our little effort has received some recognition at last:

Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity - Web Site Changes

If you went to the HQ Web site this morning you saw this displayed. Do not adjust your set, there is a major new look coming very soon.

Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity - REDESIGN LAUNCH BLOCK: "

The Sigma Phi Epsilon website is undergoing some exciting renovations.

Please return tomorrow to visit the site. Thank you for stopping by.

© Copyright SigEp 2012 . All rights reserved. SigEp Fraternity | 310 S.Boulevard | Richmond, VA 23220
"

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Sound Bite - SigEps on The Sing Off

The Dartmouth Aires were the second place finishers in the latest season of The Sing Off. Seven of the 16 members are SigEps.

Watch the Dartmouth Aires perform a medley of Queen songs and receive glowing feedback from the celebrity judges.
*Video used with permission from NBC Universal.

Full details at the SigEp "Sound Bite":

Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity - Sound Bite - SigEps on The Sing Off:

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USC fraternity official 'appalled' by photos of couple having sex on rooftop

I'm Shocked! Shocked, I tell you! I just found out that college students have been having sex!

A top official at the board for fraternities at USC expressed outrage over photos posted online that apparently showed two people having sex on the roof of the school's Waite Phillips Hall.

The photos of the man and woman went viral after they were posted Saturday night, according to a report in the Daily Trojan, which broke the story.

On Monday night, the paper quoted USC Interfraternity Council President Pat Lauer as saying the group was “appalled by the actions associated with the individuals in the pictures, and will work tirelessly to reverse the negative stereotypes such an action has perpetuated.”

The Daily Trojan quoted a statement released by the president of USC Kappa Sigma acknowledging that the man in the photos was a fraternity member.

"While the actions that were taken did involve a member of our chapter we, in no way, support this kind of behavior, nor do we promote any such actions," Zach Timm was quoted as saying.

Timm said inquiries into the incident had been launched and that the fraternity member seen in the photos had been suspended "for conduct unbecoming of a Kappa Sigma and a gentleman."

Yah. A true Kappa Sig Gentleman would not have gotten caught.

You want better pictures? Here you go. just click. NSFW - trust me.

Tulane SigEps Surprise President's Wife

Sweetheart Serenade

Marjorie Cowen, wife of Tulane President Scott Cowen, had a sweet surprise on Valentine’s Day — a serenade and roses from members of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity at Tulane. Scott Cowen was in on the secret, arranging to have her at Gibson Hall for the special presentation.

A Sig Ep admirer hands red roses to Marjorie Cowen to add to the special occasion as the fraternity brothers sing to her.

Greek organization image

This article in the Southern Utah Univ. student paper has a reference which stopped me in my tracks:

Marketing pioneer David Ogilvy once said, "Every advertisement should be thought of as a contribution to the complex symbol which is the brand image." Each poster and sign that an organization produces contributes the image of that group.

The next obvious question is: What do your posters say about the brand image of your chapter?
About SigEp?

OP-ED: Greek organizations must repair image - Opinion

ABC-TV Tackles Hazing in All of Its Forms

Brother Bob Kerr Comments on TV Show

"What Would You Do" brings up a topic that circulates on a fairly regular basis. The desensitization of the modern world to the issue of hazing. In a quick poll of my advisors, no one saw the show last night, but everyone now has access through the link I emailed them.

Until we can engage Greek undergraduates and alumni in relevant conversations, bystander behavior will likely be the default behavior. Getting traction for that topice has been next to impossible at my campus. Through constant denial and stiff arming, it took two chapters facing hazing charges before anyone who even agree to the possibility of the existence of hazing.

Take a moment to watch the segment (about 11 minutes): http://abcnews.go.com/whatwouldyoudo

Service Learning - A Key to Leadership

Three ways to serve
from our friends at The Apathy Myth: A Blog for America's Student Leaders

We hear a lot about "service" on today's campus. How rewarding it is. How needed it is. How consistent with our organization's values it is. But, when you or your organization decides to serve, how are you going to actually do it? How can you do it in such a way that it makes the most impact?

This might help to frame your plan. There are three kinds of service.

FUND RAISING
All organizations need funds to operate, and in this struggling economy, the needs are huge. You can help a great deal by finding ways to generate much needed money for an organization you support. It doesn't have to be a huge amount to make a big difference. You can raise funds by having events (large or small), writing letters asking for donations, or by providing services for free that businesses would pay for (stuffing envelopes, cleaning parking lots, etc.).

