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addressing alcohol

Parents are the Key

You pledged to protect your teen from the day they were born. Watch a new video and make your own pledge to keep your teen driver safe. Parents are the Key is a CDC evidence-based program that has been used across the country to help increase parent teen communication about safe driving. The number #1 cause of deaths among teens in Winnebago County is car crashes. Leading experts believe parents play a key role in preventing teen car crashes and deaths. re:TH!NK has a number of resources that can be used to talk to a new driver about responsible driving. Please take a moment to talk to your teen about the rules of the road and keep the conversation going.

The Parent Teen Driving Agreement

Parents are the Key Brochure


If you chose to use the Parent-Teen driving agreement, get ready to be rewarded! Fill out the Winnebago County Parents are the Key evaluation and have your name entered into a drawing for a $100 gas card!



Cheers! Responsible Beverage Service Training

FREE training presented by your local police officers! Prizes and snacks for all who attend!

Date: Monday, March 19, 2012
Where: Oshkosh Police Department, 420 Jackson St, Oshkosh
When: 2-4pm
Cost: FREE

Date: Thursday, May 24, 2012
Where: Oshkosh Police Department, 420 Jackson St, Oshkosh
When: 2-4pm
Cost: FREE

This workshop will increase the safe alcohol service for:
  • Tavern Owners
  • Bartenders
  • Wait Staff
  • Door Security
  • Store Clerks
  • Community Event Organizers
  • Volunteers
 Topics Covered
  • Spotting fake ID's
  • Protocol for reporting fake ID's
  • Your establishment's liabilities, responsibilities, and policies
  • Understanding alcohol compliance checks
  • Review of local statutes and WI's state laws
  • Your rights regarding sales and service to intoxicated individuals

Easy Registration

Call the Winnebago County Health Department at (920) 232-3000 or e-mail rethink @ co.winnebago.wi.us with the subject line: "Cheers! Beverage Training"



Alcohol Compliance Checks

Law enforcement plays a significant role when it comes to promoting re:TH!NK's objectives. Compliance checks are a law enforcement tool used to identify vendors who illegally sell alcohol or tobacco to individuals under the legal possession ages. These checks enable law enforcement to issue citations to offending vendors. These are not "sting operations." Individual license holders are advised ahead of time that these checks will occur. They are ultimately responsible for alerting and training their staff to obey the law. The goal is to catch people obeying the law, something they should already be doing.

Winnebago County alcohol compliance checks were conducted in 2010 by the Menasha Police Department, Neenah Police Department, Oshkosh Police Department, Town of Menasha Police Department, and Winnebago County Sheriff's Office in partnership with re:TH!NK and its youth volunteers.

2010 Completed Investigations: 134
2010 Illegal Sales: 23
2010 Non-Compliance Rate: 17%
2009 Non-Compliance Rate: 25%
2008 Non-Compliance Rate: 23%


For more information about re:TH!NK's Addressing Alcohol Committee, contact
Dan Hinton, dhinton @ co.winnebago.wi.us (920) 236-4820 or Lara Vendola-Messer , lvendola @ co.winnebago.wi.us (920) 236-7340