Fifth Graders to Participate in Red Ribbon Rallies on May 9 and May 15, 2018

FIFTH-GRADERS TO PARTICIPATE IN
RED RIBBON RALLIES ON MAY 9 and MAY 15, 2018

Over 6,000 fifth grade students have been invited by InnerAct Alliance to attend Red Ribbon Rallies in May to encourage the choice of a positive lifestyle without the use of drugs. Events will take place on Wednesday, May 9, 2018 at 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. at RP Funding Center in Lakeland for students in the greater Lakeland area, and on Tuesday, May 15, 2018 at 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. at the Heartland Church, 225 Avenue B NW, in Winter Haven for students in the Winter Haven/Haines City area. This is the first time that a second session has been added to the Winter Haven/Haines City rallies.

The prevention rallies focus on reinforcing critical substance abuse resistance skills before students enter middle school. Facts show that the majority of young people choose not to use drugs or alcohol. Instead, they find effective ways to deal with everyday pressures and challenges in their lives without resorting to substance use. The guest speaker is Patrick T. Grady, a former middle and high school educator who travels throughout North America inspiring and encouraging individuals to do their best in their endeavors. Community leaders and law enforcement members will also be on hand to encourage the choice of a positive, healthy lifestyle without the use of drugs.

Fifth grade students have been challenged to participate in the Fifth Grade Rally for The Facts Contest and create original essays, poems, and posters that illustrate how they choose to live their lives drug free and convey the truth about how most young people do not use drugs or alcohol. Contest winners will be recognized during the rallies with cash prizes of $100, $50 and $25 awarded to overall first place winners in each contest category.

The mission of InnerAct Alliance is to reduce the abuse and underage use of harmful substances along with involvement in other risky behaviors while supporting positive healthy decisions through: Community Awareness and Support; Prevention Education; Economic Impact; and Leadership Development. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit agency is proud to have provided substance abuse prevention to the Hardee, Highlands and Polk County communities since 1985 with services including science-based education in elementary and middle schools, teen-driven social marketing, and awareness events that touch the lives of youth, parents, families, businesses, faith-based organizations, community groups and others with an important substance abuse prevention message.

Spring 2018 DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back Event Successfully Nets 1,995 lbs. of Medications

Spring 2018 DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back Event 

Successfully Nets 1,995 lbs. of Medications

StandUP Polk and local law enforcement agencies were proud to participate in the DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back event on Saturday, April 28, 2018 for Polk County residents to turn in expired or unwanted human and pet medication.

An estimated 1,995 pounds of recovered pharmaceuticals were collected and safely disposed of via incineration. The 8 drop-off sites that participated in the Spring 2018 Medication Take Back included Auburndale Police Department, Bartow Police Department, Haines City Police Department, Lake Alfred Police Department, Lake Hamilton Police Department, Lake Wales Police Department, Lakeland Police Department, and Winter Haven Police Department.

The latest event brings the total for collections held in Polk County to 15,553 pounds of recovered pharmaceuticals dating back to 2010.

Unwanted medications may also be taken to the county’s six permanent drop sites, funded by Givewell Community Foundation in Lakeland, at the Police Department locations in: Auburndale (2 Bobby Green Plaza, weekdays 8-5); Haines City (35400 Hwy 27, weekdays 8-5); Lake Alfred (190 N. Seminole Avenue, 24hrs/7days); Lake Hamilton (100 Smith Avenue, weekdays 8-5); Lakeland (219 N. Massachusetts Avenue, 24hrs/7days); and Winter Haven (125 N. Lake Silver Drive NW, weekdays 8-5).  To avoid harming lakes and ground water, please do not dispose of medication in the toilet.  

StandUP Polk is a community coalition working together to prevent harm and promote health through education, public awareness, and advocacy including strategies to prevent youth substance abuse. For more information, please contact StandUP Polk at (863) 802-0777.

National Prescription Drug Take- Back Day Saturday, April 28, 2018

National Prescription Drug Take- Back Day Saturday, April 28, 2018

StandUP Polk and local law enforcement agencies are proud to join The Drug Enforcement Administration and its national and community partners for National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on Saturday, April 28, 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 are not 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, often flushing them down the toilet or throwing them away – both potential safety and health hazards.

Our community’s Prescription Drug Take-Back Day will include the following 8 locations in Polk County for citizens to turn in unused, expired, or unwanted Human and Pet Medications, as well as 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 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, funded by Givewell Community Foundation, 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.  

Previous medication collections held in Polk County since 2010 have resulted in over 13,500 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.

Tobacco Prevention Education at The Lakeland Rodeo

InnerAct Alliance representatives Donna Swygert (left), Oliva May (right), and Mike Flora (not pictured) joined Juli Davis of Tobacco Free Florida (middle), a major sponsor for the Lakeland Pro Rodeo held on the weekend of January 26-27, 2018, to educate the community about the dangers of tobacco use including dipping, chewing and cigarette smoking. 

