Countywide Purge Your Pills Drop Off Event Nets Over 245 lbs. of Pharmaceuticals!

A collaboration between StandUP Polk and its coalition partners, Haines City Police Department, Lakeland Police Department, Polk County Waste Resource Management, Publix Super Markets, Inc., S.A.L.T. (Seniors and Law Enforcement Together), Winter Haven Police Department and City of Winter Haven, to collect unused and expired prescription medication was a great success! The first countywide household medication collection event, held last Saturday, March 20, 2010, resulted in an estimated 245.5 lbs. of recovered pharmaceuticals.

The 11-bags of medications, collected from various drop off sites including the Haines City Police Dept., Lakeland Police Dept., Polk County Waste Resource Management, and Winter Haven Police Dept., were delivered and dumped into the McKay Bay Incinerator in Tampa.

The coalition partners recognize the growing problem of prescription drug abuse and planned the event for two very important reasons - to help Polk County residents properly dispose of old and unused prescription medications in a safe way that would not be harmful to the environment, and to help reduce prescription drug abuse by decreasing the availability of expired or unwanted medications. The coalition will be meeting soon to plan future pill drop events, as well as discuss the possibility of establishing permanent pill drop off venues.

Prescription medication has become one of the fastest-growing abused drugs of adults and especially teens, who report finding painkillers, stimulants, depressants, and other medications to abuse right in their own family medicine cabinet. Preventing youth from gaining access to prescription and over-the-counter drugs is one way to prevent and stop this epidemic. Parents should also talk with their children about the dangers of prescription drug abuse.

StandUP Polk, the Coalition for a Drug-Free Polk, is a group of individuals, key community and business leaders working as the Coalition for a Drug-Free Polk to take a stand against drugs. Concerned citizens are encouraged to join this important initiative and take part in monthly meetings. It will take an overall communitywide effort to bring about positive change for Polk County. For more information, please call Angie Ellison at InnerAct Alliance at (863) 802-0777.

Kick Butts Day 2010 - March 24, 2010

KICK BUTTS DAY 2010

March 24, 2010

UthMpact, the youth coalition for a drug-free Polk, kicked off the month of March accepting an official proclamation from Haines City Mayor, Joanna Wilkinson, declaring March 24, 2010 as "Kick Butts Day 2010!"

"Kick Butts Day," celebrated on March 24, 2010, is an annual national initiative, sponsored by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, to educate students about tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke. Statistics show that 88% of Polk County Students say they DON'T use tobacco and youth leaders feel it is important that their peers and adults know that most teens choose NOT to use tobacco products.

UthMpact is the dynamic youth coalition of teen leaders committed to helping educate and deliver key substance abuse prevention messages to teens by their peers. This energetic group has developed an anti-tobacco and underage drinking prevention program currently being piloted in 14 Polk County middle and high schools.

Coalition goals for UthMpact are to provide positive community engagement; change community stereotypes about teen drug use by volunteering, informing and being educated; set examples for other teens; increase coalition membership and involvement in youth clubs in high schools; and positively encourage alcohol and tobacco prevention and cessation.

Teens interested in joining UthMpact may call Lisa Jones at InnerAct Alliance at (863) 802-0777 for more information. Visit the award-winning UthMpact website at http://www.uthmpact.com/ or plan to come to monthly meetings held on the 3rd Thursday of each month at Family Fundamentals.

UthMpact News!

UthMpact News!

UthMpact, the youth coalition for a drug-free Polk, gathered teen members, volunteers and staff from around the county to take part in a Leadership Training Extravaganza on February 12th and 13th at the FFA Training Center in Haines City, FL.

The Leadership Training Retreat for 9th-12th grade students was offered by the UthMpact (youth impact) Coalition, in partnership with InnerAct Alliance. New members from Ridge Community High School, Haines City High School, and P.R.I.D.E., joined existing coalition members to participate in an action-packed weekend agenda that included team building activities, sharing of group concepts, and planning for the continued growth and success of the UthMpact coalition.

Facilitators for the training included nationally-known presenter, Patrick T. Grady of Today and Tomorrow Enterprises, Inc.; Phil Scarpelli of the Department of Children & Families; and Dan Geer, Safe & Drug Free Coordinator for Marion County Schools, who each shared their skills and experience and relayed invigorating messages to our community's future leaders about how to best meet future challenges for the coalition.

It was a successful retreat where new working committees were formed, valuable professional relationships were developed, and future plans were solidified to ensure a bright future ahead for UthMpact.

