by In Soo Lee
Staff Writer
FOG is a peer intervention team in Sewanee that is led by Dean Alexander Bruce (C’89). The FOG sends trained students to registered parties to offer an alternative to alcohol with non-alcoholic drinks and food.
“FOGgies,” as they are called, get paid to go to these parties. These students are trained with intervention strategies. FOG is completely student led, making it an organization of students helping students. Although FOGgies intervene with students who need medical attention, FOGgies cannot write anyone up or report them to the police. They do not have that authority; they are at parties simply to help students and intervene before bad situations occur. They attend parties to give students options with non-alcoholic drinks and food to provide safety for students.
According to Paniz Rezaeerod (C’15), “FOGgies show up to parties about 30 minutes prior and get to know the party host and the area. During the party, they make sure all the students are all right.” Rezaeerod also said that FOGgies are very important to parties because most people do not notice drunk people, except for FOGgies. If they do find a person with too much alcohol in their system, they get them rides back to the dorm. Even when students are not drunk, FOGgies are incredibly helpful.
Beatrice Perez (C’14), a FOGgie, said, “People come up to me at parties since they recognize me as a member of FOG and ask for Gatorade or a granola bar.” Since people recognize her as a student, many party-goers feel comfortable asking her for food or drinks. Perez also really enjoys her job helping students and socializing with her friends.
Bruce wants FOG to have enough students trained so when a FOG team is not officially at a party, there will always be trained FOG members, even at unregistered parties, who are not officially working. FOG is an ongoing initiative to even further improve the Sewanee community’s safety and well-being.