On August 31, 2022, Ten16 Recovery Network’s Collegiate Recovery, Education, and Wellness (CREW) partnered with Ferris State University Office of Student Conduct to commence the fall semester and to celebrate “Recovery Month” with an activity called CREW Cab.
The concept was an off shoot of the television show, Cash Cab. CREW Cab offered the students a ride anywhere on campus via a golf cart, which was skillfully driven by Becca Brumels, assistant director of Student Conduct.
This creative idea, enabled by generous funding from the Jamie Daniels Foundation, not only welcomed students to campus but provided a nonjudgmental zone to have a conversation about drugs. Furthermore, many students learned that CREW has free services encompassing assistance with harm reduction or abstinence, as well as free substance use therapy – also possible through support from the Jamie Daniels Foundation.
As the ride began, Scott Winkle, FSU’s CREW Coordinator, asked the students to play a game called, “Name That Drug”. The student was asked to spin the game wheel that was peppered with questions relating to drugs. The student answered the question, which in turn earned them the opportunity to choose from an array of chocolates, suckers, or smarties from the CREW therapist, Tammie Fogal.
One of the questions asked was: In the U.S., what is the most abused illicit drug?
An array of responses included cocaine, molly, or mushrooms. The correct answer is cannabis.
Cannabis may be permitted for individual use in particular states but, it is still illegal at a Federal level. The CREW Cab had roughly 30 student participants of which the majority were freshman. One freshman was an international student who was visiting the United States for the first time. Students were asked how their experience was going so far and all were excited and happy to be at FSU!
CREW Cab helped relieved stress in several students who were frantically trying to get to a building across campus as they misjudged how long it takes to walk to their destination. We were also able to provide a good deed for the day by providing an upperclassman, who was not feeling well, a ride to their campus apartment.
