MEXICO – The River Valley Healthy Communities Coalition will host a free seminar from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, April 7, at the Police Department to teach businesses how to prevent the sale of alcohol to underage and high-risk drinkers.

Project coordinator Sandy Witas said the program, titled Seller Server Training for Off-premise Licensees, is a state-approved program to “better equip management, store clerks and licensees on identifying and preventing violations of specific liquor laws with an emphasis on underage and high-risk drinkers.”

Witas said the coalition coordinates the training seminars using “money that we get from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services group.”

The training will help teach businesses, such as convenience stores, how to identify intoxicated patrons, how to pick out a false ID, and how alcohol is ingested and metabolized by the body, Witas said.

“Since the program is approved by the state, it gives businesses a chance to reduce their insurance rates, depending on what insurance company they go through,” Witas said. “Also, there are some businesses that may have sold alcohol to a minor that may get treated with more leniency if they’ve gone through the training.”

Witas added that all certificates awarded to businesses at the training seminar will be good for five years.

“I was a server for 17 years, and I wish I had some of this information back then,” Witas said.

Lunch will be provided.

For more information, contact Witas at 364-7408, or email her at rvhccwitas@gwi.net.

mdaigle@sunjournal.com