Dunne said the community has done a terrific job identifying problems and planning ways to combat them. "Now we need to enlist all sectors of the community and the many concerned people living in our community to help spread the word," she said.
"Drug and alcohol abuse is a community issue. It must be addressed by all sectors of the community beyond the schools which have been carrying the bulk of the burden for teaching prevention to our youth. Business, industry, law enforcement, health providers, Realtors, civic and religious groups, as well as government and schools must work together so everyone benefits from a Drug Free Community.
"The norms and attitudes of every adult in our community have an impact on what children think and what behaviors they model. Tradition, progress and stability are what great communities are made of, and I want our community to be first, again, by being a Drug Free Community. Everyone benefits," said Dunne.
Coordinating federal grant
Dunne will coordinate a federal grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration that will fund continued drug abuse prevention instruction at Boyle County and Bate middle schools.
The grant provides $100,000 this year, renewable for the next four years, to fund teachers and a program coordinator to provide the "Smart Moves" curriculum and after-school activities to supplement other proactive approaches to helping young people make healthful decisions.
The grant focuses on increasing awareness of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use and issues in the community and strengthening coalition development.
School and community efforts launched by Community Education under the Kentucky Incentives for Prevention program will be expanded. The Boyle County Agency for Substance Abuse Policy and the Danville-Boyle County Promise Coalition for Youth will function jointly as an advisory board.
Among Dunne's responsibilities will be coordinating the America's Promise - The Alliance for Youth plan for Boyle County, a component of the national initiative to nurture community support of young people to help them become happy and productive citizens.
The local plan has been responsible for expanding in-school mentoring, nurturing community service projects for young people, increasing community volunteers to assist with youth-related efforts and through local surveying has raised awareness of youth perceptions regarding the essential assets they believe they have to be productive and happy in life.
Dunne is married to Cliff Dunne, director of Families First Family Resource Center for Danville Independent Schools.
To get involved, contact Linda Dunne at (859) 326-0527 or ldunne@boyle.k12.ky.us.
