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A Taney County task force on drug and alcohol prevention has received high honors and is now introducing a new designated driver program in the Branson area. KSMU’s Brandon Goodwin reports.
The Taney County Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Team, or ADAPT, has a new designated driver program called “04ME”. Here’s how it works: if you’re a designated driver at a participating restaurant in Taney County, you get a "04ME" sticker and as many non-alcohol drinks as you want, free of charge.ADAPT Coalition Leader, Cara Miller explains how the program got its name.“We have a woman on our coalition who recently lost her son to a drunk driver. It’s called zero for me. Zero meaning zero substances for me and it was actually her son’s license plate,” she said.She's referring to Chad Fuqua, who was a Hollister City Parks Director killed by a drunk driver in 2008. The “04ME” logo, based on his license plate, will be displayed in restaurants and bars all over the Branson area.ADAPT recently received a national award from the Community Anti Drug Coalitions of America, applauding the work that's been done to prevent substance abuse.Chris Davis at the Community Partnership of the Ozarks, who works with ADAPT, says the award is a big deal.“I described it at our board meeting the other day, it’s like the Super Bowl of prevention. There were over five thousand coalitions eligible and the Branson coalition, in just its second year of existence, won this award,” he said.The “04ME” program goes into effect in Taney County on St. Patrick’s Day. For KSMU News, I’m Brandon Goodwin.