In conjunction with the month of April’s “Alcohol Awareness Month”, the Will County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition and the Will County Sheriff’s Office, successfully conducted two initiatives throughout Will County in its efforts to bring attention to the illegal purchase of alcohol to minors and to adults who illegally purchase alcohol for minors.

On Saturday, April 13th, six area students and members from the Coalition completed a “Sticker Shock Campaign” at liquor store establishments in Homer Glen, Lockport, Joliet, and Plainfield. The team placed 455 bottle hanger tags and 364 stickers on individual bottles and cases of alcohol warning buyers against allowing minors to purchase alcohol, the use of fake ID’s, and warning adults who provide alcohol to minors.

On April 5th and April 20th, the Will County Sheriff’s Office, alongside youth participants, conducted alcohol sales compliance checks in twenty-one liquor sale establishments throughout unincorporated areas of Will County. This initiative reminds retail store owners and their employees that it is illegal to sell alcohol to minors. Of the twenty-one stores, four establishments sold alcohol to minors. They are Circle K Store, 12819 W. 143rd St. in Homer Glen; Homer Liquors, 13011 W. 143rd St. in Homer Glen; Speedway Gas, 12007 W. 159th St. in Homer Glen; and New Lenox Food & Liquors, 13410 Route 6 in Mokena.

The Will County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition is funded in part by the Drug Free Communities grant and private donations to help promote awareness, education and community-wide prevention initiatives as a means to reduce the use of alcohol, tobacco, marijuana and other drug use by youth. The Coalition partners with local businesses, churches, law enforcement, healthcare providers, schools, local government, media, civic groups, social services, substance abuse agencies, youth and parents to make an impact.

For more information, please call the Prevention Coordinator at: 815-727-5380.
Follow us on Facebook at Will County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition!

(Photos attached. All photos taken at Kenwood Liquors, Homer Glen - Owner, Mikey Dixon - who fully supported the Sticker Shock campaign.)

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