Safe sex promoted on UA Mall

"It's an upbeat event to promote condom awareness and to promote condoms to reduce sexually transmitted disease," said Lee Ann Hamilton, a health educator with Campus Health services.

The annual event is in conjunction with National Condom Week, which began in 1978 at the University of California at Berkeley during the week of Valentine's Day.

Hamilton said they want to "encourage [students] to use condoms each and every time they have sexual intercourse."

The event will offer games, condom give-a-ways, certificates to the bookstore, free coupons for sodas at the Student Union and information booths.

Hamilton, who has been involved with the event for 13 years, said the purpose is to "get more students aware of the need to use condoms."

Organizations around campus, including Future Health Educators and Promoters, the Bisexual Gay and Lesbian Association and the Campus Health Center, will be on the University of Arizona Mall promoting condom awareness.

The Pima County Health Center will have a mobile unit on the Mall offering free anonymous HIV testing for students.

Campus Health plans to give out up to 5,000 condoms in a "rainbow" of colors and brands.

"We want it to be really light, to get the message across to students," said Kimberley Cohen, a health education senior.

Organizers will make the event as humorous and fun as possible.

Cohen, who is president and founder of Future Health Educators and Promoters said, "It is much more appropriate when working with students this way."

The club will sponsor a booth providing information and demonstrating proper usage of condoms.

They will also sponsor a "condom toss," where Durex, Trojan and Lifestyles condoms are filled with water and "tested" by students for durability.

The event will feature "Mr. Condom" again this year. The merry prophylactic will be erect on the UA Mall from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Medical staff will be available to answer any questions regarding sex, relationships and contraceptives.

"It's a quick and easy way to get information on sex and relationships," said Hamilton.

The event will offer a "condoms in a jar" event in which students can win prizes by guessing the number of condoms contained in a vessel.

According to the National Condom Week website, thousands of universities, family planning centers, public health agencies and AIDS education organizations participate in the event.

The UA also offers free condoms at the Wellness Center located in the Student Recreation Center and through the Campus Health pharmacy for a low price.