phone: 465.2212
phone: 831-454-5003
MEDIA ADVISORY
61 Business Owners Recognized As Responsible Alcohol Merchants
Santa Cruz County, CA — March 16, 2012 — FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Santa Cruz County Friday Night Live Partnership youth are excited to announce the winners of the 11th Annual Responsible Alcohol Merchant Awards (RAMA) Program. RAMA recognizes Santa Cruz County alcohol merchants who actively work to restrict alcohol sales to minors and compliant with current local beverage control regulations. This year, twenty local youth interviewed and assessed 78 local merchants and they are pleased to recognize 61 business owners.
In 2009, underage customers consumed 17.5% of all alcohol sold in California, totaling $3,352 million in sales (in 2010 dollars). These sales provided profits of $1,641 million to the alcohol industry. For this reason, community leaders have partnered with alcohol retailers to actively discourage and limit youth access to alcoholic beverages. To directly address the issue of underage sales Friday Night Live youth conducting interviews and on-site evaluations with merchants to assess their carding and training practices, adherence to the law and asked all participating merchants to sign and prominently display a “Merchant Committed” pledge that demonstrates the merchant’s dedication to not provide alcohol to youth.
Merchants who met the highest grading criteria set by local FNL youth, posted the Merchant Pledge poster and hold a clean ABC record are being recognized as Exemplary Merchants this year. The merchants who did not hit the highest standards set in all categories or that chose not to display the poster are recognized as traditional RAMA Merchants this year. All 1st year winners receive a certificate. Multi-year winners receive a plaque that they often display to illustrate their commitment to preventing underage drinking to their patrons as well as to encourage the employees and patrons to continue their responsible practices.
Merchants were nominated to the awards program based on their interview and willingness to comply with RAMA standards. RAMA is overseen by the Community Prevention Partners of Santa Cruz County and is a program of Project CURB (Communities United to Reduce Bingeing)/ Together For Youth, and Santa Cruz County Friday Night Live Partnership. RAMA is a unique partnership that brings together drug and alcohol prevention agencies with representatives from the alcohol industry, local elected officials, and law enforcement to educate merchants and the community about the dangers of contributing to underage drinking.
Sincere congratulations and thanks to each of these merchants for making Santa Cruz County a safer place for our youth.
2011 Responsible Alcohol Merchant Exemplary Award Winners are:
BARSI’S LIQUOR STORE - WATSONVILLE
CORRALITOS MARKET & SAUSAGE CO. - CORRALITOS
COST PLUS – SANTA CRUZ
CVS PHARMACY - FELTON
MI PUEBLO FOOD CENTER -
NEW LEAF COMMUNITY MARKET – BOULDER CREEK
NEW LEAF COMMUNITY MARKET – Fair Ave, SANTA CRUZ
SAFEWAY - APTOS
7 ELEVEN– Mission St, SANTA CRUZ
7 ELEVEN– Portola Dr, SANTA CRUZ
STAFF OF LIFE NATURAL FOOD MARKET – SANTA CRUZ
SAVE MART SUPERMARKET - CAPITOLA
SAFEWAY - SCOTTS VALLEY
7 ELEVEN– Main St, WATSONVILLE
7 ELEVEN - Airport Blvd, WATSONVILLE
VALERO CORNER STORE– Freedom Blvd, WATSONVILLE
2011 Responsible Alcohol Merchant Award Winners are:
ALDAMA’S CARNICERIA Y MARKETA
AZTECA MARKET
BEVERAGES AND MORE
BOB’S MISSION HILL VALERO – SANTA CRUZ
CASSERLY GROCERY
CVS PHARMACY– Mission St, SANTA CRUZ
D'LA COLMENA
DEKE'S MARKET
DJ’S MINI MART - SANTA CRUZ
EL CHARRITO
FRESH FARM PRODUCE
HARVEST MOON MARKET
KONG’S MARKET
LAS LOMAS MARKET
LA ESPERENZA MARKET – Railroad Ave, WATSONVILLE
LEO'S SCOTTS VALLEY LIQUOR STORE
M&V BOULDER CREEK LIQUORS
MEL'S MARKET
NEW LEAF COMMUNITY MARKET - CAPITOLA
NEW LEAF COMMUNITY MARKET – FELTON
NEW LEAF COMMUNITY MARKET – Pacific Ave, SANTA CRUZ
NOB HILL FOODS – WATSONVILLE
PAJARO FOODS
PALM MARKET AND DELI
PLAZA SHELL AND FOOD MART – CAPITOLA
PREGO PREGO
QUIK STOP MARKET - SOQUEL
REDWOOD KEG
RITE AID – APTOS
RITE AID– FELTON
RITE AID - CAPITOLA
RITE AID - FREEDOM
RITE AID–SANTA CRUZ
SAVE MART – WATSONVILLE
SEASCAPE FOODS
SOQUEL AMERICAN
SUPER MAX 5
U SAVE LIQUORS - SANTA CRUZ
VALERO CORNER STORE– Capitola Rd, SANTA CRUZ
VALERO CORNER STORE– 1516 Soquel, SANTA CRUZ
VALERO CORNER STORE - SCOTTS VALLEY
WATSONVILLE CAR WASH
WHOLE FOODS MARKET – SANTA CRUZ
7 ELEVEN– Ocean St, SANTA CRUZ
7 ELEVEN– SCOTTS VALLEY
For additional information, please contact:
Aimee Mangan
Friday Night Live Program Coordinator
Santa Cruz County Alcohol and Drug Program
1400 Emeline Ave.
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
OFFICE: 831.454.5003
FAX: 831.454.4747
EMAIL:
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