Chestnut Log Wins PSA Contest

The Live Healthy Douglas Coalition partnered with to enter an Alcohol Prevention Public Service Announcement (PSA)
Contest. The contest was part of the Department of Behavioral Health &
Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD)/Office of Prevention Services and
Programs (OPSP) statewide alcohol awareness campaign. The Live Healthy
Douglas Coalition and Douglas Public Health are part of the Region 1
communities and the contest was part of the Alcohol Awareness Month
community education events. The Live Healthy Douglas Coalition Alcohol
Prevention Program Coordinator, Tamekis Williams worked with the
principal, Dr. Nicole Keith and six 8th graders from Chestnut Log Middle
School. The participants who acted the final audio PSA were 8th graders
Kayla Hill and Timothy Olvera.

The PSA’s focus was to educate the public about monitoring access to
alcohol in their home. The setting of the PSA is after class on a Friday
and the students are discussing what they are doing for the weekend. One
student states that he is “getting wasted” this weekend and his
counterpart states that he is not old enough to purchase alcohol. The
student then states that he has alcohol in the “refrigerator right by
the milk.” The student goes on to state how easy it is to access
alcohol and how his parents do not know he consumes the alcohol --
“it’s not like they check the bottle when they finish.”

This PSA educates the community about the number one place where youth access alcohol and that is at a friend’s house or their very own home. Parents/guardians need to do an assessment of how easy it is for their children to access alcohol in their home. Most parents educate their
kids about the danger of alcohol use/abuse and some may feel that their
child may never indulge in drinking alcohol. It is important that
parents reiterate the risk and consequence associated with alcohol
use/abuse and place their alcohol under lock and key.

The Live Healthy Douglas Coalition PSA won the Region 1 state
competition and will be sent to local radio stations. If you would like
more information about underage and young adult alcohol use/ abuse and
to hear the PSA, please visit www.didyouknowfacts.net and click on
Region 1 Douglas Public Health. You may contact Melva Robertson,
mbrobertson@dhr.state.ga.us for more information.