As a consequence of SPF SIG success with alcohol compliance checks, the passage of social hosting ordinances, prevention web site development (RockwoodCoalition.org), new needs assessment initiatives, Coalition recruitment and the establishment of new task forces with considerable community momentum, the Rockwood R-VI School District has decided to appropriate funds for its first full time employee dedicated entirely to the management of prevention activity for the Rockwood region. While the district has supported the Rockwood Drug Free Coalition in the form of considerable “in-kind” contributions for over 20 years, this action marks the beginning of a new era in commitment and organization from within the district for prevention. As such, the sustainability of current prevention strategies and the development efforts is assured for the nearly 24, 000 students and families within the Rockwood region.

Submitted by Ken McManus, Project Director for Rockwood Community C2000 in St. Louis County

In February 2008, the Police Department went on to apply for the Enforcement of Underage Drinking Laws (EUDL) funding. This grant was funded, expanding the current SPF SIG-funded checks and adding a neighboring county to the service. The SPF SIG funding enabled the Police Department to successfully acquire these EUDL funds despite previous denials. With this EUDL funding the Police Department has coordinated with five other local law enforcement agencies to create the Midland Empire Alcohol Task Force. Together the Police Department and the Coalition will continue to work together to limit access of alcohol to underage youth, while recruiting new partners along the way.

Submitted by Angela Reynolds, Project Director of the St. Joseph Drug Free Community Coalition in Buchanan County

Why do we like TOP?  I like TOP because our instructors always know what to do, and they couldn’t care more.  Every Thursday when we get out of school we come in to see two smiling faces that are ready to help and listen. 

 

 

This is what TOP is, what we learn, and why we like it. We Are The TOP Of The World Together!

As a grant coordinator for a Strategic Prevention Framework –State Incentive grant, I was searching for items to publicize and get the community as well as alcohol merchants involved in the goal to reduce risky drinking. In June of this year, Alcohol Tobacco Control agents conducted 10 compliance checks in Morgan County. 50% of those checked passed.   We decided to invite these five merchants and the individual who was the clerk during the check to our lunch meeting.   One clerk attended. We presented her with a certificate for the business/convenience store she works for, bought her lunch, and gave her a couple of carnations. Because of this small token of appreciation, other employees from this business have attended trainings on two occasions. One employee shared an incident where a member of his family had sold to a minor during a compliance check. This clerk had to pay a fine, not work in an alcohol sales position for 2 years as well as shovel manure at a local zoo for a number of weeks. This was a real hardship for her family as she had no employment, two small children and her public service to perform. She had to wait until her spouse came home to take care of the children and then spend evenings cleaning cages at the zoo. The telling of this story has had a real effect on a number of other clerks who did not realize the enormous responsibility that they have as an alcohol sales clerk. 

Following attendance of this same business at RBS training, a picture was sent and published by the local newspaper.   The manager of a competitive convenience store saw this picture and called the coalition to see what was involved in RBS. (Her statement was, --- business isn’t going to get ahead of our business. The two businesses are located at opposite corners of a busy intersection in our county.) Since that time, the manager of this second convenience store, talked to her district manager about sending all of the local employees to RBS. (This business had failed the compliance check.) Not only did the district manager agree to allow all employees of the local convenience store to attend RBS, but she also assisted in running the store while they attended. The district manager worked with the coalition and we trained all of their store managers (13) in responsible alcohol and tobacco sales. We provided information of who to contact in their own counties to receive training for their local employees. 

As part of our Strategic Prevention Framework-State Incentive Grant, our coalition is trying to bring awareness to our community that drinking in the age group 12-25 is not ok. At the onset of our grant there was no awareness in community climate according to the Tri-Ethnic Community Readiness Assessment. Following this study, the coalition brainstormed possible ways to improve in this area.   One suggestion was to provide information at the fall festival. (This festival brings an estimated 25,000 people to our 2,200 population county seat.) Our coalition president volunteered to drive his pickup and pull a trailer displaying banners stating that the coalition was working to reduce binge and underage drinking in the festival parade. At the next meeting he shared this experience. Youth assisting with the “float” began the parade route with 1,600 pieces of candy to toss to parade watchers. Not halfway through the route, they had already tossed all the candy. He told them, “Wave and smile”.   Shortly thereafter, the parade stopped due to traffic ahead of their “float”. People watching, read the banner, and started clapping. This did not happen just once along the route, but numerous times. This gives us encouragement to continue to work to assist in the state goal of “reducing risky drinking in 12-25 year olds." 

Submitted by Donna Chapman, Morgan County C.L.E.A.R. SPF SIG Project Director