Friday, June 1 — Students attending the annual Sober Graduation festivities will have the opportunity to walk away with a new car.

Wheels West owner Jason Rieger will be giving away a 2006 Saturn at this year's event scheduled for Friday, June 1 at the Lassen County Fairgrounds.

Rieger said he wants to give a car away because, “The town means a lot to me. I don't just want to be a place to buy cars. I want to be part of the whole community.”

He was born and raised in Lassen County. Rieger's father was a teacher both at Lassen High School and Lassen Community College, but he moved away after graduating eighth grade from Diamond View School.

However, Rieger said his former classmates invite him to the high school reunions and he has a lot of fond memories of the people he grew up with, some of whom  have become teachers at the high school, police officers or guards at the prison.

This year marks the 27th Sober Grad. The all-night event includes inflatables, games, dancing, movies and breakfast.

The culmination is the presentation of prizes donated by community members, organizations and businesses.

Rieger said he thinks it is important for the students to have a safe place to go and things to do.

“If the prizes are really good prizes, then more kids are going to go and more kids are going to be off the streets,” he said.