As you know, I’m a big Robby Gordon fan–and a big NASCAR fan in general. Robby Gordon drives the Number 7 Jim Beam Chevrolet car and I look forward to seeing him race at the next NASCAR Nextel Cup All-Star Challenge at Watkins Glen International speedway. I’m not sure of my schedule right now, but hopefully I’ll be able to make an appearance. I’ll keep you posted.
Robby Gordon Motorsports (RGM) has just announced that they’ve donated $20,000 to State University of New York (SUNY) to fund The Century Council’s Alcohol 101 Plus(TM) program and related alcohol education initiatives. Robby Gordon, team owner and driver of the No. 7 Jim Beam(R) Chevrolet car, presented the donation to school officials prior to qualifying for the NASCAR Nextel Cup All-Star Challenge at Watkins Glen International.
The SUNY grant is part of a larger donation given to RGM by Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc. and its Jim Beam(R) bourbon brand in support of the Beam Global’s drink smart(R) responsibility platform, aimed to educate consumers on how to make responsible decisions about alcohol.
“We are very encouraged by the dedication being shown by Robby Gordon Motorsports and Beam Global Spirits & Wine to educate college students on the importance of making responsible decisions regarding beverage alcohol,” said James M. Schaefer, Ph.D., Director, Alcohol and Drug Prevention for the SUNY System. “We will use this funding to increase our alcohol education and awareness efforts, including the use of The Century Council’s Alcohol 101 Plus program.”
The grant funds will supplement other investments in an environmental management framework to change attitudes and behaviors regarding alcohol among all of SUNY’s more than 414,000 students on 64 campuses.
“Adequately addressing the issue of alcohol abuse among college students is a challenge facing higher education systems across the country, and with current enrollment exceeding 414,000 college students, SUNY is at the center of this issue,” said SUNY Chancellor John R. Ryan. “Increasing alcohol education programs on SUNY campuses has a great impact not just on students, but on faculty and members of local communities that surround SUNY’s 64 campuses across the state. This most recent donation will go a long way to help SUNY with its educational efforts.”
Through drink smart, Beam Global Spirits & Wine and Jim Beam bourbon remind consumers of the basic principles for making responsible decisions concerning alcohol: 1) if you’re under 21, don’t drink; 2) if you’re of legal purchase age and choose to drink, do so in moderation; and 3) never drive drunk.
“Responsibility has always been a priority for Beam Global and Jim Beam,” said Robby Gordon. “As a race car driver, I’m thrilled to help universities expand their alcohol education and awareness programs.”
2006 marks the fourth year that Beam Global Spirits & Wine has brought attention to responsible drinking through Jim Beam and its motorsports platform. In 2003, Beam Global became the first major contributor to The Michael Andretti Foundation founded by Indy Racing League driver and team owner Michael Andretti and has since donated several hundred thousand dollars for its ongoing efforts to promote responsible choices about alcohol. When Jim Beam extended its motorsports involvement to NASCAR in 2005, the company expanded its drink smart initiatives with an additional donation to Robby Gordon Motorsports.
Throughout 2006, Robby Gordon Motorsports and Beam Global Spirits & Wine will present universities in various NASCAR race markets with funding to implement The Century Council’s Alcohol 101 Plus(TM) education program and other alcohol education initiatives.
Jim Beam Racing
Jim Beam is a primary sponsor of the No. 7 car driven by team owner Robby Gordon of Robby Gordon Motorsports for a designated number of races in the 2006 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series season. Jim Beam is an associate sponsor for an additional number of races. In addition to the Jim Beam logo, the company’s drink smart logo is displayed on the car and Gordon’s firesuit to communicate the importance of responsible drinking. For more information on Jim Beam and drink smart, visit www.jimbeam.com and www.drinksmart.com.
Alcohol 101 Plus
The Century Council released Alcohol 101 Plus in 2003, nearly 2,000 colleges have received or registered for the program proving that campuses value this unique resource. Set on a “virtual campus,” the new program builds on the best features of the previous version, the award-winning Alcohol 101. New content addresses the problems of specific at-risk populations in college settings, such as: first-year students; Greeks; athletes; and judicial-policy offenders. For more information, visit www.centurycouncil.org.
About Beam Global Spirits & Wine
Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc. is the fourth largest spirits company in the world. With nine of the world’s top-100 premium spirits in its portfolio, the company’s brands hold global and national leadership positions in key categories, including Jim Beam(R) bourbon; Canadian Club(R) Canadian whisky; Courvoisier(R) cognac; Laphroaig(R) Scotch; Sauza(R) tequila; Larios(R) gin; Whisky DYC(R); Teacher’s(R) Scotch; and DeKuyper(R) cordials. The portfolio also includes Maker’s Mark(R) bourbon, Knob Creek(R) bourbon and The Small Batch Bourbon Collection(R), and Starbucks(TM) Liqueurs. Beam Wine Estates is a top-five super-premium wine company in the U.S., featuring Clos du Bois(R), the number two super-premium U.S. wine brand, and the award-winning Geyser Peak(R) wine. Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc. is part of Fortune Brands, Inc. (NYSE:FO), a $7 billion leading consumer brands company. For more information on Beam Global Spirits & Wine and the company’s sales and distribution partners, please visit www.beamglobal.com.