June 28, 2004 Markham. The 10th Annual Drive Straight® Charity Golf Tournament will be contested Monday, June 28th at Mandarin Golf and Country Club, Markham. Ontario Community Council on Impaired Driving (OCCID) has organized the tournament as a fundraiser for a decade and now offers Drive Straight® as a much needed awareness program to golf courses in Ontario. “The number of requests our office receives for materials and involvement in tournaments has more than doubled this year” according to Anne Leonard, Executive Director. She cited more tournaments, the sale of beer/spirits on the links and recent cases as the likely reasons for increased attention to responsible service by both tournament organizers and golf course owners. The Drive Straight® tournament and the programs educate golfers by testing their knowledge of the current penalties and costs relating to impaired driving and by showcasing strategies for safe, sober, driving. Surveys over the last two years suggest a low level of awareness of the current penalties (average marks being 34% - 38%). This year, OCCID acknowledges Toronto Police officer Dave Stewart for creating the tournament concept in 1995; and gratefully acknowledges the corporate sponsors and their programs: Diageo Canada Celebrate Responsibly, Labatt Breweries Ontario Know When to Draw the Line, Molson Canada Plan Ahead, Don’t Drink and Drive, Yamaha Motor Canada Don’t Drink and Ride. All proceeds support arrive alive DRIVE SOBER®. - 30 – Media are welcome to join us for part or all of the day!
|