Successful Annual Prevention Summit Held on October 15, 2018

Own The Upside's Successful Annual Prevention Summit Held on October 15, 2018

InnerAct Alliance and the StandUP Polk Coalition, along with our sponsorship partners Publix Super Markets Charities, Florida Department of Health-Polk County, Tobacco Free Florida, and SWAT (Students Working Against Tobacco), were proud to host the 9^th Annual Own The Upside Prevention Summit on October, 15, 2018 at the Lake Eva Banquet Hall in Haines City, FL to inform the public about important issues facing our community.

Nearly 100 participants took part in the Annual Summit including school board personnel, law enforcement, prevention specialists, and concerned citizens to hear informative guest speakers share a realistic view of current youth culture, emerging drug trends, judicial updates, school safety, and human trafficking. A few photos from the Prevention Summit are attached.

Attendees also had an opportunity to experience an exciting new resource to educate parents of teens in our community, offered in partnership with the Polk County Sheriff’s Foundation. The “Own The Upside…Avoid the Downside” trailer is a mobile, interactive exhibit that houses a replica of a teens’ bedroom that parents can walk through to learn how to recognize clues signaling potential involvement in drugs and risky behaviors visible in plain sight or easily concealed in everyday items and seemingly ordinary belongings in the room.

Civic groups and organizations can support efforts to encourage healthy behaviors and reduce substance abuse by inviting an Own The Upside representative to visit with the “Own the Upside…Avoid the Downside” trailer and share an informative presentation.

Own The Upside is an initiative of the Drug Free Coalition partnership of Hardee, Highlands, and Polk counties in Florida founded on celebrating the positives! We often believe the discouraging news or negatives we hear and tend to forget there are some encouraging positives to celebrate what we call the “Upside.” Data collected through the Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey (FYSAS) reports that most kids don’t engage in risky behaviors. Attitudes about abuse are shaped well before children reach adulthood. Own The Upside believes we can positively impact children’s lives by supporting and investing in prevention programs and services that reduce access, identify risky behaviors, change community attitudes towards alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use, and empower youth to make positive healthy choices.

Please call 802-0777 or visit the OTUS website at https://www.owntheupsidepolk.com for additional information. 

NATIONAL PRESCRIPTION DRUG TAKE-BACK DAY Saturday, October 27, 2018

NATIONAL PRESCRIPTION DRUG TAKE-BACK DAY
Saturday, October 27, 2018

StandUP Polk, local law enforcement agencies, and Polk County Waste & Recycling, are proud to join The Drug Enforcement Administration and its national and community partners for National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on Saturday, October 27, 2018, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, for citizens to dispose of all unwanted, unneeded, and expired medications in a safe manner.

National Prescription Drug Take Back Day provides a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medication. Many Americans may not be aware that medicines in home cabinets are highly susceptible to misuse and abuse. Studies show that many are obtained from the home medicine cabinet of family and friends. In addition, many people do not know how to properly dispose of unused medicine.

Our community’s Prescription Drug Take-Back Day will include the following locations in Polk County for citizens to turn in unused, expired, or unwanted Human and Pet Medications, including over the counter medications, vitamins, and other medication in liquid and solid form, for safe and proper disposal. Medications should be placed in a clear, air-tight plastic bag.  

Drop-off locations from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm are:

Auburndale Police Department – 2 Bobby Green Plaza, Auburndale, FL
Bartow Police Department – 450 North Broadway Avenue, Bartow, FL
Davenport Police Department - 16 Bay Street West, Davenport, FL
Haines City Police Department – 35400 Highway 27, Haines City, FL
Lake Alfred Police Department – 190 N. Seminole Avenue, Lake Alfred, FL
Lake Hamilton Police Department – 100 Smith Avenue, Lake Hamilton, FL
Lake Wales Police Department - 133 E. Tillman Avenue, Lake Wales, FL
Lakeland Police Department – 219 N. Massachusetts Avenue, Lakeland, FL
Winter Haven Police Department – 125 N. Lake Silver Drive NW, Winter Haven, FL

Unwanted medications may also be taken to the county’s permanent drop sites at the Police Department locations in: Auburndale (weekdays 8-5); Haines City (weekdays 8-5); Lake Alfred (24hrs/7days); Lake Hamilton (weekdays 8-5); Lakeland (24hrs/7days); and Winter Haven (weekdays 8-5).  To avoid harming lakes and ground water, please do not dispose of medication in the toilet.  

An estimated 1,995 pounds of recovered pharmaceuticals were collected at the Spring Take Back event on April 28, 2018. The total for medication collections held in Polk County since 2010 have resulted in an estimated 15, 553 pounds of recovered pharmaceuticals safely disposed of via incineration. 

