Sierra Bentti, a member of the Marquette County Teen Team, puts a sticker advising adults not to purchase alcohol for minors on an alcoholic beverage during Monday’s “Sticker Shock” project at Econo Foods. Numerous stickers were placed on such beverages throughout the store. (Journal photo by Christie Bleck)

MARQUETTE — Customers at Econo Foods might have gotten a “sticker shock” while shopping at the Marquette grocery store Monday, courtesy of the Marquette County Teen Team.

MT2, the community coalition youth group of Marquette County Cares, also known as MC2, put numerous stickers on alcoholic products at the store, with the “Sticker Shock” campaign involving community, youth, law enforcement and alcohol retailers partnering to keep minors from getting alcohol.

One of the teens involved in the campaign was Sierra Bentti, a senior at Marquette Senior High School.

“I first joined this club for this project, so this is been what we’re working towards, and now we finally got to do it, and it’s been great, so we know we’ll definitely do it again next year,” Bentti said.

She said the group went through a thousand stickers in just a few minutes.

Each sticker read: “Don’t buy for minors. One glass could be their last.”

Bentti said MT2 raised funds for the project, holding a bake sale and helping at various Marquette County Cares events.

The messaging was geared toward adults to stop them from buying alcohol for minors.

John Rink, a corporal with the Marquette Police Department, helped Monday at Econo Foods.

“Now is the time where we see a lot of incidents, youth drinking in the summertime,” Rink said. “We just don’t want to have any accidents over the holiday weekend especially. If this stops somebody, it’ll be a good program.”

Rachel Sabin, health education consultant at the Marquette-Alger Regional Educational Service Agency, also was on hand Monday.

“I think it’s a great way to get the kids involved, and they’re all really excited about doing this project, and I think it’s just a great way to let the community know about MT2.

“And I think it’s perfect timing too, right before the Fourth of July.”

Christie Bleck can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 250. Her email address is cbleck@miningjournal.net.