Young White Rock students have a thing or two to say about drinking and driving this year, and their messages are in – er… on – the bag.
About 300 bags, actually.
“One of them said, ‘Rudolph will know you did it’,” said Const. Janelle Shoihet, of notes carefully added to brown paper bags that will be distributed at the Sandpiper Liquor Store.
The effort was part of BC Liquor Stores’ bag-decorating program, in which school-aged children decorate bags that are then used to package liquor-store purchases.
Shoihet took the challenge – which she dubbed Project Paper Bag – to students at White Rock and Peace Arch elementaries.
“I’m so pleased with the outcome, because the bags look fantastic and it’s such a simple thing.”
Some of the children were so proud of their bags, they wanted to keep them to give as gifts to their parents.
Teacher Jessica Beggs is confident her Grade 4/5 students at White Rock Elementary understood the goal; to get people who are buying alcohol to think about potential consequences of not being responsible with it.
“They were really proud of that, that the message would get there,” Beggs said.
Other messages included, “We are not cats, we only live once” and “Seriously dude, don’t drink and drive.”
Shoihet’s personal favourite brought her into the picture: “Don’t drink and drive or my good friend Const. Shoihet will be waiting for you.”
“I think they’re getting the message behind it,” she said. “A lot of effort went into these.”
Shoihet said she learned of the program through the Surrey and White Rock ICBC road safety co-ordinator, and plans to bring it back next year. She hopes to get South Surrey students involved as well.
It’s an opportunity to get kids talking about the issue and gives them a chance to make a difference in their communities, she said.