Over 400 students came to Sacramento State’s annual Natural High Fair in the University Union Thursday to learn about alcohol and drug safety.-

The event, scheduled for 2 p.m. in the library quad, was moved inside because of some heavy rain the night before.-

Several informational booths were set up throughout the building along with games and prizes, including donations from the campus bookstore, Office Depot and The Old Spaghetti Factory for students to take home.-

Workers for the fair said the event has always been productive and this year the student turn out was really good.-

“I was very impressed,” said Jessica Heskin, director of the Women’s Resource Center.-

The Women’s Resource Center, along with several other on and off campus organizations set up in the Union, provided students with campus and community resources to help them become more involved and away from alcohol and drugs.-

One of the organizations in support of the fair included the Student Health Center, which had a flu clinic scheduled the same day and could not participate this year. –

“It’s creative and generates a lot of interest,” said Dorlene Spencer, who works at the health center in the Union.-

Although she and other Student Health Center employees were unable to help out at the fair, they kept updated on the event and its outcome.-

“The response was positive from the students,” said Laurie Bisset-Grady, who works at the university’s main health center.-

Natural High Fair is a national event that all colleges include on their campuses and one that Sac State has put on for over 15 years.-

The campus’ Recreational Sports Department started the event after the National Intramural Recreational Sports Association began encouraging the fair as a way to advertise and promote recreational sports on college campuses.-

A few years ago, Rec. Sports teamed up with the Health Education Department after its event continued getting scheduled the same week as Alcohol Awareness Week, another campus event put on by Health Education.-

Both departments put on the natural High Fair to give students ideas for alternative activities and safer drinking practices.-

“We want to show Sacramento State students that there are lots of ways to have a good time without using alcohol or drugs,” said Ken Morton, coordinator of recreational sports.-

The theme for the fair was called “With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility,” to reflect both departments’ realization that drugs and alcohol are in students’ lives whether they use them or not. –

“We’re not here to tell people not to drink,” said Cyndra Krogen, who works with the Alcohol Awareness program for the Health Education Department in the Student Heath Center.-

She said the Natural High Fair recognizes the students’ power to choose.”We trust students to make the right choice,” Krogen said.-

The American Lung Association of Sacramento Emigrant Trails, Mellow Me Out, Sac State’s Yoga Meditation Club and the Berkley Psychic Institute were some of the organizations and groups with informational booths set up in the union this year. –

The fair has also had the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Friends of the River, Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the Rivercats come to Sac State to offer volunteer and community service opportunities in the past. “It’s nice to have the fair where students are at instead of having them come to the event because it increases their participation,” Spencer said.-