GORE BAY—Charles C. McLean Public School (C.C. McLean) students supported the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) to promote its ‘Don’t Drink and Drive’ campaign for the Victoria Day weekend.
“The students made 150 bags that we are giving to all customers to put their liquor purchases in with the messages on them from the students reminding them to not drink and drive,” said Sherri Lee Gagnon, manager of the Gore Bay LCBO store.
The LCBO ‘Don’t Drink and Drive’ school initiative was introduced more than 10 years ago after the LCBO was approached by health units and Arrive Alive. It started with 500 bags that were given to police stations to distribute. During the holidays (December 2015), the program was expanded to include all interested schools across the province. Twenty-five thousand bags were decorated by students (with the Don’t Drink and Drive message) and there was such a positive response that for the first time ever we are using the program to remind people about the dangers of drinking and boating/water activities,” a LCBO release explains.
“We called the school (C.C. McLean) and they were very interested,” said Ms. Gagnon. “So the students made 150 bags with just about all classes in the school participating.”
More than 120 schools in the province took part in the bag program ahead of the Victoria Day long weekend. “Thousands of bags will be handed out to customers as a powerful reminder to be safe this long weekend as friends and families gather at the cottage or for barbecues. This is a busy time of year for water-related activities and mixing beverage alcohol with water activities is just as dangerous as drinking and driving.”
“The program is a local initiative that sees strong support from customers, parents, schools and police. Not only does it deliver an important message to LCBO customers, but it is an educational tool to create awareness about the dangers of drinking and driving,” the release notes. “We recognize and respect that children can be impressionable. That’s why the bags are blank when they are delivered to schools. We work with the teachers and principals to make sure the messaging and pictures drawn on must be about preventing drinking and driving/boating with no brand names or logos whatsoever.”
