Rides offered for revelers

Friday, December 30, 2016
Tamela Laurie and her 19-year-old daughter, Ashley, will provide a "designated driver" service to and from Old Sarge's Bar in McCook on New Year's Eve and Sunday morning. (Connie Jo Discoe/McCook Gazette)

McCOOK, Neb. -- The cost and consequences of a DUI should be enough to discourage driving while intoxicated.

"But hurting yourself, or someone else, would really ruin our whole party," says Michelle Wood, manager of Old Sarge's Bar in McCook.

To prevent possible DUIs and accidents, Old Sarge's bar offers those celebrating the end of 2016 and the beginning of 2017 a "designated driver" home pick-up and delivery service for the New Year's party at Old Sarge's.

"We started this four years ago, as a way to help keep people safe," Michelle said this morning. "We want you to have fun, but we also want to help prevent any accidents."

On Saturday New Year's Eve, starting at 5 p.m, call the bar (308-345-2922) or Michelle's designated driver, Tamela Laurie, (at 308-340-0880), and she will pick you up and bring you to Sarge's. Then, toward the end of the evening and until 2 a.m. Sunday, Tamela will take you home from the bar. The van that Tamela will drive is on loan from McCook Christian Church. She'll make trips throughout McCook and to Indianola and Culbertson.

Tamela said, too, that if someone has driven his/her own car to Sarge's and realizes he/she should not drive it home, Tamela will drive his/her personal car home, and her 19-year-old daughter, Ashley, will follow behind in the van to retrieve her mother.

Riders wanting to make appointments for rides with Tamela can also call her to arrange for pick-up times.

Michelle said the possibility of preventing an accident is worth the cost of the bar paying for the driver service. She wishes more people took advantage of the service.

Tamela said this is the second year that she's been Old Sarge's designated driver. She explained, with a chuckle, that her mother, Karen Smith, who is a friend of Michelle, "volunteered" Tamela for the driver service last year. "But we're glad to help," Tamela said, further explaining that her and Ashley's goal is to help prevent accidents that are possible when someone is too impaired to be driving.

There is no charge to riders for the designated driver service, but tips would show appreciation for a safe ride home.


Janssen Kool Honda in McCook will also provide a designated driver service for New Year's Eve. Call 308-520-1774.

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  • Good job Tami!

    -- Posted by wallismarsh on Mon, Jan 2, 2017, at 4:42 PM
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