Campaign sends important message
<p>A photographer takes pictures of local law enforcement officials as part of a billboard campaign that will launch in October.</p>
PLAINS - Local agencies came together to help send an important message to kids as they start a new school year - the dangers of drinking and driving.
Last week the agencies met at both the Wildhorse Plains Golf Course and the Clark Fork Valley Hospital. Local law enforcement partnered with the Sanders County DUI Task Force and Elevate Youth to create billboards around the issue of drinking and driving and back to school safety.
“The idea behind the billboard is to create the awareness that drinking and driving often results in injury or at least a trip to jail along with penalties. This problem is 100 percent preventable, it should be simple, if you drink, don’t drive,” Krista Standeford of the DUI task force said. “The billboard will read, ‘If you drink and drive, we will provide the ride.’ - A simple message from law enforcement and health care professionals.”
A second set of billboards will feature local students, part of Elevate Youth, in a campaign called, “we want you back.” The premise of the “we want you back” campaign is to let students know that this year they will be faced with many choices that impact their health and wellbeing.
“We want it to be known that as parents, teachers, law enforcement and a community that we want them back home safe and sound each day. We want to encourage them to buckle up, ride safe, ride sober and stay away from prescription drugs,” Chuck Standeford of Elevate Youth said.
Both the golf course and the hospital were helpful and flexible in supplying the location of the shoot, something Krista said was a community effort.
“Everyone involved is looking forward to seeing the final product and hope to see an increase in public awareness because of the billboards,” Krista said.
The billboards should be up by the end of October. The Sanders County Sheriff’s Office, Montana Highway Patrol, Plains Ambulance, Sunset Hills Funeral Home and the police departments of Plains, Hot Springs and Thompson Falls participated in the photos.