Voice sought to offer sobering thoughts

By Michael Deak
Staff Writer
More than their parents, young adults rely on digital media to get their information.
That’s why EmPoWER Somerset’s SIPSNATION campaign to combat alcohol abuse among young adults is turning to the Internet, among other means, to transmit the message that binge drinking is not cool. The SIPS in SIPSNATION stands for Somerset’s Initiative to Party Safely.
In an effort to prmote the campaign’s website, sipsnation.com, the organization is holding auditions to select the “voice of SIPSNATION,” said Sharon Lutz, executive director of EmPoWER Somerset.
Those auditioning will be asked to read a short paragraph on the importance of partying safely, Lutz said.
Auditions wil be held at the TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater, or audition videos can be uploaded on the organization’s website, Lutz said. The auditions, open to those 18 and older, will be held outside the stadium’s main gate; those who audition do not need to have a ticket to the Somerset Patriots game.
Plans for another public audition are being developed and will be posted on the website.
The five top auditions will be posted Sept. 30 to Oct. 15 on MyCentralJersey.com for people to vote on.
Details on the competition are posted on sipsnation.com.
What’s unique about the SIPSNATION campaign, Lutz explained, is that the people acting as advisers are themselves in the targeted 18 to 25 age group.
“They are energetic and creative” Lutz said of the members of the advisory group. “They know what their peer group is doing.”
The response to the campaign, launched earlier this year after the reciept of a grant from the state Department of Human Resources, has been “overwhelming,” Lutz said.
The campaign also has generated cooperation from community leaders throughout Somerset County, including law-enforcement agencies at all levels and education officials.
“I’m very impressed by the people who are involved,” Lutz said.
The initial stages of the campaign focused on gathering information on alcohol abuse, among young adults. Focus groups were conducted to generate the information.
One of the primary findings, Lutz said, is that alcohol abuse among young adults knows no demographic boundaries.
The next step is delivering the message about alcohol abuse to the young adults. The campaign is exploring sending e-mails and text messages to people who sign up for the service, said Brenda Esler, Assistant Director of EmPoWER. The organiztion also is looking into setting up information kiosks in places where there are a large number of young adults, she said.