Southern Wine & Spirits of Arizona Joins in Successful Effort to Fund Statewide Program to Prevent Underage Drinking.

Donations Help Purchase a Special Van to Transport Jacob Pruitt to Speak in High Schools Across State

Leesa Berens Morrison, Arizona Director of Liquor Licenses & Control Praises Generous Help From State's Wine, Spirits and Beer Distributors

PHOENIX, Jan. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Having joined dozens of Arizona's leading wine, spirits and beer distributors in a statewide program to prevent underage drinking, Michael Jahn, Executive Vice President Southern Wine & Spirits of Arizona, received a letter of praise from Leesa Berens Morrison, Director of the State of Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control.

According to Mr. Jahn, the Arizona Director of Liquor License and Control first asked Southern Wine & Spirits of Arizona to work with the Department on a campaign to prevent underage consumption at an industry meeting held last fall at which beer, wine and spirits distributors were present. At that time, the Director showed a video of a teenager who purchased product illegally from a retailer, became intoxicated, had a one car accident and tragically is now a quadriplegic.

Following the video presentation and on behalf of the State of Arizona, the Director asked if the state's distributors would contribute to the purchase of a specially equipped van for this young man, Jacob Pruitt, in order that he may speak to high school students as well as boys and girls clubs in the state on the dangers of illegal, underage consumption of beer, wine and spirits.

Responding generously to Ms. Morrison, along with other leaders of the Arizona group of wine, spirits and beer distributors, Mr. Jahn volunteered on behalf of Southern Wine & Spirits of Arizona to help raise necessary funds to purchase a van with wheelchair hydraulics. With Mr. Jahn's assistance, the needed funds to purchase and equip the van were soon raised from the state's leading beer, wine and spirits distributors.

In a thank you note to Mr. Jahn, Ms. Morrison wrote: "It is not often that we find individuals who are willing to go out of their way to help others. I wanted to acknowledge and thank you for your assistance in locating a vehicle suitable for Jacob Pruitt ... I appreciate you taking the lead in locating transportation for Jacob, so that he can promote his video to students about the potential effects of drinking and driving."

Complimenting the efforts and generosity of fellow Arizona wine, spirits and beer distributors, Mr. Jahn said: "I want to thank all my colleagues at leading state beer, wine and spirits distributors who have generously contributed to the purchase and equipping of Jacob's van. All of us at the distributor tier including all Southern Wine & Spirits of Arizona team members hope and trust Jacob's ability to travel and tell his story to Arizona's young people will help combat and prevent underage drinking in Arizona."

Southern Wine & Spirits of Arizona is a division of Southern Wine & Spirits of America, Inc., which is the nation's largest wine and spirits distributor, with operations in 21 states. The Company currently operates in: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Kentucky, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia. On a national basis, Southern Wine & Spirits of America, Inc. employs more than 10,000 team members.

First Call Analyst: FCMN Contact:

CONTACT: Michael Jahn, Executive Vice President-General Manager of Southern Wine & Spirits of Arizona, Telephone: [phone]

Web site: http://www.southernwine.com/