One of the very best fund raisers I remember from my days as a student was a "skip a meal" fund raiser. Instead of eating out or eating in the dining hall one evening, everyone would donate the money they would have spent on dinner to the designated charity. We raised a ton of cash and had zero overhead costs.

But, be careful. Many students use fund raising as an excuse for having a fun event (party for a cause, tournaments for a good cause, etc.). It seems like a good idea – let's have fun and do some good along the way. But, as a general rule, if you're not raising 10 times what you're spending on a fund raising event, then you can do better. Blowing $2,000 on a tournament that raises $500 is a joke (just give the organization the $2,000). Spending $500 on an event that raises $5,000 for a charity is awesome.

It usually helps to identify a need at the organization and then do a bunch of small fund raisers throughout the semester or year to meet the goal. For example, find out how much it will cost to renovate that playground at the local school, then set that amount as a long-range goal. Don't try to do it all in one event.

VOLUNTEERISM
Get your hands dirty. Spend time actually doing something that helps others. Examples of volunteerism can be as varied as reading to seniors in a nursing home, picking up trash along a highway, painting the local rec center, building a ramp for a person with disabilities, or handing out programs at your campus theatre production. No money is involved. You're just lending your most valuable and readily-available resource: your effort.

Many people find this type of service to be the most personally rewarding. Once you find out how much it's going to cost to replace the playground equipment at the local school, figure out how much you can save in labor by rounding up a group of students to do the work themselves alongside licensed contractors. Now you're really on to something!

AWARENESS
This type of service allows for a lot of creativity without necessarily spending a ton of money. Find an issue that you care about, and then find a way to get the word out. Chalk the sidewalks. Do a ribbon campaign. Put flyers on cars. Film public service announcements or radio spots. Make presentations to classes, faculty meetings, or administrators. Write letters to your local newspaper.

There are a million ways you can generate awareness on a critical issue. It's a great idea to do an awareness campaign BEFORE you do a fund raiser. This way, people are tuned into the need and the issue. Do members of your campus community know how run-down the playground equipment is at the local school? Take pictures, post them online. Get people fired up about improving schools that are struggling for dwindling public funds.

Just about anything you care about can be helped by using all three elements: fund raising, volunteerism and awareness. As you sit down with your officers or committee dedicated to service projects, make sure you develop a comprehensive plan for the year that includes all three. Tie them in together, and maximize your impact.

From across the pond...We ain't no yobs

In the UK they don't exactly know what fraternities are good for. And they seem to be missing a bit in translation - as Churchill said: "The USA and the UK are two countries separated by a common language."

The ability of young Americans to drink alcohol in a social setting and remain civilised is usually regarded as one of the advantages they have over their British peers.

But, in recent weeks, the fraternity societies of American universities have been working flat out to even things out, their "hazings" - initiation rites - notching up more police call-outs than a Saturday night in Detroit.

First off the blocks was the Alpha Tau Omega frat house at the University of Nevada, suspended after aspiring recruits, known as "pledges", had their buttocks branded with dry ice and were made to eat raw chicken.

Hot on its heels came a hazing "hell night" chez Pi Kappa Alpha at Tulane University, New Orleans, that left two students with severe burns after they were scalded with boiling water mixed with cayenne pepper and vinegar.

Within days, members of Sigma Phi Epsilon at the University of Wisconsin-Madison had grabbed the relay baton by dumping buckets of human excrement and vomit over each other.

The following week, they managed to burn down their frat house. A spokesman for Sigma was at pains to point out that the bucket drop wasn't technically a hazing but happened during the "any other business" section of their meeting.

But, wtf is a "yob"?
US frat hazings that surpass yob excesses - Telegraph

MISSING - Kyle Fleischmann

Zac Pope sent this information and request for help locating a missing person.

Please post something about Kyle Fleischman. He was a member of the Elon University Greek community (Kappa Alpha Order) and recently graduated in 2006. He went missing Friday morning at 2:20 am. There is a massive search for him in Charlotte, NC where he was last seen. For all the details visit www.helpfindkyle.com

Fraternally

Zac Pope
Sigma Phi Epsilon - NC Mu
AVC Vice President

The following is contact information from the web site.

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* To add information to this site, please contact Cristyle Wood at Chika370@aol.com. *

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*If you have any questions, information, or are from the media, please contact:
Daniel Scagnelli
danielscagnelli@yahoo.com
336-262-6958

---

To view/join the Facebook group "Help Find Kyle Fleischmann - MISSING" click: http://ufl.facebook.com/group.php?gid=6326026817

To join the Myspace group click:
http://groups.myspace.com/helpfindkyle

---

Click here for the Latest news about the search.

