Stearns County, along with other members of the regional Safe Communities Gateway Partnership of Sherburne, Mille Lacs, Isanti and Wright Counties, is collaborating with Coborn’s, Inc. to get out the “Don’t Drink & Drive” message for the 4th of July Holiday.
Anyone stopping to fill up with gas at Little Duke’s/Holiday Stores will see the message “Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving. Will you be around to see the fireworks this July?” on the pump topper. Shoppers in Coborn’s grocery stores as well as liquor stores will get a bag stuffer warning of the costs of getting caught drinking and driving. Messages will be delivered in Stearns, Benton, Wright, Mille Lacs, Isanti, Kanabec and Sherburne Counties.
"As we enjoy the July 4th Holiday, Coborn's wants everyone to play it safe! That's why we've partnered with Safe Communities to deliver the message 'Don't Drink & Drive,'" said Coborn's spokesperson, Steve Gottwalt. "As people fuel up, it's the perfect opportunity to remind them."
In addition, a billboard will be placed on Highway 10 between St. Cloud and Rice to reach people with the safe driving message as they head up north.
The Safe Communities Gateway Partnership wants to assure nobody’s holiday is wrecked. The Partnership hopes these pump toppers and bag stuffers will personally target individuals to get out the message about playing it safe and not drinking and driving this 4th of July.
Stearns County’s Safe Communities Coalition was formed by the Stearns County Human Services Public Health Division through a grant from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety/Office of Traffic Safety with the goal of driving the number of traffic deaths toward zero.
If you would like to be a part of Stearns County’s Safe Communities Coalition and work to end traffic deaths, join the group at their next meeting on August 6, 2007 from 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. in the Birch Room at the St. Cloud Hospital Conference Center. If you can’t make the meeting, you can contact Susie Osaki Holm in Public Health at 320-656-6083.