Diana Starace
The Dunellen Municipal Alliance, in collaboration with the Middlesex County Coalition for Healthy Communities, sponsored “Project Sticker Shock”, a campaign designed to raise awareness about underage drinking and youth access to alcohol. Alcohol has been identified as the #1 drug of choice among youth, and accorded to surveys, is one of the easiest to obtain.
Youth and adult leaders, along with teen members of Dunellen’s 1st Presbyterian Church “Cellar” group, attended a fun and engaging educational session about underage drinking and the risks associated with it on Friday evening, November 18. The next morning, they visited Dunellen Liquors and Maggie Murray’s Pub House to place bright green stickers on multipacks of beer, wine coolers and other alcoholic products that appeal to underage drinkers. The stickers were printed with the reminder: “KEEP IT LEGAL! It’s ILLEGAL to buy alcohol for youth under age 21. The penalty is up to 6 Months Jail Time + $1,000 Fine.”
The first Sticker Shock project was designed by a group of youth in Pennsylvania in 1998 and now is promoted nationwide. In NJ, this evidence-based environmental strategy was originally promoted by the New Jersey Prevention Network to educate the public and change community attitudes about selling and serving alcohol to anyone under the age of 21.
The organization’s next youth event is a “First Saturday Teen Night”, on January 7 at 7pm at the Dunellen Community Center in Columbia Park. All teens are invited to join us for a fun teen-led evening full of activities, games, food, and prizes.
For more information regarding the youth events or membership, residents can contact Diana Starace and Terri Albertson at dunellenma@gmail.com.