Two dangers on college campus: excessive drinking and hazing. Put together, the combination can be deadly for students.

Case in point: In 2004, all-American, 18-year-old Gordie Bailey died due to a non-violent, alcohol-related hazing incident at the University of Colorado at Boulder. He had only been on campus for three weeks.

In his honor, his parents founded The Gordie Foundation to raise awareness about the dangers of hazing and overindulging in alcohol.

This week, Hartwick College in Oneonta, NY, was one of 137 campuses that participated in the second annual National GORDIEday — which celebrates the lives of Gordie Bailey and other students who have died from alcohol-related incidents. The Foundation also produced the film “HAZE” which puts a face on the dangers of hazing and unhealthy drinking habits.

Hartwick’s director of athletics Debbie Warren reported participation in GORDIEday:

• helped create responsible student behavior
• generated open dialogue about hazing, and
• emphasized actions to take when friends drink too much.

Focusing on educating students to make responsible decisions, The Gordie Foundation provides free educational materials for participating schools to distribute to students.

Did your school participate in National GORDIEday? If so, tell us about it in the comments section below.

Tags: alcohol abuse, hazing, The Gordie Foundation, University of Colorado