Tuesday, July 05, 2005

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (July 5, 2005) - The East Tennessee State University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics has received word that its Alcohol Awareness Task Force is one of only 15 institutions nationally to be awarded a CHOICES grant to combat irresponsible drinking habits.

The AATF will receive a three-year grant totaling $30,000. The dollars are to be used to continue the AATF's efforts to promote responsibility and battle the dangers caused by under-age and binge drinking.

"On behalf of the AAFT, I would like to personally thank Carole Strohm and Dr. Priscilla Ramsey for taking a leadership role in the grant writing process with the NCAA," said Associate Athletic Director/Senior Woman Administrator Barbie Breedlove, who also serves as chairman of the AATF. "We feel very fortunate to be awarded this grant totaling $30,000 over three years."

"This will enable us to continue running a successful program and initiate even more programs to reduce irresponsible drinking on campus and in our community."

While the AATF started as a cooperative program between ETSU athletics and Clyce Distributing of Johnson City - focusing initially on ETSU's student-athletes - the group has now widened its scope to include the overall campus and the local community.

The CHOICES program encourages NCAA institutions and conferences to integrate athletics into campus-wide prevention efforts through the implementation of effective alcohol-education programs. Funded programs are designed to work toward the elimination of high-risk consumption of alcohol on college campuses by promoting low-risk choices.

CHOICES projects feature such elements as peer education, interdepartmental collaborations, media campaigns, community outreach, and events offering alternatives to alcohol use. CHOICES projects involve and encourage students to make healthy, responsible choices about alcohol.

For more information on the AATF, contact Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations Michael White at 423-439-4220 or whitem@etsu.edu.