UthMpact is the dynamic youth coalition of teen leaders committed to helping educate and deliver key substance abuse prevention messages to teens by their peers. This energetic group has developed an anti-tobacco and underage drinking prevention program currently being piloted in 14 Polk County middle and high schools. Coalition goals for UthMpact are to provide positive community engagement; change community stereotypes about teen drug use by volunteering, informing and being educated; set examples for other teens; increase coalition membership and involvement in youth clubs in high schools; and positively encourage alcohol and tobacco prevention and cessation.

Purge Your Pills Drop Off Event

PURGE YOUR PILLS DROP OFF EVENT
Saturday, March 20, 2010
9 AM to 1 PM

Celebrate the 1st day of Spring by doing some spring cleaning in your medicine cabinet! Bring your unwanted or expired medications to the Purge Your Pills Drop Off event on Saturday, March 20th, from 9 AM to 1 PM.

StandUP Polk and its coalition partners, Haines City Police Department, Lakeland Police Department, Polk County Waster Resource Management, Winter Haven Police Department, City of Winter Haven, and Publix Super Markets, Inc., recognize the growing problem of prescription drug abuse and have offered the Purge Your Pills Drop Off for two very important reasons:

• to help Polk County residents properly dispose of old and unused prescription medications in a safe way that will not be harmful to the environment
  
• to help reduce prescription drug abuse by decreasing availability of old and unused medications.

Bring medications to any of the following locations for safe disposal, secured in a clear, air-tight, sealed plastic bag:

• Haines City Police Department - 35400 Highway 27, Haines City
• Lakeland Police Department - 219 N. Massachusetts Ave, Lakeland
• Polk County Waste Resource Management - 10 Environmental Loop S., Winter Haven
• Winter Haven Police Department - 125 North Lake Silver Drive NW - Winter Haven

Prescription medication has become one of the fastest growing abused drugs among teens, who are finding painkillers, stimulants, depressants, and other medications to abuse right in their own family medicine cabinets. Preventing youth from gaining access is one way to prevent and stop this epidemic!

Special thanks to the groups that worked together on this community project, especially the Haines City Police Dept., InnerAct Alliance, Lakeland Police Dept., Polk County Waste Resource Management, Publix Super Markets, Inc., City of Winter Haven and Winter Haven Police Dept.

For more information, please call InnerAct Alliance at (863) 802-0777.

Town Hall Meeting

DRUGS ARE THIS CLOSE TO HOME!
Become Informed About How Substance Abuse Affects
Polk County Schools, Businesses & Families

Please Attend An Informative Town Hall Meeting

Wednesday, March 17, 2010
9:00 A.M. to 10:30 A.M.
USF Polytechnic Campus, Room 1104-05
3433 Winter Lake Road, Lakeland

InnerAct Alliance and StandUP Polk, the coalition for a Drug-Free Polk, are proud to present an informative Town Hall Meeting on Wednesday, March 17, 2010, at 9 AM, at the USF Polytechnic Campus, to raise awareness about the alarming trend of abuse of prescription drugs and how it affects Polk County schools, businesses and families.

According to studies reported by the Office of National Drug Control Policy, the intentional abuse of prescription drugs to alter brain activity is a growing concern, especially prevalent in teenagers. Teens are finding painkillers, stimulants, depressants, and other medications to abuse right in their own family medicine cabinets. In fact, over 70% of young people age 12 & older who abuse prescription painkillers get them free from the homes of family or friends.

Preventing youth from gaining access to prescription and over the counter drugs is one way to prevent and stop the epidemic. Parents should also talk with their children regularly about the dangers of prescription drug abuse.

A Purge Your Pills Drop Off event is also planned for Saturday, March 20, 2010, from 9 AM to 1 PM, for citizens to turn in unused, expired, or unwanted medications for safe and proper disposal.

Locations for the pill drop off are:

• Haines City Police Department - 35400 Highway 27, Haines City, FL
• Lakeland Police Department - 219 N. Massachusetts Ave, Lakeland, FL
• Polk County Waste Resource Management - 10 Environmental Loop S., Winter Haven, FL
• Winter Haven Police Department - 125 North Lake Silver Drive NW, Winter Haven, FL

Plan to take an active part in the local efforts to reduce substance abuse in Polk County. Please R.S.V.P. to attend the Town Hall Meeting by Friday, March 12th, to: InnerAct Alliance at (863) 802-0777.