MONROE - Parents who host underage drinking parties have a lot to lose.
That's the message of the "Parents Who Host Lose the Most" campaign.
Local police departments, schools and the Green County United Prevention Professionals for Youth (GUPPY) have teamed up to prevent parents from hosting underage drinking parties. The campaign is state-wide, according to Brodhead Middle School counselor Chris Medenwaldt.
A survey of Green County high school students in 2009 found that 40 percent of the students had drank alcohol within the past 30 days, according to Sinem Bertling, chairman of GUPPY.
"Surveys show a lot of alcohol use in our county," she said, "and we also have a problem because parents are hosting parties."
Bertling said people need to remember that alcohol is a drug.
"People don't see it as a drug," she said.
Crimes such as physical abuse or sexual assault are often related to alcohol, she added.
Green County Sheriff Randy Roderick, along with police chiefs from Monroe, Brodhead, New Glarus, Albany and Monticello, want to discourage parents from hosting parties. With graduation and prom just around the corner, this is the time of year when parents are more likely to host a party, Monroe Police Chief Fred Kelley said.
"It's important schools and law enforcement work together to stop parents from hosting underage parties, but the most important part of this is the parents themselves," Kelley said. "Alcohol is the number one drug of abuse. Unfortunately, it's somewhat sanctioned.
"We've experienced fatalities from underage drinking. People need to wake up."
Albany Police Chief Bob Levitt said parents wrongly think alcohol is a safe alternative to other drugs.
"We have a large population who think 'as long as my kids aren't doing drugs, it's OK if they drink alcohol'," he said.
While some parents may consider it safe or even "cool" to host an underage party, they need to be aware of consequences, local officials said.
Parents can be fined more than $200 if they are caught hosting a party, New Glarus Police Chief Steve Allbaugh said. According to Green County District Attorney Gary Luhman, parents can be jailed if they are cited for holding three drinking parties within a 30-day time period.
Parents face felony charges if someone leaves a party and is injured, he added.
Medenwaldt said teens at a party don't even have to leave a house for a parent to be financially responsible.
"We've learned that insurance companies won't cover someone if they're hosting an underage party in their house and someone gets hurt," he said.
Insurance companies can refuse to pay a claim for someone who is injured during an illegal activity, he added.
As part of the campaign, parents can display a "Parents Who Host Lose the Most" sign in their windows. Police are also asking people to report underage drinking, and police are increasing enforcement patrols.
The "Parents Who Host Lose the Most" campaign has been going on three years. Roderick said this is the first time he can remember local schools, police departments and GUPPY working together to prevent parents from hosting parties.
The campaign is funded with a $5,000 grant from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.
That's the message of the "Parents Who Host Lose the Most" campaign.
Local police departments, schools and the Green County United Prevention Professionals for Youth (GUPPY) have teamed up to prevent parents from hosting underage drinking parties. The campaign is state-wide, according to Brodhead Middle School counselor Chris Medenwaldt.
A survey of Green County high school students in 2009 found that 40 percent of the students had drank alcohol within the past 30 days, according to Sinem Bertling, chairman of GUPPY.
"Surveys show a lot of alcohol use in our county," she said, "and we also have a problem because parents are hosting parties."
Bertling said people need to remember that alcohol is a drug.
"People don't see it as a drug," she said.
Crimes such as physical abuse or sexual assault are often related to alcohol, she added.
Green County Sheriff Randy Roderick, along with police chiefs from Monroe, Brodhead, New Glarus, Albany and Monticello, want to discourage parents from hosting parties. With graduation and prom just around the corner, this is the time of year when parents are more likely to host a party, Monroe Police Chief Fred Kelley said.
"It's important schools and law enforcement work together to stop parents from hosting underage parties, but the most important part of this is the parents themselves," Kelley said. "Alcohol is the number one drug of abuse. Unfortunately, it's somewhat sanctioned.
"We've experienced fatalities from underage drinking. People need to wake up."
Albany Police Chief Bob Levitt said parents wrongly think alcohol is a safe alternative to other drugs.
"We have a large population who think 'as long as my kids aren't doing drugs, it's OK if they drink alcohol'," he said.
While some parents may consider it safe or even "cool" to host an underage party, they need to be aware of consequences, local officials said.
Parents can be fined more than $200 if they are caught hosting a party, New Glarus Police Chief Steve Allbaugh said. According to Green County District Attorney Gary Luhman, parents can be jailed if they are cited for holding three drinking parties within a 30-day time period.
Parents face felony charges if someone leaves a party and is injured, he added.
Medenwaldt said teens at a party don't even have to leave a house for a parent to be financially responsible.
"We've learned that insurance companies won't cover someone if they're hosting an underage party in their house and someone gets hurt," he said.
Insurance companies can refuse to pay a claim for someone who is injured during an illegal activity, he added.
As part of the campaign, parents can display a "Parents Who Host Lose the Most" sign in their windows. Police are also asking people to report underage drinking, and police are increasing enforcement patrols.
The "Parents Who Host Lose the Most" campaign has been going on three years. Roderick said this is the first time he can remember local schools, police departments and GUPPY working together to prevent parents from hosting parties.
The campaign is funded with a $5,000 grant from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.