Author: Phyllis Neville
2016 Community Forum
Coming November 14th 6:00 pm at Bluffton High School (registration begins at 5:30 pm) an important forum about and for the youth in our communities. OUR YOUTH’S #1 PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE is underage drinking and other substance use/abuse by teens. This affects our youth, families, communities and the Nation. It is a significant public health concern.
Featured speakers include Dr. Lindsay Squeglia on the effects of alcohol and marijuana on the teen brain development; Dr. Wendy Bell on medical marijuana myths and; Michelle Nienhius, M.P.H. on the SC student drug survey.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND? EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY SHOULD ATTEND.
PLEASE BE THERE!
Ways To Give
The LowCountry Alliance for Healthy Youth is a group of community members coming together to help reduce substance use and abuse. There are a number of ways you can help us:
BECOME A COMMUNITY BOARD MEMBER
A Community Board Member represents a sector in our community (educators, health professionals, law enforcement, legal community, youth groups and organizations, Senior community members, parents, faith based groups and organizations, youth and more). We are seeking to have at least one and maybe two people from each sector who will work with us to help fulfill our mission and launch our Strategic Plan.
The LCAHY meets once a month for two hours and decisions are made on going forward with goals and initiatives. It takes all of us in the community not just a few people driving the group and making all the decisions.
PLEASE consider committing yourself to this task!
If this interests you please contact:
PROVIDE OR BECOME A COMMUNITY RESOURCE FOR THE LCAHY
As we move forward putting the goals and initiatives in place as per our Strategic Plan we will need community resources. FOR EXAMPLE perhaps your business or organization that you represent can help fund stickers to place in businesses……
“WE ID ANYONE PURCHASING ALCOHOL OR TOBACCO PRODUCTS and it is a fine of $699.50 to purchase alcohol for underage persons. SO DON’T DO IT!!!”
This is just an example. Other ways to help:
- Make copies for us to distribute flyers or posters in the community for an event or program.
- Donate time and talent to setting up collateral materials or ads
- Help us raise money by having an event at your place of business or organization
If this interests you or your business or organization please contact:
BECOME A COMMUNITY MEMBER
Help us with our goals and initiatives by becoming a Community Member and you will be on our mailing list to receive news of what we are doing, when our next meeting is and most importantly have the opportunity to volunteer for a committee focused on a particular initiative which may be helping to put an event together or helping to launch a program using our Commuity Resources.
If this interests you please contact:
DONATION OF FUNDS IS ALWAYS NEEDED
The LCAHY is not a government agency and has no source of income. Donations of any amount will help us to launch media campaigns or produce posters for an event or assist some of our Community Partners in developing and launching programs .
The LCAHY operates as a 501 (c) (3) with the Community Foundation of the LowCountry as our fiscal agent. Donations can be sent to:
- The LowCountry Alliance for Healthy Youth
- c/o The Community Foundaiton of the LowCountry
- P.O. Box 23019
- Hilton Head Island, SC 29925-3019
You can donate by going to:
National Prevention Week….
The LowCountry Alliance for Healthy Youth (LCAHY) of Bluffton High School have joined forces with other teens and health advocates across the United States to participate in National Prevention Week May 15th -May 21st. National Prevention Week (NPW), developed by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMSHA) established an annual health observance dedicated to increasing public awareness of, and action around, substance abuse and mental health issues. The purpose of National Prevention Week is to answer questions and encourage a widespread national and community conversation about mental and/or substance use disorders. This is an important public health concern as the Center for Disease Control maintains that by 2020 mental and substance use disorders will surpass all physical diseases as a major cause of disability world-wide. The theme this year is “Strong as One, Stronger Together”. The LCAHY of Bluffton High will partake in a variety of activities this month to create an awareness for mental health month.
