Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Published Wednesday, December 19, 2007

RANKIN INLET - Residents of Rankin Inlet who order liquor this holiday season will also receive a couple of special messages from students at Simon Alaittuq school.

Cpl. Gerald Ouellet of the Rankin detachment of the RCMP said Const. Joe Benedet came up with the idea for the special project after seeing a similar campaign meet with success in Alberta.

He said students in Grade 5 and Grade 6 took part in the program to create drawings and write little catch phrases on brown paper bags.

"Each bag had a special Christmas theme and a message asking people not to drink and drive this holiday season," said Ouellet.

"When the students completed the bags, we (RCMP) collected them from the school and delivered them to the liquor-distribution warehouse in Rankin this past week.

"Staff at the distribution centre then forwarded the bags on to the main liquor warehouse in Iqaluit.

"Workers at that facility will place bottles ordered by residents of Rankin Inlet for delivery during the holiday season into the special Christmas bags."

Ouellet said there were no prizes or incentives of any kind offered to the kids to take part in the project, other than the opportunity to do a little something to help keep their community safe during the holiday season.

He said he was pleased by how many of the kids decided to take part in the project and how much effort they put into designing the special bags.

"From what I understand, every child at the school participated in the project.

"Their principal (Bev Hill) told me the students had a lot of fun preparing the bags and understood what we were trying to accomplish with the project.

"The kids did a wonderful job decorating the bags.

"And, if we can get just one person to refrain from drinking and driving this holiday season, the project was well worth the effort."