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Community Corner

Drug and Alcohol Task Force Expands Its Efforts and Influence

The producers of The Anderson Show as well as Partnership for a Drug-Free America have reached out to the Northport organization, which has several events in the works.

Suffice it to say that the efforts of the Northport-East Northport Community Drug and Alcohol Task Force extend well beyond the community.

Tammy Walsh, a math teach at and chairperson of the Youth Recreation subcommittee, confirmed at the Wednesday meeting that producers of Anderson Cooper's new "The Anderson Show" on Channel 11 have contacted her about working with them on a show about drugs in the near future. 

Partnership for a Drug-Free America has also asked the group to help with their “You are Not Alone” campaign, which seeks to remove the stigma of addiction.

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Partnership will participate in an event in April hosted by the featuring a special appearance at the by James Brown, bestselling author of the addiction and recovery memoirs The Los Angeles Diaries and This River. The three-day event will culminate with the dedication of two benches, one in memory of those who have lost the battle with addiction, and one celebrating recovery.

The location of the benches is still being determined. Walsh has not heard back from Northport Village, but said the Town of Huntington has already approved their installation at the skate park in

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Walsh, who says her goal is to have “hundreds of kids involved”, currently runs the Northport Community Book Club, which focuses on books on drug addiction and recovery. On Dec. 1, the group will meet at the Northport Library to skype with author Mia Fontaine, who, with her mother Claire, wrote Come Back: A Mother and Daughter’s Journey Through Hell and Back. The event is open to everyone.

The group also plans on participating in “Red Ribbon Week,” the nation’s oldest and largest drug prevention program which pays tribute to DEA Special Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena, who was murdered in 1985 by Mexican drug traffickers. Red ribbons created by students at the high school will be given out the week of Oct. 24. Donations will be put toward the group’s growing scholarship fund, which will be given to one senior and one college student at the end of the school year.

To cap off Red Ribbon Week, the group plans to hold a candlelight vigil on Friday, Oct. 29 in .

At the Wednesday meeting, Walsh also said that the group plans on holding more Red Watch Band Training sessions to teach people how to assist others suffering from the potentially lethal effects of binge drinking.

Anthony Ferrandino, a social worker and co-chair of the Task Force along with Sean Boylan, reported that all fifth graders in the district will be participating in a “too good for drugs” program given by teachers, and that the group plans on expanding the program to other grades as well.

Attendees also discussed the possibility of bringing provided by the Suffolk County Police Department’s Second Precinct to the high school for random sweeps.  Parents would first need to be informed about the proposal, which was initiated by BOE Trustee Joe Sabia. Sabia and Board VP Donna McNaughton, who both attended the meeting, are drawing up an informational sheet which will be posted on the district’s website.

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