For more information on the local Prescription Drug Take-Back event, please contact StandUP Polk at (863) 802-0777.

Register Now for Polk County’s Red Ribbon Half Marathon, 5K & Kids Fun Run Saturday, November 10, 2018 at the Lake Mirror Promenade

Register Now for Polk County’s Red Ribbon Half Marathon, 5K & Kids Fun Run
Saturday, November 10, 2018 at the Lake Mirror Promenade

Our community’s Red Ribbon tradition in support of substance abuse and bullying prevention continues Saturday, November 10, 2018 with InnerAct Alliance’s Red Ribbon Half Marathon, 5K & Fun Run, presented by Title Sponsor Publix Super Markets, Inc., and Kids Run Sponsor, MIDFLORIDA Credit Union. It’s a fun family event where parents can compete in the Half Marathon or 5K, and K-8 students can participate in the Kids Fun Run.

The race course has been reversed this year for Adult Runners. The 5K and Half Marathon will begin at the Lake Mirror Complex east of beautiful downtown Lakeland. Along the course, participants will encounter some of Lakeland’s picturesque lakes and pass by Florida Southern College, home to the World’s largest collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture. South of Lake Hollingsworth, the course will run along palm tree-lined Cleveland Heights Blvd. The southern portion offers rolling hills through some of our area’s scenic neighborhoods and parks.

Early Registration is encouraged at www.RedRibbonHalf.com. Start time for the Half Marathon is 6:30 a.m., and the 5K begins at 7:00 a.m. Packet pick-up for adult runners will be held November 7-9 at FITniche Lakeland (1523 Town Center Drive). Late check-in on event day begins at 5:30 a.m. (Half Marathon) and 6:30 a.m. (5K).

The Kids Fun Run for K-8 students begins at 8:00 a.m., with check-in at 7:00 a.m. at the Lake Mirror Auditorium. The Fun Run is FREE for those who pre-register before November 1^st ($5 fee after 11/1/18) and includes a commemorative Run t-shirt and free refreshments. The Kids Run will start and finish at Lake Mirror Promenade, 121 S. Lake Avenue. Awards will be given for 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd place runners in gender categories, and to the top 3 elementary schools and top middle school with the largest percentage of participating students, based on school census. The private school with the highest percentage of participation will also receive a trophy.

“The Annual Red Ribbon Run tradition encourages healthy family living, which reduces the likelihood of substance abuse, bullying, violence, and other risky behaviors,” said InnerAct Alliance’s Executive Director, Angie Ellison. “Please join us on November 10^th by sponsoring, running, or volunteering at www.RedRibbonHalf.com or on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/RedRibbonRunSeries.”

9th Annual Own The Upside Prevention Summit Monday, October 15, 2018

9^th Annual Prevention Summit

Monday, October 15, 2018

InnerAct Alliance and the StandUP Polk Coalition, along with our sponsorship partners Publix Super Markets Charities, Florida Department of Health-Polk County, Tobacco Free Florida, and SWAT (Students Working Against Tobacco), are proud to present the 9^th Annual Own The Upside Prevention Summit on Monday, October, 15, 2018 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Lake Eva Banquet Hall in Haines City, FL to inform the public about important issues facing our community.

The Annual Prevention Summit presents an opportunity for School Resource Officers, Administrators, Counselors, Social Workers, Psychiatrists, and Prevention Specialists to gain up-to-date information with a realistic view of current positive youth culture, emerging drug trends, judicial updates, e-cigarettes, and bullying. Continuing education units are available. Sheriff Grady Judd will address participants and the entire day will be filled with excitement and energy provided by emcee, Patrick T. Grady, of TNT Enterprises. Breakfast and check-in will begin at 7:30 a.m.

Participation is FREE for School Board Employees and Law Enforcement Officers, and registration is required by calling the Mark Wilcox Center at (863) 291-5355. A $25.00 fee will be required for Non-School Board and Non-Law Enforcement attendees who may register online. Registration and updates on the Prevention Summit topics and presentation times can be found at https://www.owntheupsidepolk.com/events.

Own The Upside is an initiative of the Drug Free Coalition partnership of Hardee, Highlands, and Polk counties in Florida founded on celebrating the positives! We often believe the discouraging news or negatives we hear and tend to forget there are some encouraging positives to celebrate what we call the “Upside.” Data collected through the Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey (FYSAS) reports that most kids don’t engage in risky behaviors. Attitudes about abuse are shaped well before children reach adulthood. Own The Upside believes we can impact children’s lives now by supporting and investing in prevention programs and services that reduce access, identify risky behaviors, change community attitudes towards alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use, and empower youth to make positive healthy choices.