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Show C3 Wednesday, February 9, 2005 .Vernal Express. What is Prevention? Part i of 3 By Paws Andertoh & Low Fritchette -. NCC Prevention Coordinator and Prevention Specialist ' Close your eyes and visual- comedian or athlete? If a fifteen ize an alcoholic, now visualize visual-ize a crack addict What were your visualizations like? What was the ethnic background of your alcoholic? What sex was your crack addict? Did you see a seedy down and out person going through garbage cans? Did you visualize a well-known year old is caught with a marijuana mari-juana joint does that person have a problem? What about the same kid with a bottle of beer? What is your attitude concerning these questions? In reality most people use alcohol or other drugs (includ ing caffeine and tobacco) at ojr f, h .... Students at Manila High School participate in a learning exercise expressing express-ing how the liver is not able to filter alcohol that is coming in at a high rate, such as binge drinking. i 1 7 -t- I 1 -I i " f " r i 7 ' s some point in their life. "Use" is defined as the ingestion of alcohol or other drugs without experiencing negative consequences. conse-quences. When a person experiences expe-riences negative consequences from use of the alcohol or other drugs it is defined as "Misuse." Such as when a person experiences experi-ences the effects of a hangover, this is a symptom of "Misuse." "Abuse" is the continued use of alcohol or other drugs in spite of negative consequences. "Addiction or Dependence" is the compulsive use of alcohol or drugs regardless of the consequences. con-sequences. Having defined "Use, Misuse, Abuse and Dependence" and if most people use without having hav-ing negative consequences, then why is substance use prevention pre-vention so important? National and local statistics show that numbers continue to increase in the "Misuse, Abuse and Dependence" categories, yet a person does not get to these levels without the first use. Therefore abstinence of the initial use of alcohol or other drugs is crucial in curtailing the rise of "Misuse, Abuse and Dependence". The Prevention discipline is based on theory and research gained from the history of alcohol alco-hol and drug use throughout the world. The Prevention Field is then, from research and data collection, able to provide education edu-cation and skills development based on community needs. Because substance use affects individuals, families, neighborhoods, neighbor-hoods, schools and communities, communi-ties, it is necessary for a community com-munity to have a united effort to combat substance use. So how does a community mobilize itself to combat sub- ,7 I ) Students listen to presentation and instruction on learning exercises Northeastern Counseling Center has fori activities. stance use? The first step is to acknowledge that there is a problem in the community. Through community task forces forc-es or coalitions, assessments can bring to light the community's communi-ty's readiness and willingness to look at the issues. Stages of community readiness can be anywhere from toleranceno knowledge to denial and vague awareness, or from planning and preparation to initiating of programs and professionaliza-tion professionaliza-tion of community members. For example, from a key leader survey conducted in 2002 the Tri-County area's stage of readiness was at the pre-planning and preparation stage. This stage shows that educational educa-tional outreach programs in the community needs to reach both leaders and community members more effectively. The concept of prevention needs to be illustrated specifically at a community level and all community com-munity members including t i -1 li Students at Altamont Elementary participate in team work building activities activi-ties such as making marshmallow towers. schools, agencies, businesses; families and individuals have specific roles in the effort of prevention. Therefore the Prevention Advisory Coalition was formed to involve those members of the community. (Paris Anderton is Prevention Coordinator and Lori Fritchette is Prevention Specialist at Northeastern Counseling Center.) Vernal Lions Club Distributes 2005 Birthday Calendars Lion Bill Hall, chairman of the Calendar Committee, displays Lions Birthday Calendar for 2005. lliW 8i? ': - r?''S.,!"'i "''"I The Vernal Lions Club has completed its Birthday Calendar project for 2005. This is the 7th year the Club has sold Community Birthday Calendars in our area. The proceeds pro-ceeds of this community project are used to provide a scholarship scholar-ship each year to a graduating Uintah High School senior, buy glasses for needy children, provide pro-vide Christmas food baskets to needy families, and many other worthwhile projects to improve our community. The calendars sell for $5.00 and this allows parents and unmarried children of a family to have their birthdays listed on the calendar. The club members mem-bers began selling the calendars in late summer and everyone is encouraged to buy a calendar and have their family's birthdays birth-days listed. The Lions Club serves nearly 1.4 million members in 193 countries: '.and geographic areas. They answer the needs that challenge the communities of the world. Lions tackle tough problems like blindness, drug abuse prevention and diabetes awareness. Lions members, both men and women, provide immediate imme-diate and sustained relief in time of disaster and offer long-term long-term assistance to those in need. Lions collect and recycle eyeglasses for distribution in developing countries and treat: millions of people to prevent river blindness. Lions improve the quality of life in their local communities communi-ties by building parks, supporting support-ing hospitals and establishing water treatment programs. "For 85 years, whenever there is a need at home or around the world, Lions members mem-bers are there to help we serve," stated Glade Watkins, Lions Club Member. 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