Woodland Hills : Alcohol Awareness Seminar for Servers

The waitress, knowing the patron was drunk, continued to bring him drinks whenever he asked, unable to bring herself to say no.

Countless rounds later, the man paid his bill, staggered out of the restaurant and got into his car. He ended up striking and killing a pedestrian.

It’s an old story, one that Laurie Drabble, chairwoman of the San Fernando Valley Alcohol Policy Coalition, has heard far too often. The coalition, an umbrella group of community organizations, has decided to take action.

It has organized a seminar Tuesday to teach restaurant owners and employees how to serve drinks in a responsible manner. The seminar, co-sponsored by the California Restaurant Assn., will run from 8 to 10:30 a.m. at the Warner Center Marriott, 21850 Oxnard St. in Woodland Hills. Cost is $6, which includes continental breakfast and parking.

Scheduled speakers include Stan Kyker of the Restaurant Assn.; Steve Solomon, an attorney who will discuss liability issues, and Harlen L. Ward of the Los Angeles Police Department.

The seminar will cover numerous steps that restaurants can take to make sure patrons don’t get drunk, including timing the serving of drinks, offering alternatives such as gourmet coffee and making sure patrons aren’t drinking on an empty stomach, Drabble said.

Restaurants can also set up designated-driver programs with assistance from the LAPD, she said.

For information, call the Restaurant Assn., (213) 384-1200, or the California Women’s Commission on Alcohol and Drug Dependencies, (818) 376-0470.