A year after University of Colorado freshman Gordie Bailey drank himself to death during a fraternity initiation rite, those closest to him are working to prevent a similar tragedy from happening again.
Former members of Bailey's fraternity, leaders of an organization founded after his death, and his family have events planned for Saturday in Boulder as part of a wide- ranging effort to teach other students about the realities - and dangers - of alcohol.
Planned first is a forum involving leaders from fraternities, sororities and other student groups, followed later by a remembrance vigil outside the now-defunct fraternity house where Bailey died of alcohol poisoning on Sept. 17, 2004.
"We thought this was just an appropriate time," said Matt Goode, who is helping organize the events.
Goode, a senior majoring in finance, is one of a dozen former members of the Chi Psi fraternity who pleaded guilty to providing alcohol to minors in the wake of Bailey's death.
Bailey and other Chi Psi pledges were taken to a forested area near Gold Hill, given four 1.75-liter bottles of whiskey and six 1.5-liter bottles of wine, and were told, according to court documents, that "no one was leaving until the whiskey was gone."
Back at the Chi Psi house, across from the CU campus, fraternity members left Bailey on a couch, assuming he'd sleep off the liquor he consumed.
They found him dead the next morning. His death came just weeks after Colorado State University student Samantha Spady died after a night of drinking in Fort Collins.
The national Chi Psi fraternity revoked the Boulder chapter's charter in response to Bailey's death.
Goode had known Bailey for only a couple weeks before he died.
"I knew him well enough to know that he was a real good kid," Goode said.
That someone could die that way caught Goode "by surprise."
"My goal for the past year has been to spread the knowledge that I have learned about alcohol, alcohol poisoning and the dangers of alcohol to prevent that from happening again," Goode said.
That effort already has spawned the Gordie Foundation and a group called GORD, which stands for Guidelines and Objectives of Responsible Drinking. It takes another step with Saturday's events.
Beginning at noon at the University Memorial Center, a forum will look at binge drinking. In addition to a talk by Michael Lanahan, Bailey's stepfather, the forum will include a physician's detailed discussion of alcohol poisoning.
At 5:30 p.m., Bailey's family and friends will gather on the lawn of the former Chi Psi house to celebrate his life. The goal of that gathering, Goode said, is simple:
"To remember Gordie."
Memorial schedule
Two events are planned Saturday in Boulder to mark the anniversary of the alcohol-poisoning death of University of Colorado freshman Gordie Bailey:
• At noon, a forum involving Bailey's family, fraternity and sorority leaders, and representatives of other student groups will examine the dangers of alcohol and binge drinking on campus and look at ways to address the problem. Among the speakers will be Michael Lanahan, Bailey's stepfather, and Dr. William B. McIlvaine Jr., associate chairman of anesthesiology and critical care medicine at Children's Hospital of Los Angeles. Lanahan will provide a perspective on Gordie Bailey's death and McIlvaine will provide a technical analysis on alcohol poisoning. The forum will be held in Room 235 of CU's University Memorial Center.
• At 5:30 p.m., family and friends will gather on the lawn of the former Chi Psi fraternity house, 1080 14th St. in Boulder, to remember Bailey and celebrate his life.
• Information: www.gordcolorado.com or www.thegordiefoundation.org
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