On August 31st Gil Kerlikowske, Director of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP),  announced $22 million in new Drug Free Communities Support Program (DFC) grants to 169 communities and 16 new DFC Mentoring grants across the country. The awards announced are in addition to the $63 million in Continuation grants simultaneously released to 549 currently funded DFC coalitions and seven DFC Mentoring Continuation coalitions. These grants provide community coalitions needed support to prevent and reduce youth substance use.

Five Town Communities That Care was one of the 16 new DFC Mentor Grant awardees across the nation, and is also among the 549 DFC Coalitions awarded continuation funding.  The DFC Mentor Grant will provide supplemental funding for Five Town Communities That Care to work with Greater Old Town Communities That Care to rebuild, retrain, and institutionalize their prevention coalition.  The end goal of this supplemental grant program is to enable Greater Old Town Communities That Care to be successful at landing its own DFC Support Program grant in two years.  The DFC Mentor Grant will provide $75,000 per year for two years, with funds first becoming available in October.

“The Drug Free Communities program embodies the Obama Administration’s dedication to evidence-based community prevention efforts that protect the health of our young people,” said Director Kerlikowske. “Data show that communities receiving DFC funding have seen significant reductions in past 30-day use of alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana among middle and high school students. I applaud the hard work of local community leaders, youth, parents, educators, healthcare professionals, faith-based leaders, law enforcement officials, and others who are working together daily to strengthen communities and save kids’ lives.”

“Action at the community level—in school rooms, community centers, churches and at kitchen tables—can help drive rates of substance abuse down,” said SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde, J.D. “SAMHSA is pleased to join the Office of National Drug Control Policy in supporting communities that are bringing people together to create healthy and drug free environments for children.”

The Drug Free Communities program is directed by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, in partnership with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The DFC program provides grants of up to $625,000 over five years to community coalitions that facilitate citizen participation in local youth drug prevention efforts including prescription drug diversion and prevention initiatives and underage drinking programs. Coalitions are comprised of community leaders, parents, youth, teachers, religious and fraternal organizations, health care and business professionals, law enforcement, and the media.

Five Town Communities That Care will begin its third year as a DFC funded coalition in October.  The DFC Support Program grant will provide the coalition with an opportunity for non-competitive renewal for an additional two years ($125,000 per year).  At that time Five Town CTC will be eligible to reapply for another five-year cycle of funding.  There are currently ten other DFC funded coalitions in Maine; one of these was also funded as a DFC Mentor Grantee this year.

For More information about ONDCP and its programs visit: www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov. For more information about Five Town Communities That Care, visit www.fivetownctc.org, email info@fivetownctc.org, or call (207) 236-9800.

(Portions of this article were taken directly from a press release by ONDCP dated August 31, 2010 and published on the ONDCP website at http://www.ondcp.gov/news/press10/083110.html.)

If you are having difficulty getting a copy, or have questions about the program, please contact the STAR program coordinator, Nicole O’Brien Blake by phoning 975-6722, or emailing star@fivetownctc.org.

This fall’s offerings include Creative Writing, Green Thumb Gardening, Animal Antics, Improvisational Drama, Jewelry-Making, Aldermere Farm Hands, Youth Fitness, Freestyle Jiu Jitsu, Knit Wits, and Cooking.  The program features a wonderful line-up of instructors and support staff, and will take place around the community in locations such as Camden Hills Regional High School, the Erickson Preserve, Camden-Rockport Animal Rescue League, the Penobscot Bay YMCA, Mid-coast Martial Arts studio at the Midcoast Recreation Center, and Farmers Fare.

Students attend skill training on either Mondays and Wednesdays OR Tuesdays and Thursdays, and all students come together for group activities on Fun Fridays.  This fall Fun Fridays will include trips to Hope Orchards, Merry Spring Nature Center, Aldermere Farm, The Teen Center, and The Penobscot Bay YMCA.

Registration packets have been mailed to parents of all grade 5-8 students enrolled in public schools in Appleton, Camden, Hope, Lincolnville, and Rockport. Registration packets are also available for middle school students from the Five Towns who attend private schools or who are home schooled by calling the Five Town Communities That Care offices at 236-9800 or emailing star@fivetownctc.org.

The STAR program is made possible by a generous grant from Maine’s  Juvenile Justice Advisory Group and local donations.  For more information about STAR or Five Town Communities That Care, visit www.fivetownctc.org, call 207-236-9800, or email info@fivetownctc.org.

“We all have something to give. Whether contributing our time, our talents, or our treasures, the value is the same. Charity can be counted in large sums of money or absolutely none at all..” — Dr. Robyn Silverman –Mid- Coast Martial Arts Child Development Expert

At Mid-Coast Martial Arts in Rockport, August 2010 is Charity Month.  As part of the POWerful Words Character Development program, students have been studying, developing and experiencing powerful life lessons focusing on charity in a fun and exciting way that benefits everybody.  In addition to physical skills associated with martial arts, students have been discussing and practicing concepts that will help them to realize and appreciate the value and benefit of participating in charity.  Students focused on the following topics both in and out of class:

* What is charity?  How can I share my treasures with those in need?

*What are my talents?  How can they help those in need?

*How can I share my time?  How can my time be helpful to others?

*Can children really make a difference?  How can giving impact the giver?

