Anheuser-Busch, Lohr Distributing Work to Make Sure the 30th Annual Mardi Gras Celebration Goes Off Without a Hitch

Beer, Bands, Beads... and IDs Essential for a Successful Celebration

ST. LOUIS (Feb. 4, 2009) - With the Soulard Mardi Gras celebration just around the corner, Anheuser-Busch and its local distributor, Lohr Distributing, are working to make sure one of the nation's largest celebrations is also one of the safest.  Lohr is once again providing training for concessionaires selling alcohol and supplying each concession stand with an ID book featuring color photographs of valid driver's licenses to help servers check and verify IDs.

At 6 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 4, TIPS (Training for Intervention ProcedureS) training will be conducted in the Anheuser-Busch corporate cafeteria, One Busch Place. TIPS is a nationally recognized program that provides training for responsible service, sale and consumption of alcohol.

Topics to be covered include checking for valid identification and preventing potential alcohol abuse situations. Participants will take part in role-playing exercises that teach how to spot and deal with minors who attempt to purchase and tips on how to avoid potentially over-serving patrons. Instructors also will demonstrate effective intervention techniques for dealing with individuals who may have had too much to drink.

"With Soulard being one of the nation's premier Mardi Gras celebrations,we're pleased to provide concessionaires with the skills and confidence they need to be responsible servers," said Gerry Armstrong, TIPS trainer for Lohr. "We're proud to work directly with Mardi Gras Inc. to ensure the celebration is fun, but also to emphasize personal responsibility and moderation."

"Providing responsible alcohol service is a priority as we prepare for this year's Soulard Mardi Gras," said Mack Bradley, Foreign Minister, Mardi Gras Inc. "Joining with Anheuser-Busch and Lohr in providing this training is an important step in helping make sure partygoers drink responsibly, obey the law and create an environment that can be enjoyed by everyone."

Since 1982, Anheuser-Busch and its wholesalers nationwide, including Lohr, have invested more than $750 million in national advertising campaigns and community-based programs to promote responsible drinking and prevent alcohol abuse.  For more information on these efforts and the progress being made, visit