The Associated Students Finance Board held its first meeting of the school year Monday afternoon, with its first allocation going to support the Darfur Freedom Fest.

The board unanimously allocated $200 to the event, which will be held in Anisq’ Oyo’ Park this Saturday at 1 p.m. Associated Students (A.S.) President Chaz Whatley said the event – organized by A.S., the campus chapter of Amnesty International and the African Awareness Student Organization – will educate students about the current plight of the Sudanese people. The allocation left Finance Board with $5,642 for the remainder of the fall quarter.

At the festival, two hand-painted beer pong tables as well as gift certificates and products from the event’s sponsors will be given as prizes in a raffle, Whatley said. The event will also include face painting, massages, free food and performances by seven local bands, including the Hairbrain Scheme.

Whatley said the $200 that Finance Board allocated to the event will pay for replacing the existing sound generator in Anisq’ Oyo’ Park.

“[The current generator] blows amps so the music is not very loud and it turns the bass low,” Whatley said. “We need the money so that [sound] can be up to par with other venues.”

A.S. Internal Vice President Adam Graff said the Sudanese people in the Darfur region were suffering at the hands of their own government.

“In the Darfur region, the Sudanese government – which is an Islamic government – has been practicing genocide against non-Muslim Sudanese citizens,” Graff said.

Whatley said millions of non-Muslims have died as a result of the Sudanese government’s actions and said she hopes the festival will help students voice their concerns over the conditions in Sudan.

“Students will be able to write letters to senators and President Bush,” Whatley said. “It should be like a mini Earth Day, so I should hope it would go well.”