MISSING - Kyle Fleischmann

We don't need those wimpy bicycles!

Running. In November. In Montana. Now THAT is dedication! I bet you thought the SigEp bicycle story was impressive. Check this one out.

Running to Bozeman / Fraternity treks to Gallatin Valley on foot to raise money for charity
By JAMIE KELLY of the Missoulian

Jogging past the Clark Fork River, Nick Ferrington picks up the third leg of Sigma Phi Epsilon's every-other-year charity relay run from Missoula to Bozeman for the Griz-Cat football game. The event raises money for the Watson Children's Shelter.
Photo by SEPP JANNOTTA/Missoulian

Every other year, when the Brawl of the Wild takes place in Bozeman, the guys from Sigma Phi Epsilon arrange a road trip.

They get a couple of vans together, stock them full of food and beverages and hit the road.

They take their time getting there, sort of the long way. Oh sure, it's the same way that any number of Griz fans take, that 217 miles of Interstate 90 heading east. But while you're listening to tunes in the comfort of your heated, padded four-wheel cradle of vehicular luxury, the Sigma Phi's are getting snowed on, rained on, honked at and blistered as they run - run, as in, with their feet - the entire distance from Missoula to that other town whose university has some sort of feline-like creature for a mascot.
[...]
Neither rain nor sleet nor snow nor dark of night - and yes, they do run through the night - will stop these guys (and a few sorority women as well) from reaching the stadium by game time Saturday. And when they return (by car; are you bonkers?), there will be no trophies or accolades. Just a pile of cash for Missoula's Watson Children's Shelter, for which their lungs and legs pump.
[...]
For at least 20 years - and some say as many as 30 - the boys of Sigma Phi have done this for the center, which houses children who have been abandoned, neglected or abused, serving as an emergency shelter for infants to 14-year-olds.

If it weren't for a good cause I would say these people are crazy. At least they have a great attitude.

“In the past, police cars have stopped us because someone will report there's been an incident of spousal abuse and someone's running in front of the car,” said Colin Boyle. When they learn it's a group of fraternity guys doing the running, many assume that it's a hazing ritual.

Hazing? No. Crazy? Sure.

Because November in Montana can be ... well, it can be all wintry.

And if it snows?

“We run through it,” said Mahoney.

“Wear a flannel shirt,” said Boyle.

“Good shoes with lots of traction,” said Duncan. “And hopefully, there will be no cardiac episode.”

You can make a great case for it as a "Sound Body" activity, but you have to wonder what happened to the "Sound Mind" part.

Missoulian: Running to Bozeman / Fraternity treks to Gallatin Valley on foot to raise money for charity

UNK Sigma Phi Epsilon Chapter Earns Top National Award for Third Time

Publicity - better late than never.

This is a good recap of the chapter's accomplishments. The article not only points out the Bucannan Cup, but goes on the note various community service projects and other related honors and awards.

This is the third year the University of Nebraska at Kearney’s Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity has received one of the highest ranking national awards for their chapter.

The UNK Chapter has been awarded the Buchanan Cup, which is given to those Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternities that rank in the top 10 percent in the nation. Sigma Phi Epsilon is the largest college fraternity nationally with more than 14,000 undergraduate members at 260 chapters across the United States. Of the seven fraternities on the UNK campus, the Sigma Phi Epsilon chapter is one of the largest.

If your chapter has someone who is good at putting this type of PR together you have a valuable asset. If not you should look into finding or training someone.

UNK SIGMA PHI EPSILON CHAPTERS EARNS TOP NATIONAL AWARD FOR THIRD TIME

Northern Illinois U. Sig Eps under fire

(Mini-comment: the best way to avoid news stories like this is to avoid behavior that attracts "unwelcome attention" from the college.)

Nasty allegations at NIU. It has gotten to the point where NIU is corresponding with Craig Templeton, SigEp's national executive director, about whether the chapter there will be closed.

The Northern Illinois University chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon is facing potentially strict judicial punishment for a number of incidents over the past several years.

According to documents acquired by the Northern Star from NIU Judicial Affairs via a Freedom of Information Act request, the fraternity's violations include underage alcohol consumption, racially motivated harassment of another fraternity and several violent incidents, among other infractions.
[...]
NIU Judicial Affairs director Larry Bolles, in correspondence obtained between he and Craig Templeton of the Sigma Phi Epsilon national office, recommended the fraternity's NIU chapter be shut down.

