Safe Grad isn’t the only option.
I’ve noted with interest the many letters regarding the last minute cancellation of Safe Grad at Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive High School, and thought I’d offer a slightly different perspective.
As chair of the Dry Grad committee, and with friends involved with planning the Safe Grad, I witnessed first hand the last-minute scrambling by parents who had to deal with the 11th hour cancellation.
My appreciation goes to those parents who stepped up to provide positive and safe alternatives for the approximately 70 graduating students who bought Safe Grad tickets, and certainly agree with many of the comments already written about the unfortunate and unfair timing of the cancellation.
However, I would like to point out that there was another alternative, which over 110 Lindsay Thurber students decided to participate in: Dry Grad.
While Safe Grad provides an all-night party with alcohol provided in a controlled manner, Dry Grad is an all-night grad party without alcohol, but with many features Safe Grad does not and cannot provide.
For about half the price of a Safe Grad ticket, Dry Grad included great music, food, dancing, a photo booth, video games, foosball, sumo suits, inflatables, fast cash prize games, and over $3,000 worth of prizes (TVs, gaming systems, computers, etc.).
Dry Grad does not compromise any legalities or require authorities to look the other way, and receives tremendous community support.
This year, well over $10,000 was donated by businesses, organizations and individuals towards the Lindsay Thurber and Hunting Hills Dry Grads.
On behalf of the Lindsay Thurber Dry Grad planning committee (all parent volunteers), I would like to express my appreciation to the many people who make such an event possible, and for the many students who chose to finish the celebration of their graduation day by attending Dry Grad.
The event received rave reviews and was truly a night to remember for these students.
Rob McLaren
Red Deer