Group Aiming to Discourage Teen Drinking to Sponsor Senior Night Football

The Bernards Township Municipal Alliance Against Substance Abuse will sponsor the Ridge Senior Night football game against Watchung Hills and promote its campaign against teen alcohol use at 7 p.m. at home on Friday, Nov. 2.

Members of the Alliance will be on hand with giveaways and prizes, as well as to answer any questions about their latest campaign, “It’s 21 for a Reason.”       

Municipal Alliance coordinator Kaitlin Kordusky said, "The football game is a great setting to spread the word about 'It’s 21 for a Reason' and the Municipal Alliance’s mission of preventing underage drinking. This will be a fun night with giveaways and prizes, and of course, cheering on our team!”

The Ridge High School football team now is undefeated 7-0.

“It’s 21 for a Reason” is a campaign which seeks to educate parents and teens about delaying the age at which young people take their first drink of alcohol.  Studies show that the longer youth wait to start drinking, the smaller their risk of experiencing alcohol-related problems at some point in their lifetime.

The Municipal Alliance offers “It’s 21 for a Reason” presentations to community organizations, detailing risk factors for underage drinking as well as what parents can do to decrease the risk. The Municipal Alliance website has  more information about “It’s 21 for a Reason.”

Other programs that the Municipal Alliance sponsors include Girls on the Run, the Pleasant Valley Twilight Challenge 5K Race, William Annin Middle School’s Youth Summit Day, Neighborhood Coffees, peer leadership training at the Lindsey Meyer Teen Institute, and the Ridge Against Drugs (RAD) Student Leadership Group.

Municipal Alliance/Youth Services meetings are held the first Tuesday after the first Monday of the month from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Bernards Township Town Hall at 1 Collyer Lane in Basking Ridge. Meetings are open to the general public. 

For questions or directions please call 908-204-2523 or email alliance@bernards.org.

The stated mission of the Bernards Township Municipal Alliance Against Substance Abuse is to provide consultation, programs, training, and resources to members of the Bernards Township community with the goal of preventing and reducing the use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs through education, support of alcohol-free events and programs, and by creating a presence in the community.