SHEO Awards Local Businesses

DAYTON -- Local businesses in Dayton received certificates May 16 for meeting requirements meant to decrease underage drinking.

The businesses, evaluated by the Dayton Junior High's Students Helping Each Other (SHEO) club, were rewarded with certificates for helping reduce underage drinking by meeting seven of 10 requirements for SHEO's Let's Draw the Line campaign.

Ten Dayton stores were recognized. Those businesses are The General Store, Chevron PDQ, Steve's Grocery, Shell Service and Food Mart, Dayton Mercantile, Ameristar Store # 1 and Mc- Quary's Grocery.

"All of our stores met the requirements," Peggy Gutierrez, an adviser to the SHEO club said.

Gutierrez, who is a prevention specialist at Blue Mountain Counseling, said the businesses needed to demonstrate a conscious understanding of the underage drinking prevention methods outlined by the Let's Draw the Line campaign to be recognized.

"The junior high SHEO club is working with retailers to reduce the amount of underage drinking," Gutierrez said.

The campaign focused on alcohol and tobacco placement in stores

"The biggest issue I saw was when alcohol is next to energy drinks because they are heavily marketed to teens," Gutierrez said.

The SHEO students completed training on alcohol and tobacco advertising so they could recognize it when they visited the stores and evaluate how the businesses exposed underage people to restricted products.

"Alcohol is such a normal part of our society," Gutierrez said. "Kids are growing up used to seeing alcohol everywhere."

This early exposure increases the likelihood of minors drinking, Gutierrez said.

There is an incredible amount of damage to young people when they drink, she added.

By reducing the level of exposure the students have to alcohol, the risks can be significantly reduced.

As a method of helping people become aware of the issue of underage drinking, the SHEO club had students and adults sign "Hero Cards." The cards encourage the signer to be a hero by talking to family and friends about underage drinking, asking stores to check everyone's identification, working with a youth group to reduce use, participating with a prevention coalition and never providing alcohol to minor.

The students were able to collect 208 hero cards between youths and adults. The students who signed the cards made a commitment not to drink until they are 21.

"We want to change the mindset," Gutierrez said. "We're making people think about this."

The businesses were very receptive, she said. None refused access and most were welcoming and helpful for the kids.

Gutierrez said she knows alcohol is a major sales product for businesses and the group still wants businesses to be successful.

By discouraging alcohol advertising to minors the businesses and students are taking baby steps toward a safer and healthier youth.

While none of the businesses attended the Dayton School Board meeting on May 16 to receive their award, the certificates have all been presented to the businesses.