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Communications

Date: April 22, 2013

To: All U.Va. Students

From: Patricia M. Lampkin, Vice President and Chief Student Affairs Officer

Re: Going to Foxfield this Weekend? Please Read for More Information

Reminders for Having a Safe Foxfield

See ADAPT’s Foxfield webpage for additional information.

 

Please take a few minutes to think about your personal safety if you are attending Foxfield this Saturday:

  • Make a plan to get home safely. If you are taking a chartered bus, make sure your group’s name is prominently displayed on the bus. At the end of the day, it can be hard to pick out your bus in a field full of buses that look the same. If you do not have a sober driver, use Foxfield's shuttle to travel safely between the Grounds and Foxfield. The free Safe Ride cab program is no longer offered by the sponsor. No one should risk drinking and driving. See detailed information below.
  • To learn more about Foxfield safety, attend one of the Foxfield education programs on Wednesday, April 24, at 6:30 p.m. or 8 p.m. in Newcomb Theater. The event is sponsored by the U.Va. ADAPT (Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Team) peer educators and includes presentations by Foxfield and Albemarle County Police. The presentation fulfulls FOA requirements.
  • Always carry a photo ID and write down your plot location. It’s easy to lose your bearings once the infield is full of people. Also keep important phone numbers with you. Make sure your friends do the same.
  • As a safety measure, drivers are being asked to drop off passengers inside the Foxfield grounds instead of Garth Road. Drivers will receive a free shuttle pass allowing them to quickly and safely drop off passengers inside the grounds.
  • If you are intoxicated, your impaired judgment places your health and safety at much greater risk, and you could receive a police citation. If you do plan to drink, set a limit on the number of drinks you’ll have and stick to it. The first 700 students who sign the Savvy Fox pledge not to drink at the races receive a T-shirt and free sodas. See detailed information below.
  • If you accept a beverage from someone, make sure that you know the individual, you have observed the drink being prepared, and you never leave it unattended. Exercise caution in any public setting with any beverage.
  • Always comply with requests from the police and Foxfield security officials.
  • Never leave a friend alone, especially if impaired, and do not hesitate to call 911 if medical attention is needed. Contacting Foxfield staff is another option.

Dear Students:

 

For many of you, this weekend will be a chance to celebrate before classes end and exams begin. Please make plans to keep yourself and your friends safe.

 

If you attend the Foxfield Races, you will notice a significant law enforcement presence. As a reminder, this is not a U.Va.-sponsored event. The Virginia State Police, the Virginia Department of Alcohol Beverage Control, and the Albemarle County Police are continuing their efforts to provide a safe environment for spectators attending the races and to deter and detect crime – specifically alcohol- and drug-related offenses. These agencies, as well as a private security force, will be monitoring the crowd closely and citing those who engage in illegal activities.

 

In addition to making sure you bring enough water, food and sunscreen to the event, consider the following ways to stay safe on Saturday.

 

Transportation

  • Public transportation, provided by UTS buses and Wahooptie, will be available on Saturday.
    • Cost: $15 round trip or $10 return only.
    • Pick-up and drop-off points:
      • The Student Activities Building at Scott Stadium.
      • McCormick Road near the Chapel.
      • Beta Bridge.
    • Times: 8:45 to 11:30 a.m. (to Foxfield) and 3 to 5:30 p.m. (return to Grounds). The taxi/shuttle pick up is near the main pedestrian entrance tent at Foxfield.
    • Tickets may be purchased in advance at www.foxfieldraces.com, Pink Palm or with exact cash only at the pick-up site.
  • Students may leave their cars in the Foxfield Parking Lot overnight if needed, free of charge or risk of towing.
  • The free Safe Ride cab program is no longer offered.

