MILLSTONE — The Millstone Municipal Drug Alliance is looking for more public input as it prepares for its next three-year grant cycle.
Over the next several weeks, alliance officials have planned several focus groups to prepare for the grant cycle, which runs from 2005 through 2007, said Helen Varvi, the group’s chairperson.
"Every year the drug alliance has to do a community needs assessment so we can make a determination about what kind of programs are needed in the community and where there may be gaps in prevention services," Varvi said. "That’s how we develop the programs that we are going to be doing with the alliance funding for those years."
The alliance develops and sponsors programs to combat alcohol and drug abuse in Millstone Township.
In order to provide effective and helpful programs, Varvi works with focus groups from the community.
She would like to get a strong cross-section of the community, students, parents, teachers, local business people, and possibly even representatives of the state police.
To devise a new round of programs, the focus groups will meet at 9 a.m. on Jan. 31, 4 p.m. on Feb. 12, and 8 p.m. on March 15. Anyone is welcome to attend, Varvi said.
The alliance is most effective when it involves Millstone’s youth, Varvi said.
In 2003, a few high school students successfully pushed for a township ordinance that forbids smoking in public parks, she said.
"I’d like to see more young people get involved," she said. "The youth have the power, and the (township) committeemen listen."
The problems of drug and alcohol abuse are sometimes overlooked in a small town, but they exist, Varvi said.
"People have problems and issues, and we want to build the resiliency skills and social skills in young people to handle them," she said.
Some of the programs that the alliance has established in recent years include an after-school program for the Millstone elementary school; a puppet show for third-graders called BABES; a recreational program called "Hooked on Fishing, Not on Drugs"; a chalk art contest for children to express themselves artistically; and a fund-raising basketball game featuring the Harlem Wizards. All of the events focus on a common theme of drug and alcohol prevention.
Varvi expects that the new grant will cost roughly the same as the previous $12,000 grant.
"Everything we get, we give right back to the community," she said.
The drug alliance incurs no administrative costs because the staff is comprised of all volunteers.
"I would like to give the people of the committee recognition for getting a lot of things done," she said.
Information about the Alliance can be found on the Millstone Township municipal Web site.