GAINESVILLE - The Drug Free Coalition of Hall County celebrated its annual meeting and awards ceremony Tuesday night with awards presented for the Coalition Partner Organization of the Year, and the Mary Parks Youth Champion. The winners of the 2015 Youth Substance Abuse Prevention Video Contest were also announced and awards presented.
The Hall County Sheriff’s Office was awarded the 2015 Partner Organization of the Year. The award is presented to an organization that has exemplified partnership and true collaboration with the Coalition and its goal to reduce substance abuse among youth in Hall County.
Coalition Director JP Banks says the sheriff's office has been a key partner of the Coalition from the start. Members of the Narcotics Task Squad were instrumental in assisting the Coalition develop its Hidden In Plain Sight project that demonstrates how youth may “hide” drugs and/or paraphernalia in plain sight within their bedrooms. The Sheriff’s office has partnered with the Coalition in ensuring prescription medications don’t end-up in the hands of youth or adults without a medical prescription. The department has regularly participating in National Prescription Take Back Day since the national initiative began in the spring of 2011. In the fall of 2012, the Sheriff’s Office collaborated with the Coalition to install a permanent prescription take back drop-off box in the department's lobby in the fall of 2012. The Sheriff’s Offices conducts prevention programs in county schools in addition to having Resources Officers on campuses who interact with students in further efforts to reduce youth substance abuse.
Judy T. Brownell, Prevention Director at Center Point Gainesville, is the 2015 recipient of the Mary Parks Youth Champion Award.
Angel Randolph, Coalition Chair said: “Mary Parks was a champion for youth who dedicated her life to creating positive opportunities for young people throughout Hall County.” The award criterion included: 1) a professional or volunteer that has made significant impact on the lives of youth; 2) has affected a community-wide change on the behalf of youth - resulting in an environmental impact; and 3) brought people and ideas together for the benefit of youth maximizing community resources.
Brownell, Coalitiion officials say, has been "a tireless champion for youth throughout her career." She began her service to youth in 1977 as a supervisor with Hall County Department of Family and Youth Services. Other positons she has held include work with Lanier Council on Child Abuse, the Hall-Dawson CASA program, Grace Episcopal Church, Rainbow Children’s Home, and District 2 Public Health. Brownell joined Center Point in 2001. During her tenure, Center Point she has expanded the prevention program outreach and impact. She is a founding member of the Drug Free Coalition of Hall County and been active in Coalition initiatives and projects since its inception in 2007.
Winners of the top four videos submitted in the Coalition’s Fourth Annual Youth Substance Abuse Prevention Video Contest were also announced. Sixteen two-minute videos created and starring high school youth were submitted. “I am impressed with the creativity and diligence demonstrated by the students in this year’s video contest. It is my hope that these videos will serve as an inspiration for their peers to be drug free,” said Tashiana Cheeks, prevention coordinator with the Coalition.
The first-place winning video was “Decisions” by Benjamin Braun and Nicholas Stackis; Lela Hodge and Charlie Turner submitted “52 Minutes,” and were awarded second place; “Respect!”, submitted by Brady Dollyhigh and Christian Floyd placed third; and Graeme Schneider’s “The Plan” placed fourth. A special award was presented to Natalie White, AP teacher and R.A.C.E director at Chestatee High school, where the 16 videos were produced.
The winners were selected from online voting. A total of 1,564 deciding votes were cast. The Coalition noted from Google analytics that votes came from over 30 countries, including Taiwan, Peru, Ukraine, Indonesia, Italy, Denmark, Russia, and Germany. Seventy-six percent of the vote came from the U.S.. A montage of all sixteen submitted videos and the top four count-down can be viewed on the Coalition’s website (www.faceitpeople.org).
