Spruce Grove students spread safe and sober driving message

City of Spruce Grove Safe City initiative

By

December 13, 2011

Students from several Spruce Grove schools will be using their artistic skills to remind people to support safe and sober driving this holiday season, thanks to a City of Spruce Grove Safe City initiative.

The students will be decorating approximately 2,000 brown paper bags, which will then be distributed to several Spruce Grove liquor stores and used to package purchases throughout the holiday season.

“We wanted to find a new and unique way to remind people not to drink and drive,” said RCMP Const. Barbara Roy. “This project not only gets local students involved in sharing this important message, but it will also provide people with a timely and one-of-a kind visual reminder when they are purchasing alcohol.”

The bags will be delivered to liquor stores over the coming weeks, so residents should be watching to see if their purchases are packed in one of these individually decorated bags.

James McKenna’s Grade 5 class at Greystone Centennial Middle School is one of many Spruce Grove classrooms participating in the project.

“It provides us with an opportunity to talk about the subject of drinking and driving,” said McKenna. “It’s also a positive way for the students to get involved and make an impact in their community.”

Traffic safety specialist and MADD Parkland Chapter president Dale Friedel says he’s pleased to see such a collaborative and pro-active approach to spreading this message, especially during a time of year when there tends to be an increase in impaired driving.

“I’d like to thank everyone who is participating in this great initiative,” said Friedel. “This is just one more way we can encourage people to make the right choice because when you drive under the influence, it’s not just your life on the line.”

Check out photos from James McKenna’s Grade 5 class at Greystone Centennial Middle School.