Rosebud latest to initiate 'designated driver'
Pub Date: 10/1/2006
By Paul F. Vang
We want to show our local police departments that we re working with them, says Jim Walker, Director of the Rosebud County Tavern Association, in describing a new designated driver initiative that the association has launched over much of southeastern Montana.
Walker, owner of Jimbo s Junction City Saloon in Custer, points out, in telling of the program, that the Rosebud County association covers a lot of territory. Besides Rosebud County, the association s membership includes businesses in Treasure, Yellowstone, Big Horn, Custer, Powder River and Carter Counties.
In square miles, we re easily the biggest, Walker says of the association, but adds, with a note of humility, In bank account, we re probably the smallest.
Walker, incidentally, has a long connection with the hospitality industry. Both his parents and a sister are bar owners and bartenders. Walker worked for some time managing bar activities at Big Sky Resort, and later worked for Mackenzie River Pizza Company, and was the general manager of Mackenzie s Montana Aleworks facility in Bozeman, before leaving Mackenzie to buy his own business in Custer.
In Custer, Walker has a voluntary sideline. He s the game announcer at Custer s Class C six-man high school football games.
When I came to Custer five years ago, I felt I needed to do something to give back to the community. I went to a high school football game and observed a need for an announcer, and just like that, I was doing it, he laughs.
Walker described the association s designated driver awards program as a pro-active measure to both keep area highways safe and to bring back some business that might have been lost in some years.
As we look at our business trends, Walker observed, since 2000 we ve lost a lot of what we used to call our drive-in cocktail parties, as he reminisced about people bar-hopping at area taverns.
We felt that if we initiated a meaningful designated driver awards program, we might be able to bring some of that business back.
Walker took his idea to Tim Carson of Summit Gaming. He totally embraced it, Walker said.
The basic concept of the program is simple. When a party of customers stops at an association member s business, the party s designated driver contacts the bartender and fills out a registration slip. The designated driver gets complimentary non-alcoholic beverages at many facilities, and the registration slip goes into a drawing.
Every quarter, two winners will be drawn for a $25 gift certificate that can be used at participating businesses. At the end of a year, all designated drivers, including quarterly winners, will be entered for a $500 cash drawing.
The $500 cash drawing is fully underwritten by Summit Gaming, Walker pointed out.
The program started in July 2006 and the first quarterly drawing will be held in October at Tom s Lounge in Forsyth, and the first annual cash drawing will be held in June 2007.
Walker admits, I had a lot of concerns expressed from some bar owners at the start, but they re getting solidly behind the program.
I also sought advice from Cal McOmber of the Ravalli Association in Hamilton and from the Lake County Association, because I was concerned about whether programs like this would work in such a rural, spread-out area. They all advised me that these rural areas are a good place to do this exactly because of the distances involved.
At the local level, Walker says, I ve had good reactions from my customers, which include some perennial designated drivers, such as a non-drinking spouse. This chance for awards makes them happy.
As winners are announced, Walker plans to work with local newspapers to recognize them. I think it will create a little more excitement. Safer highways, improved business, and rewards for designated drivers'; it all adds up to a win-win situation for everybody.
Source: The Montana Tavern Times, Oct., 2006, published monthly by Continental Communications, 125 W. Granite St., Suite 102, Butte, MT 59701.