MEDIA RELEASE

Waimea’s Friday Night Crew youth group is hard at work on its first-ever “Alcohol Logo Lampoon Contest,” open to all North Hawaii youth, grades 6-12.

The Friday Night Crew will host a poster-making party 5:30-7:30 p.m. Friday, March 1 at the Waimea Community Center to help students complete their entry, and all are encouraged to attend.

“The idea is for young artists to create a poster that’s a ‘logo lampoon.’ In other words, mocking or making fun of a real alcohol company logo or advertisement, like ‘Mad Magazine’ used to do,” said youth group leader Beth Mehau. “In doing this, they are focusing on how alcohol would be advertised if they were telling the truth about the consequences of using it.”

Contest entries should educate/inform others about the deceptiveness (false information) of alcohol advertising. For example, “Wine Un-Cooler” is a lampoon way of saying alcohol companies promote the idea that drinking makes people look cool and attractive, when the reality can be quite the opposite.

Entries will be judged by the “deceptiveness/false information” in alcohol advertising (30 percent), creativity, imagination or humor (50 percent) and neatness, presentation and overall appearance (20 percent).

There will be separate divisions for grades 6-8 and 9-12. One entry per person.

Deadline to enter is Monday, March 11, and posters can be dropped off at Mama’s House from 4 to 6 p.m. (Waimea Middle School students have until Tuesday, March 12 to submit to the school office).

The winners will be announced and given their prizes 5:30-7:30 p.m. Friday, March 22 at the youth group meeting at Waimea Community Center.

Awards to include: $50 Visa card to the top overall entry; $25 Visa card for second prize; gift certificate to Waimea Domino’s for a Medium Pizza and more. Plus, the first 30 students to submit their posters March 11 receive a free T-shirt.

The Pantry is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, which includes The Friday Night Crew youth group, Waimea Artists’ Guild and Mama’s House Thrift Store.

The Friday Night Crew is a prevention-based youth group focused on community service, peer leadership and goal-directed mentoring.

For additional information, call The Pantry at 887-2289 or email bethmehau@gmail.com.