Riverhead Youth Coalition Participate in Sticker Shock Initiative

RIVERHEAD, NY - Members of the Riverhead Central School District Youth Coalition recently participated in a Sticker Shock initiative at Riverhead Beverage with support from Riverhead Police Chief Hegermiller and Councilman John Dunleavy.

The event took place at Riverhead Beverage located on 998 Osborn Avenue and is the second time that Riverhead Beverage has participated in the event.

Sticker Shock is a campaign that aims to reduce underage drinking by limiting youth access to alcohol.

The goal is to educate adults who might provide alcohol to youth about the law that prohibits furnishing alcohol to minors.

Youth and adult volunteers, including law enforcement, place warning stickers on multi-packs of beer and other alcoholic beverages at participating local stores.

The sticker warns that it is illegal to provide alcohol to minors.

This is the Riverhead Youth Coalition’s third Sticker Shock campaign in the past year.

The campaign began after recent surveys taken by students indicated that over half of Riverhead High School 12th graders reported drinking alcohol in the past 30 days, and over half of those who drank alcohol reported getting it from a friend or family member who is over 21.

Chief Hegermiller and Councilman Dunleavy are big supporters of the event and helped the students apply the stickers to the beverage packaging.

Photo Caption: Members of the RHS Youth Coalition outside Riverhead Beverage with Riverhead Town Councilperson John Dunleavy (left), Kelly Miloski, Community Prevention Specialist, (front right) and Riverhead Police Chief Hegermiller (far right back row) outside of Riverhead Beverage.

Photo courtesy of Riverhead Central School District