The community is invited to the Orcas Senior Center for kick off of the Orcas “Draw the Line” campaign on Sunday, Jan. 23 from 3 to 5 p.m.
The forum will feature newly elected San Juan County Sheriff, Rob Nou, discussing the department’s priorities around prevention and its law enforcement efforts for adults that supply alcohol and other illegal substances to youth. Information about consequences and law enforcement pertaining to underage drinking and drug use, drinking and driving and “minor in possession” (MIP) will also be presented. Dr. Steve Gresham, San Juan County Prevention Coordinator, will also present about the effects of alcohol and drugs on the human brain.
Draw the Line is a national campaign that focuses on alcohol advertising and social hosting and is aimed mainly at adults. The Washington State Coalition to Reduce Underage Drinking is helping to organize events statewide. Prevention Coalitions are bringing the campaign to the local level.
“On Orcas, our local campaign is threefold,” said Marta Nielson, coordinator of the Orcas Island Prevention Partnership. “It will create new opportunities for both adults and youth to learn and share information about the detrimental affects of alcohol and drugs on the developing brain. It is aimed at ensuring that parents, and all adults, understand the consequences of “social hosting” or supplying illegal substances to youth. It will also support a concerned community in not only airing their concerns, but also in taking action to create and implement change.”
At the Orcas Prevention Town Hall Meeting in April, 2010, underage drinking was stated as one of the highest concerns. The participants also urged the Prevention Partnership Coalition (OIPP) to sponsor more of “these types of meetings” and “do more just talk.” Both of these requests are built into the design of this first Community Forum.
“This meeting is designed not only to share factual information, but to also give the community an opportunity to ask questions, raise their concerns and, most importantly, to help concerned citizens mobilize to action,” said Wendy Smith, OIPP executive committee member. “During the afternoon there will be the time for participants to brainstorm several ‘action steps’ and to connect with others present who are interested in proceeding after the close of the meeting.”
Two of the new opportunites supported by the Prevention Coalition is to supply alcohol and drug “comic book style” publications from Scholastic Magazine for use in sixth grade life skills and eighth grade science classes at Orcas School and to teachers at the Christian School. Also, five copies of an interactive teaching CD, “Ready, Set, Listen! Game” from SAMSHA (The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) have been donated to the Orcas Public library to check out.
The campaign will also continue to build on existing programs supported by the Prevention Coalition including: Orcas Parents Encourage Networking (O.P.E.N.); Teens Against Tobacco Use (T.A.T.U.), Kick Butts Day and the countywide prevention Insert featured in spring issues of county newspapers.
“I sincerely hope that those individuals who have openly expressed concern about these issues in the past will be a part of this community effort,” Nielson said. “No one organization can be responsible for addressing or ‘solving’ all of the issues – it takes community members who are willing to take an active part.”
