Horizons and Youth Bureau Kick-Off the 6th Annual Pizza Box Top Campaign to Combat Underage Drinking
The Town of Smithtown Horizons Counseling and Education Center and Smithtown Youth Bureau, in conjunction with the National Guard Counterdrug Task Force, launched the 6th Annual Pizza Box Top campaign on Thursday, July 21st at the Town of Smithtown Horizons Center. This youth-led initiative works to educate and change adult attitudes regarding providing or selling alcohol to minors. Seventeen youth volunteers devoted their time to adhering a total of 2,500 prevention stickers to carry-out bags at participating pizzerias.
“This is one of our favorite events because it gives families an opportunity to discuss the importance of preventing underage drinking with the young people in their lives. We hope the underage drinking prevention stickers help to open a dialogue within families to discuss this difficult topic.” - Kelly DeVito - Youth Services Coordinator, Horizons Counseling and Education Center
The seventeen students who participated in this year’s Pizza Box Top event adhered 2,500 prevention messaging stickers on carry-out bags from several local participating Pizzerias including; Mema’s in Commack, Branchinelli’s in Hauppauge, Mama’s Brick Oven in Hauppauge, Gino’s in Kings Park, Monte’s in Smithtown, and Buona Sera in Smithtown. The carry-out bags were branded with colorful prevention stickers which read; “Your Actions Matter - Preventing underage drinking is everyone’s responsibility.”
Sergeant Carissa Siry from the National Guard Counterdrug Task Force spoke with the volunteers about the Social Host Law, underage drinking, and the dangers of the Internet, prior to this awareness activity. The New York Social Host Law can impose liability on a social host who provides alcohol to a minor, should that minor become intoxicated and cause injury to another person as a result of that intoxication.
DID YOU KNOW:
Alcohol is the most widely abused drug by young people.
During these times when more people are spending time at home, alcohol use is increasing.
For more information on this and future youth empowerment programs, contact Kelly DeVito at Smithtown Horizons Counseling & Education Center at (631)360-7578 or Stacey Sanders at the Smithtown Youth Bureau at (631)360-7595.