The Allentown-Upper Freehold Alliance is continuing its efforts aimed at preventing alcohol abuse and substance abuse among youth.
The alliance is also supporting members of the Allentown High School Lifesavers club in their efforts to bring about positive social change.
To that end, the alliance was scheduled to send members of the Lifesavers club to the Youth Summit on Violence 2000, held Nov. 14 at the War Memorial, Trenton.
Members of the Lifesavers club are students who have pledged to be drug-free, alcohol-free and tobacco-free.
According to a brochure produced by the event’s organizers, the summit "is a one-day conference on youth-led social change for high school students who want to do more than just talk."
The purpose of the summit was to "learn about your power to achieve peace and justice in your school and community, to meet other students who want to do the same."
Students had an opportunity to listen to guest speakers and to participate in workshops such as "Student Strategies to Reduce Dating Violence," "Global Action: Human Rights Advocacy," "Preventing Domestic Violence," and "Overcoming Racism, Discrimination and Hate."
Using funds received in a grant from the Monmouth County Tobacco Coalition, high school students were also expected to participate in a learning exercise in Middletown, on Nov. 9, according to alliance member Bob O’Hare. The purpose of the physical challenge was to teach the students about self-confidence, teamwork, trust and positive growth, he said.
The older students will subsequently deliver information about the negative aspects of tobacco and alcohol to pupils in the Upper Freehold Regional Elementary-Middle School, he explained.
In addition to the summit on violence and the physical challenge, students also attended a retreat during which they heard from recovering addicts and from professionals in the field, O’Hare said.
"The purpose of the alliance is to develop programs and strategies aimed at preventing drug and alcohol abuse and also to educate people about those problems," he said. "Our alliance coordinator, Joanne Schuh, is a counselor who can offer counseling to young men and women with these types of problems. We also work on the preventive side by offering programs in the elementary schools."
Alliance directors are planning a fund-raising event in which members of the community will play flag football against the Dare to Dream organization that includes former National Football League players. New adult members for the alliance are being sought. The Alliance may be reached at P.O. Box 487, 8 N. Main St., Allentown 08501, or by calling (609) 259-6019.
— Mark Rosman