Get Rewarded for not Drinking

  • The first 700 students who sign the Savvy Fox pledge not to drink at the Foxfield Races will receive a free T-shirt. All who pledge receive free sodas on race day.
  • Students may pledge and pick up a T-shirt at the ADAPT table on the Lawn at the following times:
    • Tuesday, April 23, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
    • Wednesday, April 24, 12 to 3 p.m.
    • Wednesday, April 24, at the Foxfield education program in Newcomb Theater at 6:30 and 8 p.m.
  • Students may also pledge at the Gordie Center for Substance Abuse Prevention at 170 Rugby Road, the back entrance to Madison House, between April 22 and 28 during the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. and at the ADAPT Student Safety Tent at Foxfield, located west of the tower area between the rail and the travel lane.

Food and Water

 

ADAPT peer educators will once again host a Student Safety Tent (located west of the tower area between the rail and the travel lane) to provide free water, light snacks and sunscreen for all race attendees. Students may also sign the Savvy Fox pledge not to drink at the races. The first 700 who sign the pledge will receive a free Foxfield T-shirt. All who pledge will receive free sodas at the ADAPT Student Safety Tent.

 

Guests over 21 years of age may enter with a maximum of one (1) 22-quart container/cooler containing alcoholic beverages. Additional containers/coolers containing only food and nonalcoholic beverages are permitted and are subject to search in compliance with Foxfield Racing Association rules and regulations. Alcoholic beverage quantities in excess of this policy will be confiscated and discarded. All beverages, alcoholic and nonalcoholic, must remain unopened with factory seals intact upon entry. Previously opened beverages will be confiscated and discarded. The Foxfield Races event staff reserves the right to check IDs of all group members for proof of legal age in order to assess if alcohol quantities are in compliance with the event’s rules. A college ID is not legal proof of age for the purpose of consuming alcoholic beverages in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

 

Getting Medical Help

 

If a friend is having too much to drink…

  • Slow the person down before he or she gets worse. Offer the person a nonalcoholic drink or some food. Stop by the ADAPT Student Safety Tent for free water and snack foods.
  • If someone is very impaired, make sure the person is not left alone. BAC can continue to rise after someone stops drinking and even after the person passes out.
  • If you're not sure if your friend needs help, take the person to a First Aid Station for an assessment. The first-aid stations are staffed by U.Va. Emergency Department and EMT personnel. Look for the large white flag with a green first-aid cross. Locations are:
    • Between the airplane hangar and the West Gate.
    • On the paddock line between the orange and green sections.
  • Remember P-U-B-S to know the signs of alcohol poisoning:
    • P uking while passed out. 
    • U nresponsive: no reaction to a firm pinch.
    • B reathing: slow and shallow.
    • S kin: cold and clammy.
  • If you notice even one of these symptoms, call 911 immediately, tell the dispatcher you are at Foxfield and provide your plot location (a letter and number combination found on the parking tag). Medical personnel will come to your location.
  • If you can't get a cell phone signal, find any law enforcement officer or anyone wearing a red, yellow or grey Event Staff shirt and they will radio in your request. Law enforcement's primary goal is to protect participant safety. Don't hesitate to get help.

Other Reminders

  • If you will be taking private transportation to Foxfield, exercise appropriate caution. If you are riding in an open truck or Jeep, do not sit on the edge of the flatbed or at a raised height where you risk serious injury in the event of an accident or flying objects.
  • Drivers can be charged with reckless driving if their passengers are being transported in an unsafe manner.
  • Urination outside and in clear view of others can result in arrest for public urination and/or indecent exposure. Intentional indecent exposure can result in arrest for a sexual criminal misdemeanor. If convicted, you could be placed on the sexual offense registry for a period no less than 10 years.
  • Help keep the grounds and other areas clean. Use trash receptacles provided at the bus stops and in other areas.

For more tips on enjoying a safe Foxfield, please see the racing association's website for students.

 

In addition, the ADAPT website includes information and educational tips.

 

I encourage you to be smart, to think about your personal safety, and to make safety a part of your routine, whether at Foxfield or any other time.

 

Sincerely,

 

Patricia M. Lampkin
Vice President and Chief Student Affairs Officer