UthMpact Leadership Day - Business & Agriculture

UthMpact Leadership Day - Business & Agriculture

UthMpact Class VII Student Leaders participated in their last Leadership Day with the theme Business with a twist of Agriculture. Students visited the Polk County Farm Bureau, Peace River Packing Company, Florida’s Natural Growers, the HEART program at Warner University, and the Lightsey Cattle Ranch. The students learned that agricultural is a huge business in Polk County and an industry that our citizens rely on greatly!

Many Teens Who Take Adderall as “Study Drug” May Be Unaware it is Amphetamine

An October 2017 study published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence reports that many American teens who take the attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder drug Adderall as a “study drug” are unaware it is an amphetamine.

Some high school and college students use stimulants like Adderall because they think it will improve their mental function and school performance. Use of amphetamines like Adderall without a doctor’s order is known as nonmedical use. It can lead to abuse and dependency, as well as harmful medical problems such as seizures, heart problems, and increased drug use.

Researchers studied the responses of more than 24,000 high school seniors who took part in a national survey between 2010-2015. Although 8 percent reported nonmedical amphetamine use and 7 percent reported nonmedical Adderall use in the past year, about 29 percent of nonmedical Adderall users reported no nonmedical amphetamine use.

“Findings suggest that many young people are unaware that Adderall is an amphetamine,” said Joseph Palamar, leader author of the study conducted by the Center for Drug Use and HIV/HCV Research at New York University's Meyers College of Nursing in New York City. “These percentages about prescription stimulant misuse may actually be underestimated. Better drug education is needed to inform the public about common drugs like amphetamines and opioids.”

Adderall is a combination of amphetamine and dextroamphetamine used primarily to treat symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It may also benefit those who suffer from sleep disorders and severe depression. As a central nervous system stimulant, it speeds up and heightens bodily processes. More about the study can be found at: http://www.drugandalcoholdependence.com/article/S0376-8716(17)30527-6/fulltext

InnerAct Alliance to be Featured in Lakeland Chamber of Commerce’s Nod to Nonprofits Tour Series

InnerAct Alliance to be Featured in
Lakeland Chamber of Commerce’s Nod to Nonprofits Tour Series for March

Polk County, FL – InnerAct Alliance, and its coalition partners StandUP Polk and UthMpact, are proud to be chosen by the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce to be highlighted in its Nod to Nonprofits Tour Series for the month of March.   

The Nod to Nonprofits event is held monthly to spread awareness about worthwhile local nonprofit organizations that impact our community in positive ways. It will take place on Wednesday, March 21, 2018, at 10:00 am, at the 2018 Project Prom Store, located next to Hollister store at Lakeland Square Mall, 3800 U.S. 98 North, in Lakeland. Participants will have an opportunity to see some of the prom formal wear available free of charge to high school students in need and learn more about InnerAct Alliance’s community programs. Registration and event information can be found at: http://business.lakelandchamber.com/events/details/inneract-alliance-nod-to-nonprofits-tou r-series-8580

InnerAct Alliance, formerly the Drug Prevention Resource Center, is a nonprofit agency established in 1985 to reduce the abuse and underage use of harmful substances along with involvement in other risky behaviors while supporting positive healthy decisions through: Community Awareness and Support; Prevention Education; Economic Support; and Leadership Development. The agency serves the Hardee, Highlands and Polk County communities with prevention services including science-based education programs and awareness events that touch the lives of youth, parents, families, businesses, faith-based organizations, and others in need with an important substance abuse prevention message. The education division is comprised of a dozen professionals who teach in over 60 schools in Polk, Highlands and Hardee Counties.

In addition, the agency organizes one of the largest Red Ribbon Campaigns in the state of Florida, including Polk County’s Red Ribbon Half Marathon, 5K, and Kids Run events in November, to inspire individuals and families to achieve healthy drug-free lifestyle goals and show support for bullying and substance abuse prevention. The Red Ribbon Run, scheduled on November 10, 2018 at Lake Mirror, is a popular family participation event that brings together half marathon and 5K runners, over 1,500 kids run participants, volunteers, and local business partners, sponsors, and spectators. InnerAct Alliance also serves as the fiscal agent for the StandUP Polk (adult-based) and UthMpact (youth-based) Coalitions for a Drug-Free Polk, collaborations which lead community efforts to reduce underage use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. StandUP Polk and UthMpact partner in events like Project Prom and the Annual Prevention Summit year-round.

For additional information on the March 21^st event, please contact InnerAct Alliance Executive Director, Angie Ellison, at (863) 802-0777.