Mainland North Drug Awareness Committee Activities

In 2003/2004, we have:

• been able to add six new members to our local committee, and more are welcome.
• prepared support documentation for volunteers to use in planning all events like those in the past.
  
• set up a booth at the "Alternate Mall"  on Dec. 6 at St. Peters Anglican Church on Kearney Lake Road where we passed out information and raised funds.
  
• have made a presentation to the Brookside Junior High School SAC about our services.
• participated in Addiction Awareness Week ceremonies.
• maintained the www.druginfosite.ca web site and increased its space.
  
• had two members attend a provincial volunteer workshop on drug awareness in Sydney.
• shared several hundred copies of our "Making Smart Choices" booklet with other local committees for distribution to students.
• had a  member attend the Capital Region Advisory Council meetings which bring together other local committee reps and the Director of Addiction Prevention and Treatment Services.
• had 2500 colorable place mats with a non-smoking message printed for kids to colour at local restaurants. These will be distributed for Addiction Awareness Week.
• arranged for sponsorship of our main activities.
• encouraged youth to become members of our committee.
• considered  possibilities on  how we might be able to help youth facing problems associated with drinking and parties during the holiday season.
• advised CRAC of our support for a wet shelter in the city.
• displayed winning anti-smoking posters at several sites in Mainland North, including the library, a health clinic and Pharmasave.
• presented a Healthy Lifestyle cash award and certificate to a student in each of the junior high schools and the high school in this area.
• made presentations to 19 grade six classes about finding reasons for not smoking and inviting them to participate in our poster contest.
• made presentations to the top three poster designers at assemblies in seven elementary schools. Thanks to the students and staffs in all participating schools for a fine effort. It took the committee three nights of judging to select the most impressive posters.
  
• had our 8 grade six finalists receive awards from The Nova Scotia Minister of Health Promotion, Rodney MacDonald, at Province House. Prizes included a trail bicycle, back packs, and swimming, bowling and mini-golf passes.
• updated, printed  and packaged 5000 copies of "Making Smart Choices"  which are being distributed to every grade six student in Halifax Regional Municipality.
• prepared and distributed evaluation forms for the "Making Smart Choices" booklet.
• had an auto wreck and signs placed at the  entrance to Halifax West High School to encourage students to have a safe grad. Members of the prom committee attended the set up.
  
• proposed APTS make their Choices program available in this area, or at least on the Halifax side of the harbour.
• planned to develop a more comprehensive structure for our group so as to facilitate fund raising and issue promotion.
• begun research on how to better serve the community , possibly by supporting parents in new ways.
  

In 2002/2003, we

• Participated in planning and Addiction Awareness Week activities sponsored by  Addiction prevention  and Treatment Services.
• Had a member attend  the Introduction to Addictions course offered by Addiction prevention and Treatment Services.
• Arranged for the printing and distribution of 5000 placemats with a "Don't Drink and Drive" message for the Holiday Season.
• Set up arrangements with local businesses for continuous sponsorship for several of our activities.
• Have maintained and  developed www. druginfosite.ca
• Are supporting Constable Mark Young  with an anti-smoking contest for our grade six students.
• Had our 7 student finalists receive awards from The Nova Scotia Minister of Health Promotion, Rodney MacDonald, at Province House. Prizes included a trail bicycle, back packs, and swimming, bowling and mini-golf passes.
• Displayed winning anti-smoking posters at several sites in Mainland North, including the library, a health clinic and Pharmasave.
• Are promoting the showing of the posters with a national business, National Bank Financial.
• Are presenting a $100 Healthy Lifestyle Award , courtesy of Farnham Gate Pharmasave, to a Halifax West Graduate.
• Are presenting key fobs to Halifax West's Safe Grad participants.
• Have a member attending monthly meetings of the Capital Region Advisory Council.
• Received grants for projects from Chebucto West Community Health Board and the National Crime Prevention Centre.
• Had a student redesign an anti-smoking poster to be used as a colorable placemat and had 3000 printed for distribution to local restaurants.
• Sponsored the creation of a "Making Smart Choices" booklet with an anime style story done by a local family, and found funding for its printing and distribution to all grade six grads.
• had two members attend HRM volunteer training  workshops on Saturdays during  April and May.
  

