Planning Tasks

March

Think about how you can use the draft/template documents on the Resources page.
Select your project media advocate/spokesperson early. Your media advocate/spokesperson should begin to make contacts and prepare for interviews that will start in April.
Decide if your community effort will include a Parent Network. Networks can be a great way to link parents who do not support or allow underage drinking in their homes.
Scout out prime locations for large banners and get permission to hang one during April and/or May.
Download and print-off the “WI Proclamation” from Resources and ask your village board or city council to declare April Parents Who Host Lose the Most: Don’t Be a Party to Teenage Drinking Month.
Contact service clubs and civic groups about making a presentation in April or May. NOTE: A PowerPoint presentation, including a suggested script, can be viewed and downloaded for your use from Resources
Offer to help local law enforcement recruit youth volunteers for alcohol age compliance checks.
Negotiate and reserve ad space in local print media. Don’t forget the local shopper circular.

April

Spokesperson/media advocate arranges interviews with local media. As articles and ads begin to appear, collect these clippings. Check out articles from the 2009 campaign in Good News!!
Make presentations to groups, about the project–take yard signs so that people who don’t host can be visible throughout the community by placing the signs in their yards. A presentation is on the Resources page
Begin putting informational handouts on pizza boxes, in grocery bags and at other heavily traveled locations that agree to distribute your material.
Begin to put posters up around the area. There is room at the bottom to display your coalition contact data OR instructions about reporting underage drinking parties. For example: If you see underage drinking, call XXX-XXXX. Or dial 911.
Don’t forget to place coalition information at local banks, credit unions, library and post office.
Ask local churches to put a note in the Sunday bulletin about April being alcohol awareness month and your Parents Who Host project.
Organize youth volunteers to place static clings on every commercial refrigerator case and the front door of every place that sells alcohol in your community.

May

Once the first round of alcohol age compliance checks is complete, help local police publicize the results. The message is: Adults who purchase pour and provide alcohol for youth are breaking the law, endangering youth and exposing themselves to huge civil lawsuits.
Arrange for a youth volunteer crew to “refresh” the refrigerator clings.
Check back with local vendors distributing information sheets to offer more materials. Add florists and tuxedo rental locations to the list of places distributing informational fliers.
Write letters to the editor of your local papers supporting police action to terminate underage drinking parties. If a police action takes place, send the letters–don’t wait for the backlash.
Include information about hosting issues in articles about prom and graduation parties.

June

Gather all of the clippings including letters, articles and ads. You should keep copies to evaluate which approaches and media outlets really furthered the campaign.
Thank your supporters. Consider certificates and a very public “Thanks!” to every business that agreed to post the window clings and/or distributed your materials, and the organizations that invited your group to present. And thank the committee members–pat yourselves on the back.
Thank the police for doing a difficult job.
Prepare follow-ups including letters to the editor thanking supporters, parents who did not serve alcohol to youth and articles about changing beliefs and successes from your project.
After prom and graduation, collect signs for the 2011 effort.

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