What is SeRFS
27 08 2008
SeRFS stands for Safe Rides for Students. It has existed since 2001 as a service that ChallengeMSC provides to all students at Mesa State. If any student needs a ride on Friday or Saturday nights, we’re here for them, no questions asked. There is never any charge to get a ride from SeRFS, but drivers do gratefully accept tips to help offset the costs of donating their own gas.
Why would anyone ever want to drive people who have had too much to drink around? Wikipedia does a great job of describing what being a "SeRF" is:
"The rationale is that a serf "works for all," while a knight
or baron "fights for all" and a churchman "prays for all;" thus
everyone has his place. The serf works harder than the others, and was
the worst fed and paid, but at least he had his place."
The term actually comes from the feudal system – Serfs were the bottom of the barrel, so to say, just one step above slaves. But, they served an important purpose. Without Serfs, the Barons, Knights, Kings, Dukes, etc. wouldn’t eat, wouldn’t have places to live, and would live in the squalor of their own filth. Serfs were the unnoticed gears that kept the monarchy running.
In much the same way, SeRFS has been providing these Safe Rides for seven years, making sure that over 15,000 people that were not capable of driving themselves safely made it home without problems. They give up their own time and money to serve others, and most people don’t even notice the hard work they do.
Before SeRFS began running on the weekends, the rate of student-aged DUI’s was up, as were the number of sexual assaults and violent crimes in the areas that parties occur. Once the idea caught on, all of these statistics began to taper off. SeRFS was and is still making a difference on the Mesa State Campus.
So, next time you or someone you know is thinking of hopping in their car and driving home when they shouldn’t be, remember that there are students out there who care enough to be the DD – even if it means not getting to go out themselves.
Call them anytime between 9 and 2 on Friday or Saturday: 257-9797. It may be the best call you make all weekend.
