Annual ‘Sticker Shock’ provides alcohol buyers a ‘Stay Alive/Guarde tu vida’ message

“The main goal of the Sticker Shock event is to educate and promote safe and healthy lifestyles,” said Prevention Program Director Belinda Ballah. “We strive to reduce DUIIs, alcohol related crashes and injuries within our community.”

With the help of Hood River Valley High School Health Media Club students, Ballah and her fellow staff members completed the annual Sticker Shock event on Feb. 4, placing 5,000 stickers on cases of beer, wine, hard seltzer and hard cider throughout the county.

The stickers read “Stay Alive, Don’t Drink and Drive”, and “Guarde tu vida no tomes y manejar.”

The sticker design is created by HRVHS Health Media Club students. The students are usually out in full force helping to sticker, but due to COVID-19, they were not able to do so this year. But it remains a student-driven project, started by brainstorming ideas that will catch the attention of consumers and encourage responsible behaviors, according to Ballah. Artwork was submitted and the club voted.

Ballah said that “colors are strategically chosen in light of the various colors that are found on alcohol cases.” The final product is made into stickers.

“While stickering, we are often asked what we are doing and have always received positive input,” Ballah said.

Stores participating are Columbia Market and the Shell in Cascade Locks, Carniceria y Verduleria la Mexicana and Mid-Valley Market in Odell; The Boys Pine Grove Grocery; and Safeway, Chevron (Cascade Avenue), Windmaster Market, Rosauers, Walgreens, and Mercado Guadalajara in Hood River.