To paraphrase an old adage, “a little information in the wrong hands can be a dangerous thing.” The blood drive program being promoted by the American Red Cross and Barfly magazine is a community-based effort being conducted in the Jersey Coast area with the intent to sign up as many blood donors as possible in this time of severe blood shortage.
Area proprietors/owners of fine restaurants and taverns in the Monmouth and northern Ocean County area have enthusiastically signed on to encourage their patrons to donate blood.
Nancy Horowitz and Nancy Geist of the Marlboro Township Alliance for the Prevention of Substance Abuse should have gotten their facts correct before jumping to erroneous conclusions about the “A Pint for A Pint” promotion (“Alliance: Blood Donations and Alcohol Mix May Be Lethal,” Letters to the Editor, News Transcript, May 9).
Fact: There is no coupon being sent to the donor for a free pint of beer, as stated by Ms. Horowitz and Ms. Geist.
Fact: 10 percent of ad revenues generated during the promotion period will be donated by Barfly magazine to the Amer-ican Red Cross. Tavern owners will not be realizing any profit from this program as suggested by Ms. Horowitz and Ms. Geist.
Fact: Yes, the slogan “Barfly: Catch the Buzz” is self-explanatory. It says Barfly magazine gives its readers the latest news on what’s happening in their local area and where. It does not say “catch a buzz” (circa 1960s) as Ms. Horowitz and Ms. Geist suggest.
The “A Pint for A Pint” blood drive promotion was enthus-iastically endorsed and approved by the American Red Cross as a means of raising much-needed blood within the Jersey Coast area.
It was embraced by community business owners in Mon-mouth and northern Ocean counties as a very worthwhile effort to encourage their patrons to sign up for the blood drive. Nowhere in any promotional materials is there mention of beer, alcohol or spirits.
The phrase “A Pint for A Pint” was created to generate word-of-mouth promotion and excitement (which it obviously has done). In no way is it meant to encourage excessive alcohol consumption or abuse.
We applaud the efforts and goals of the alliance, as do most responsible area residents. We just wish responsible people would get their facts straight before jumping to false conclusions.
Gregg Linder
Doug Ringel
publishers
Barfly magazine
Manalapan