In 2001/2002, we

• Are working with a local school to have their students design an anti-smoking message mouse pad which will be distributed to junior high schools.
• Have had 5000 "Don't Drink  and  Drive" place mats printed and distributed to local restaurants.
• Are presenting anti-smoking information to local elementary schools at their school fairs.
• Had two members attend a provincial drug awareness education workshop in Truro.
• Are maintaining and growing this website.
• Are supporting Constable Mark Young  with an anti-smoking contest for our grade six students.
• Had our 7 student finalists receive awards from The Nova Scotia Minister of Health, Jamie Muir, at Province House. Prizes included a trail bicycle, back packs, and swimming, bowling and mini-golf passes.
• Supported Halifax West's safe Grad Ceremonies and prepare a Healthy Lifestyle award.
• Have two members on the Capital Region Advisory Council.
• Have a member on the 2002 Capital Health District Drug Awareness Week Planning Committee.
• Have a member on the attending regular meetings  of the DDS Matrix service.
• Are reaching out to other organizations involved in drug awareness activities to identify and share resources.
• Had two members attend  the Introduction to Addictions course offered by Drug Dependency Services
  

• Arranged for those wishing a charitable tax deduction when contributing to the association to obtain one.
• Set up this web site to inform parents and community groups about resources and our activities.
• Met with some local elementary and junior high school teachers and parents.
• Sponsored a poster contest for all grade six students on not smoking and had the Minister of Health make presentations at the Provincial Legislature.
• Increased committee membership to include two HRM Councillors, and the police officer doing community work in schools.
• Assessed The Norm and Fred Show for two local high schools, and looked at engaging the support of area Lion's Clubs.
• Have redesiged, printed and distributed "Don't Drink and Drive" placemats to neighbourhood eating establishments for the Christmas season.
• Were awarded the 2000 Dr. Max Brennan award by "Darts against Drugs", a fund raising group.
• Presented a key fobs for safe grad week participants, and a Healthy Lifestyle award at a Halifax West High School.
• Had two members attend a provincial workshop designed to educate local committee volunteers on relevant issues.
• Had two members attend a three day "Addictions" information Workshop for professionals at DDS.
• Have been working with DDS and other local committees through monthly Capital Region Advisory Council meetings.
• Have approached many local businesses for prizes for students involved in our drug awareness activities.
• Presented five information sessions at schools having "Spring Fairs".

In 1999/2000, we:

• Established the Addiction Prevention and Treatment Association (APTA) to enable individuals and groups to support Drug Dependency Services. (This has been ended and we now work with The Nova Scotia Hospital Foundation.)
• Designed, printed, and started distributing brochures about the Mainland North Drug Awareness committee and resources available in the community.
• Arranged two performances by Motivational Media in two junior high schools. This vibrant multimedia presentation was highly motivating through the use of music and celebrity speakers.
• Purchased DrunkBuster Goggles for use as part of classroom presentations on the impairing influence of alcohol.
• Designed and distributed "Don't Drink and Drive" placemats to neighbourhood eating establishments.
• Supported the NSLC “Colourful Messages” Program. Students in grades 4-8 drew colourful messages on brown liquor store bags to remind adults to use alcohol responsibly.
• Distributed attractive Safe Grad key fobs to those at a "safe graduation" at Halifax West High School in June.
• Staffed information booths at two events in local schools where we presented baskets of prizes donated by local businesses. Participants had to fill out a short multiple choice questionnaire about drugs.
• Have been active in raising funds to cover the costs of these activities and others in the planning stages. We are presently seeking more committee members.

Also:

• Interested members attended a full day education session with other Capital Region local committees. This allowed us to share strategies and learn more about the impact of drugs from police and health professionals.

  
  A local committee member attends the Capital Regional Advisory Council meetings to present local perspectives on drug dependency issues and to learn of the activities and concerns of Drug Dependency Services.