MLHS hosts night out against underage drinking

MOSES LAKE - Area teens and their families are invited to recognize National Underage Drinking Prevention Day on Monday with a night out.

The event takes place from 6 to 8 p.m. at Moses Lake High School and is organized by the Moses Lake Community Prevention Coalition (MLPC). It includes exhibits, activities and presentations centered on educating the public about the impact of drug use and underage drinking.

Every two years, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) helps fund town hall meetings in communities across the country in an effort to reduce the negative impacts of underage drinking.

More than 2,000 events were held across the country in 2010, according to Carolyn Pence, the prevention specialist with the Grant County Prevention and Recovery Center, which oversees the MLPC.

"We've held town hall meetings in the past, but we decided to make this a more family friendly event," she said. "We're doing it as a youth-led event, and we have youth ambassadors who will be in charge of activities, information booths and some will speak on local statistics."

According to a 2010 Healthy Youth Survey, 71 percent of Moses Lake High School seniors said alcohol is easy to get, 40 percent reported current alcohol use and 20 percent reported problem alcohol use. About 24 percent of the seniors surveyed reported riding with someone who'd been drinking while 14 percent said they had personally driven after drinking.

Exhibits and topics Monday night will include "Fatal Vision Goggles," prevention activities for all ages and presentations by Grant County Prosecutor Angus Lee, chemical dependency professionals and health district personnel.

"It's geared toward teens and their parents, but we wanted to have activities that were inviting to the younger kids so the whole family could come," Pence said.

The event will culminate with "draw the line," Pence said, with everyone invited to go outside and hold blue sheets of paper in a long line to signify a commitment to standing against underage drinking.

"We hope to have enough people to go from the high school to Pioneer Way," she said.

For more information contact Pence at 509-765-5402, extension 5407, or email cpence@co.grant.wa.us