BY LINDA DeNICOLA
Staff Writer
SHREWSBURY — The borough recently established a Community Alliance For the Prevention of Alcohol and Drug Abuse.
A resolution creating the alliance was approved recently, along with one that approved the formation of a committee to organize and coordinate efforts involving schools, law enforcement, business groups and other community organizations. In addition, the committee will develop comprehensive and effective alcoholism and drug abuse prevention programs in grades K-8 and develop community awareness programs.
Councilwoman Marlene Hotaling will be the council liaison to the committee. She explained that the borough had been part of the Greater Red Bank Alliance to Prevent Drug and Alcohol Abuse, but that organization is no longer active.
“Red Bank had a coordinator and we participated in their programs,” Hotaling explained, adding that the coordinator had retired and a replacement hadn’t worked out. “So things have come to a standstill.
“We had the option of going on our own, so we passed a resolution creating our own alliance.”
Hotaling said the committee discussed becoming a part of the county organization so that they could apply for funding.
“It was determined that since we didn’t have a hired coordinator, the work involved would have been too time-consuming for our volunteers.”
But, she said, the township has a great group of volunteers who are willing to do the work involved with creating their own alliance.
“The borough will supply a portion of the funding and we’ll hold fund-raisers. The parent-teacher group will probably help with some fund-raisers,” Hotaling said.
She explained that the committee is in the organization stages now and had been part of the regional committee, so they know what is going on in other towns. They have also collected facts, figures and statistics, she said.
Besides Hotaling, members include: Police Capt. Nathan Tomaino, who will be the police department liaison; Gwen Szyarto, municipal court representative; Jennie Lamberti, Board of Education; Lawrence Ambrosino, schools superintendent; Paul Long, Shrewsbury PTO; Raymond Mass, Kiwanis International; Coleen Stambaugh and Karen Lloyd, both residents.