"Recent actions taken by ... Sigma Phi Epsilon have created a dangerous environment for the NIU Greek System as well as the NIU community as a whole. The Chapter's actions pose a clear and present danger causing concern for the safety and welfare of our students," Bolles said in the letter. "Those incidents, combined with past incidents, have led to the conclusion that the NIU chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon must be closed down. The environment created by their most recent actions is dangerous to the safety and welfare of those who reside on Greek Row."

Maybe the alleged events at Bradley didn't warrant a "frat-boy" label, but these do...

According to the correspondence between Bolles and Templeton, Sigma Phi Epsilon, ("Sig Eps") on Aug. 26,, 2007, held a social event in violation of Greek Affairs and Intrafraternity Council (IFC) regulations. As a result of the violations, the IFC restricted the fraternity's ability to hold social and recruiting events. Sigma Alpha Mu ("Sammies") was the complainant in the incident, as its house is located close to the Sig Eps house, according to the letter.

After the Sammies reported the incident, Sig Eps retaliated by, on several occasions, harassing Sammies members with racial slurs, Bolles said in the letter. The incidents led to "increased tensions among the chapters on Greek Row," and "created an atmosphere that is no way conducive to the Greek lifestyle and has created the potential for violence," Bolles said.
[...]
On April 21, 2007, one month after a deferred suspension, Sigma Phi Epsilon was issued citations for allowing underage alcohol consumption to occur at its house, Bolles said in the letter. Four individuals were cited for underage consumption that evening, all of whom stated they were drinking at the Sig Eps house.
[...]
According to the correspondence between Bolles and Templeton, a Sig Eps member threw beer bottles at the Sigma Alpha Epsilon house on April 26, 2007. When the chapter was confronted by Greek Row security, the security officers were treated disrespectfully by Sig Eps members, which security workers state has been a recurring problem with the fraternity. Sig Eps members reportedly would tell security workers "you work for us" and "you don't tell us what to do," Bolles said in the letter.

The Bradley SigEps were quick to defend their actions in the comments section. Does the NIU chapter have excuses too?

Northern Illinois U. Sig Eps under fire

The Enquirer - UC fans fired up

Mechanical engineering student Rob Janka puts together part of the Sigma Phi Epsilon float Friday as industrial design student Adam Egert (right) helps in preparation for today's homecoming parade.
The Enquirer/Carrie Cochran

UC fans fired up
SigEps Made the front Page of the Cincinnati "Enquirer" Saturday as the 6-0 Bearcats prepared to play Louisville.

Louisville stopped the streak at six by winning 28-24.

The Enquirer - UC fans fired up

Oregon Sig Eps Help Raise Awareness about Domestic Violence

Dozens hit the streets to raise awareness about domestic violence
By Michele Armand

EUGENE - Domestic violence is a serious problem that hits close to home in our community. It's estimated that there are 5,000 to 7,000 batterers living in Lane County.

Wednesday, dozens of citizens who wanted to see those numbers decrease, took to the streets with a serious message to stop the violence.

The event was part of Domestic Violence Awareness month.With purple balloons and signs in tow, demonstrators along Franklin Boulevard in Eugene have a mission, to highlight the problem of domestic violence and promote healthy relationships.

"We want them to know that it's an issue that effect everyone that is not just a specific population, that it's something that effects people from everywhere," said Carmen Hinckley of the University of Oregon's Women's Center.

The community demonstration took place in 28 locations across Lane County from Oakridge to Eugene/Springfield. But, while many people like these are raising awareness about domestic violence, a new study says programs designed to stop it can be ineffective and even worsen abusive situations.

Margo Schaefer with Womenspace, a non-profit that works to help victims of domestic violence and their families, says solutions aren't always easy and often depend on the individual.

"For many people, they apply for a restraining order the person is served and they go ballistic. Many apply for a restraining order and it absolutely puts the batterer in check so this is not a tool that works for everyone," said Schaefer.

But for those on the corner taking a stand against domestic violence, they say, they hope to provide an example that abuse is never acceptable.

"We wanted to get the word out that not all guys are going to batter and abuse women there's plenty of good guys out there and we're just trying to get the word out," said Patrick Burton of Sigma Phi Epsilon.

Wednesday's community demonstration was organized by Womenspace. If you are a victim of domestic violence you can call their hotline for help at (541) 485-6513

Domestic Violence Awareness Month was first observed in 1987.

Dozens hit the streets to raise awareness about domestic violence