Together, the Mid-Coast Martial Arts students used their talents to raise $850 for Five Town Communities That Care by hosting a Kick-A-Thon; students sought pledges in exchange for completing 100 kicks.

Andrew Lesmerises, Chief Instructor of Mid-Coast Martial Arts says, “We’re really excited about Charity month here at our academy.  This is another wonderful opportunity for our students to experience real life…and have the opportunity to really make a difference in the lives of some people in our community.  I was particularly impressed by one young man who started classes this week—he went out and raised $165.  Our students and their families are amazing people, and this month, as we teach and experience Charity, everybody will win.”

Dalene Dutton, Executive Director of Five Town Communities That Care accepted the donation from the students.  “We know that when young people are given the opportunity to learn skills that they then can then use in service to their community, they are less likely to engage in problem behaviors and much more likely to grow to be healthy, happy citizens.  Through the Kick-A-Thon, not only have they raised funds to ensure that Five Town CTC can continue helping youth in our community, they’ve done it in a way that really brings our mission to life.”

For more information about Five Town Communities That Care, call 236-9800 or visit http://www.fivetownctc.org.

For more information about Mid-Coast Martial Arts, call 236-7755 or visit http://www.midcoastma.com

Mid-Coast Martial Arts students who participated in the August 20th Kick-A-Thon raised $850 to benefit Five Town CTC! (Photo by Sarah Skovran)

DATE: August 25th
TIME: 1PM to 3PM
LOCATION: FTCTC Offices at 219 Meadow Street in Rockport

Come help us prepare the next STAR cycle registration for mailing!  Even 30 minutes of your time would be a BIG help.  We have about 800 pieces to put together, put into envelopes, and stick address labels on….

Contact Nicole O’Brien Blake at 236-9800 or 975-6722 for more information.

A study done by researchers at the University of Washington’s Social Development Research Group found that students in schools with higher rates of alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana use are less likely to meet standards on mathematics, reading, and writing sections of state standardized tests.  The study also found that schools were students reported experiencing more protective factors are more likely to meet those standards.

The investigators found that the levels of drug use, risk, and protection in Washington school buildings influenced Washington Assessment of Student Learning (a standardized test that was similar to Maine’s MEAs)  success above and beyond the influence of demographic and economic variables including students’ gender and race/ethnicity, students’ special education status, the percentage of students in each building enrolled in the free and reduced lunch program, and district level total student enrollment and per pupil expenditures.

The findings suggest that:

• Reducing the prevalence of drug use in school populations will increase students’ academic success.

• Reducing the levels of risk factors and increasing the levels of protective factors in school populations will increase students’ academic success.

•Schools should implement tested, effective curricula for reducing risk and enhancing protection among their students.

• Schools should monitor levels of risk and protective factors experienced by their students, and work with community partners to reduce risk and enhance protection in all domains of students’ lives.

This study provides strong endorsement of our local schools’ partnerships with the Five Town Communities That Care Coalition to reduce risk, increase protection, to implement or support tested, effective prevention curricula such as Life Skills Training, the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, All Stars, STAR and Guiding Good Choices.

The authors may be contacted at:  Social Development Research Group, School of Social Work, University of Washington, 9725 3rd Avenue NE, Suite 401, Seattle, WA 98115, Tel: (206) 685-3858 Fax: (206) 543-4507 Email: marthur@u.washington.edu

Five Town Communities That Care is gearing up once again for our award-winning STAR after-school program!  We are seeking energetic and responsible adults to work with our middle school students as they learn a variety of new skills in STAR classes. Support staff members will meet students at area schools at the end of the school day, accompany students to their STAR classes, and assist STAR instructors.  Applicants should enjoy working with youth and have reliable transportation. Positions are seasonal, approximately 20 hrs per week, weekdays, between 2 and 6PM. Background check required. Call Nicole O’Brien Blake for more information at 236-9800 or email star@fivetownctc.org.  Download an application from the Five Town CTC website at http://www.fivetownctc.org/category/jobs/ .

Quite frequently young people merely open the medicine cabinet and there before them is a variety of drugs available for the taking: pain pills for post surgery; sleeping pills from an overseas plane trip; cough medicine from last season’s flu.  For parents, the time to act is now, as you are key to your child’s drug free future.  Take the following preventative steps:

REMOVE drugs from your medicine cabinet and hide them, lock them up or take them out of your house.

SAFEGUARD all medicines that have to remain at home by monitoring quantities and controlling access.

TAKE INVENTORY by writing down the names and amounts of medications you currently have and regularly check to see if anything is missing.If your child is on prescribed medication, monitor the dosages and refills.

SET CLEAR RULES, such as not sharing and always following proper dosages.

WARN your youngsters that taking prescription or OTC drugs without a doctor’s supervision can be just as dangerous and potentially lethal as taking street drugs.

SUPERVISE YOUR CHILD’S INTERNET use:  many pharmacy sites are not regulated and will sell your child medications without prescriptions.

PROPERLY DISPOSE of old, expired, or unused medicines in the trash.  Call for local “take-back” collection information.  DO NOT flush medications down the drain or toilet, unless the label indicates it is safe to do so.

TAKE THE PLEDGE to protect your child and spread the word.

This month, owners Jennifer and Ron presented the proceeds to Five Town CTC.

Photo by Peter Russell: Five Town CTC Board Member Peter Russell accepts a check from Jennifer Thieme of Blue Sky Cantina and Big Fish Restaurant in the amount of $317.49.