PAST EXPERIENCES HAVE SHOWN THAT TODAY’S YOUNG PEOPLE ARE STREET WISE AND GENERALLY KNOW MORE THAN THEIR PARENTS ABOUT DRUGS. THE MAJOR TASK OF THE ELKS IS TO EMPHASIZE THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF DRUG ABUSE TO THE STUDENT AND THE PARENTS. PARENTS NEED TO BE INSTRUCTED ON HOW TO RECOGNIZE THE SYMPTOMS OF THE USAGE AND THE EFFECTS OF CONTINUED ABUSE OF DRUGS. THIS IS THE PRIMARY GOAL OF A SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM.
OUR
NATION-WIDE GOAL IS TO OPERATE A
PROGRAM OF EDUCATIONAL AWARENESS BOTH
INDEPENDENTLY AND COOPERATIVELY
WITH OTHER COMMUNITY GROUPS WITH SIMILAR GOALS.
JOINT COOPERATIVE EFFORT IS THE PRIMARY GOAL TO ELIMINATE
REDUNDANCY AND MAXIMIZE EFFECTIVENESS AT THE LOWEST POSSIBLE COST.
THE
ELKS WERE MOBILIZED IN 1982 NATIONALLY TO COMBAT SUBSTANCE ABUSE
THROUGH A PROGRAM OF AWARENESS EDUCATION.
LODGE
COMMITTEES PROVIDE VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS TO BRING THE MESSAGE TO THE YOUTH OF
THEIR COMMUNITIES AND TO THE PARENTS OF THESE YOUNG PEOPLE.
MEMBERS OF THE ELKS AND THEIR LADIES ACTIVELY CONDUCT PROGRAMS AT
LODGE FACILITIES, SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES AND ANY OTHER PLACE THAT WILL
SUPPORT THE PROGRAM.
MEMBERS OF THE LODGE COMMITTEES PROVIDE EXPERTISE AND INFORMATION
TO A DIVERSE AUDIENCE.
OVER ONE BILLION PIECES OF EDUCATIONAL LITERATURE HAVE BEEN
PREPARED, PRINTED AND DISTRIBUTED BY THE ELKS SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THE
PROGRAM.
THE
ELKS DRUG AWARENESS COMMITTEE
CONSTANTLY GAINS VALUABLE KNOWLEDGE
THROUGH INVOLVEMENT WITH
PROFESSIONALS, SUCH AS LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, PROFESSIONAL
COUNSELORS, DOCTORS AND PHARMACISTS. ALTHOUGH MANY OF THESE
PROFESSIONALS ARE ALSO
ELKS,
OUTSIDE EXPERTISE IS ALSO SOLICITED AND UTILIZED IN THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF
PROGRAMS IN OUR LOCAL
COMMUNITIES.
THE
ELKS ASSIST IN
DRUG EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN THE SCHOOLS BY PROVIDING PRINTED
MATERIAL, POSTERS AND IN-SCHOOL PROGRAMS.
OTHERS
RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE ELK’S DRUG AWARENESS PROGRAM
INCLUDE: SPEAKER BUREAUS, PAMPHLETS AND POSTERS, FILM LIBRARIES, AND RADIO
AND TELEVISION PUBLIC SERVICE INFORMATION.
ELKS SPONSOR COMMUNITY RALLIES AND CONDUCT PUBLIC DRUG AWARENESS
PROGRAMS.
EACH
AND EVERY YEAR THE ELKS WILL SPONSOR NUMEROUS YOUTH DELEGATES TO THE
ANNUAL PRIDE CONFERENCE WHICH HAS TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DELEGATES FROM
AROUND THE WORLD.
ELKS ALSO SPONSOR AND SUPPORT MANY PROGRAMS CONDUCTED BY OTHER
ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE D.A.R.E PROGRAM PRESENTED BY LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, RED RIBBON BY THE NEP (NATIONAL FAMILY PARTNERSHIP)
AND WORLDWIDE PRIDE CONFERENCE.
THE
DRUG AWARENESS EDUCATION PROGRAM IS
SUPPORTED THROUGH ELKS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ELKS NATIONAL
FOUNDATION, BY STATE ASSOCIATIONS AND INDIVIDUAL LODGES.
THE
WEST VIRGINIA ELKS STATE ASSOCIATION HAS
PURCHASED A TRAILER FOR THE DRUG AWARENESS PROGRAM.
THIS TRAILER IS ONE OF TWENTY-SIX SIMILAR
TRAILERS, THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
THIS TRAILER HAS ALREADY TRAVELED FROM THE MOST SOUTHERN LODGE,
BLUEFIELD LODGE #269, WHERE IT HAS BEEN ON SIGHT AT SEVERAL SCHOOL
FUNCTIONS, SUCH AS THEIR FALL FESTIVALS ETC., TO THE NORTHERN PART OF THE
STATE IN ELKINS, WV
WHERE ELKINS LODGE #1135 PLACED IT ON DISPLAY AT THE FOREST FESTIVAL,
WITH ATTENDANCE OF 200 THOUSAND VIEWERS IN TOWN.
THE
TRAILER IS EQUIPPED WITH LITERATURE SUCH AT TIPS ON TEENS USING
METHAMPHETAMINE, MARIJUANA, ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, CLUB DRUGS, COCAINE, HEROIN,
INHALANTS, HALLUCIGENS, AND PARENTING.
THE
TRAILER IS ALSO EQUIPPED WITH A VCR AND T.V.FOR SHOWING FILMS
RELATING TO THE RESULTS OF USING
ILLICIT SUBSTANCES.
WE ALSO PROVIDE BALLOONS, PENCILS, BOOKMARKERS, LITTER BAGS, RED
RIBBONS, BADGES, RULERS, AND A PAIR OF FATAL VISION GLASSES.
THESE GLASSES SIMULATE THE
EFFECTS OF
DRUGS ON THEIR BODY, SUCH AS FOCUSING AND WALKING.
FOR
MORE INFORMATION ON THE WEST VIRGINIA DRUG AWARENESS PROGRAM CONTACT:
JACKIE BARLOW, DRUG AWARENESS CHAIRMAN, AND A MEMBER OF THE BLUEFIELD ELKS
LODGE #269 OR EMAIL AT ndjk@citlink.net