MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. -- Semper Fit-Health Promotion had their yearly Happy Holiday Happy Hour in the lobby of Barber Physical Activity Center on Dec. 12.
The purpose of the event was to inform base residents that, during the holiday season, many people are going to party hard. Yet, even with all the partying, binge drinking or the use of alcohol in general, is not needed to have fun and enjoy the holidays.
According to Patricia Padgett, registered nurse health educator, Naval Health Clinic Quantico, there are many tasty alternatives to drinking alcohol.
“People need to know that they don’t have to turn to alcohol to relieve stress or to have fun,” Padgett said. “If people are going to drink, they need to eat something and monitor how much the alcohol they do consume.”
There were three free non-alcoholic drinks available to try at the Happy Holiday Happy Hour. The drinks were Spiced Hot Cider, Pink Grapefruit “Margaritas” and Cranberry Sparkler. All of the drinks were simple to make and took a maximum of four ingredients. People who stopped by the event picked up recipes for the drinks.
Two members of the Consolidated Substance Abuse Counseling Center also set up a booth. They supported the event by distributing information about the dangers of drinking and alcohol abuse prevention. The CSACC staff also gave out bags, pens, key-chain lights, note pads and other goodies. They also presented fun facts such as red wine having higher alcohol content than white wine and that many drink mixers speed up alcohol absorption.
“I can honestly say that I was planning on partying hard over the holidays,” said Lance Cpl. Brandon Harrisel, administration specialist, Training and Education Command. “But with events like the Happy Holiday Happy Hour, it really reminds me that, over the last couple of years, the deaths tolls spiked in the Marine Corps due to alcohol-related incidences. I can tell you now that I don’t want to be a statistic.”
For information on future Health Promotion events visit www.quantico.usmc-mccs.org/index.cfm/semper-fit/health-promotion.