January 9, 2009

Dear Friends:

It's not every day you get to meet a legendary NFL-great, like Joe Theismann. This past Tuesday, I was fortunate enough not only to meet the football-great, but also to join forces with him and with members of the alcoholic beverage industry for a common cause—to keep alcohol out of the hands of underage people and to encourage responsible drinking.

The name of the initiative we announced at the press conference is "TURF," which stands for Tailgaters Urging Responsibility and Fun. This partnership wouldn't have been possible without the leadership of The Charmer Sunbelt Group.

The Charmer Sunbelt Group, Premier Beverage of Florida, The Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America, and The Brown-Forman Company all partnered to 'tackle' the important issue of responsible tailgating. The aim of this initiative is to ensure that football games remain a family affair and places where parents don't have to worry about unruly, intoxicated fans ruining the game day experience.

DBPR's Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco is a proud partner, and through partnerships, like "TURF," we can capitalize on opportunities to execute our three-tiered approach to deterring underage drinking through education, prevention and enforcement.

ABT agents worked with a number of colleges and professional football teams to patrol games and ensure a safe tailgating experience this season, and we will continue our commitment to keeping Floridians safe. We look forward to continuing our efforts and forming more partnerships to increase efforts to protect Florida's youth from underage drinking.

Sincerely,

Charles W. Drago
Secretary

Department of Business and
Professional Regulation
1940 North Monroe Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32399
Customer Contact Center:
850.487.1395
www.MyFloridaLicense.com