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Play Fair 2010
- Live on 5 at 6:45
 The recent The Surgeon General's
Call to Action to Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking included a number of strategies that, as stated in the report, “can
contribute to a culture that discourages adults from providing alcohol to minors and that supports an adolescent's decision
not to drink”. Specifically, the report recommended that communities “work with sponsors of community or ethnic holiday
events to ensure that such events do not promote a culture in which underage drinking is acceptable”.
In Marin County, California, just north of the Golden Gate Bridge, a group of concerned community organizations have
been working with the Marin County fair since 2004 to implement this very recommendation. In fact, the Marin County Fair
was the first fair in the nation to dump its beer sponsors. This unique community sponsorship model made history in 2006
when the Marin County Board of Supervisors took the remarkable step of banning all alcohol sponsorships and advertising
at the Marin County Fair.
 The Play Fair partnership is
made up of a wide-variety of public and private partners all concerned with the health and safety of young people. This
year’s partnership has grown to eleven organizations and includes: Bay Area Community Resources, Center Point, Inc., First
5 Marin Children and Families Commission, Healthy Marin Partnership, Huckleberry Youth Programs, Marin County Health and
Human Services, Marin Community Foundation, Marin County Office of Education, Marin County Board of Supervisors, the Marin
Institute, and the Youth Leadership Institute.
“Play Fair promotes safe and healthy habits by showcasing the wide variety of organizations working with young
people and the community,” said Rene Sayles, an advocate with the Youth Leadership Institute who, along with a number of
other youth and community partners, led the charge with the Marin County Board of Supervisors to ban alcohol sponsorship
at the County Fair. “These organizations have rallied together to support their common goal: a healthy future for all young
people."
Why is all this important? Everyday young people are bombarded with advertisements promoting the consumption of alcohol
on television, the radio, the internet, in magazines, and at community fairs and festivals. In fact, youth under the age
of 21 are often more likely to see marketing for alcohol products than adults. This is particularly concerning because
new research shows that exposure to alcohol marketing influences young people’s decision to drink.
This year, Play Fair has expanded its mission focused solely on alcohol-control to “engaging communities by reducing
youth overexposure to the marketing and promotion practices of the alcohol, tobacco, and fast food industries at community
events in Marin County.”
Before:
Alcohol Industry sponsorship and promotion took over the dining tent |
After:
Play Fair now sponsors this family Friendly environment. |
“Our expanded mission reflects how important we think these issues are for our youth,” explained Pat Kendall, Medical
Group Administrator for Kaiser San Rafael and the Chair of the Healthy Marin Partnership which also sponsors the Prevention
Pavilion at the Fair. “We’ve come together from alcohol, tobacco and nutrition initiatives to fight the pervasive presence
of unhealthy marketing to our kids and in our community.
In fact, Play Fair sponsorship was so groundbreaking that both Marin County and the Marin County Fair have received
numerous awards and recognition for this effort, including an achievement award from the Western Fair Association. “The
messages we adults send about alcohol have a huge impact on youth decision-making about alcohol use,” said Maureen Sedonaen,
founder and president of the Youth Leadership Institute. “Play Fair’s work at our county fair not only helps young
people now, but will help shape community values and messages for future generations.”
To learn more about Play Fair or to get involved, visit www.playfairmarin.org
or contact Gary Najarian at 415-499-4230.
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