SOAP LAKE — Members of the Soap Lake Prevention Coalition partnered with Grant County Fire District 7 and Akins Fresh Market last week to carry out the annual Sticker Shock campaign, a community effort aimed at discouraging adults from providing alcohol to minors and promoting safe decision-making.

Held Thursday and Friday ahead of Memorial Day weekend, the campaign invited customers at Akins Fresh Market to place brightly-colored reminder stickers on cases of alcohol. The stickers, designed by local youth and Fire District cadets, serve as a visible prompt to think before purchasing alcohol for underage individuals.

“It’s a step in the right direction,” said Fire District 7 Captain and Coalition Coordinator Ryan Boldman. “Sometimes just that moment where somebody sees something different and takes a second glance is enough to curb behavior.

The campaign, which began in 2024, has grown each year in both participation and scope. What started as a small effort with a few sticker designs has expanded into a broader alcohol awareness initiative, now incorporating coasters, posters and other materials distributed at local businesses such as Del Red and Par 71.

Boldman said the program not only aims to reduce youth access to alcohol, but also to educate the community about how minors typically obtain it.

“Most commonly, if youth are going to get alcohol, it’s not because they go into the store and steal it,” he said. “It’s because they’ll get an older friend that is of age to go and purchase it for them.”

In addition to raising awareness, the event provides hands-on community service opportunities for local youth. Fire District cadets helped design the materials, handed out stickers to customers, and engaged in conversations about prevention.

This year saw increased community involvement, according to Boldman.

“A bunch of people were just like, ‘Yeah, absolutely,’” he said. “They were excited to go in and put stickers on cases of alcohol, and it sparked a lot of conversation.”

The campaign is also expanding its focus beyond underage drinking to address impaired driving. Boldman said the goal is to encourage responsible choices overall when it comes to alcohol use.

“It’s morphing into an alcohol safety campaign – making smart decisions with alcohol and legal decisions, and to protect our youth from those results,” he said.

Local law enforcement reported no alcohol-related incidents involving minors over the holiday weekend. Soap Lake Police Department Administrative Assistant Jody Siebert said the department conducted no arrests or investigations related to minors in possession of alcohol or collisions tied to underage drinking.

Boldman called that outcome a positive sign of the campaign’s impact. “I’d say it’s very successful,” he said. “Particularly there were no motor vehicle collision calls over the weekend that were substance-related in any way – that was a win.”

Coalition members say they plan to continue the effort throughout the summer, bringing Sticker Shock messaging to other community events and locations.

“We want to keep our kids safe and make sure that their brains develop in healthy ways,” Boldman said, “So, they have the best shot at life that we can give.”

    A Soap Lake Fire District 7 cadet places a sticker on alcohol at Akins Fresh Market Thursday, ahead of Memorial Day weekend. The campaign, in its third year, discourages adults from purchasing alcohol for minors.