News : Visiting DC to discuss anti-drug leadership

This week I am in Washington DC for the Leadership Forum for our grant. We are a member of CADCA which stands for Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America. Our coalition graduated from the National Coalition Academy which was a yearlong process of strategic planning for our county which uses science strategies and solutions.

February 6, 2013, was Capitol Hill Day. Representatives from the coalitions in Iowa all “stormed” the Capitol today to advocate for legislation to keep funding programs like Drug Free Communities and other important programs that help empower our kids to make smart decisions about drugs and alcohol. We visited with Senator Grassley and stood behind him at a press conference that highlighted the importance of these programs and he gave his support of our efforts publicly and also said if we needed a letter of support, he would write one for us. We met with Senator Harkins aid, as he was not available for a meeting. She listened to all of us explain our communities and how each of our DFCs works and the importance of why they should be sustained. She was handed facts on our efforts to pass along to the senator. We are doing some great things around the country with DFC and most importantly to us; we have support from our federal partners that advocate for us to continue our work in our areas. Benton County is in its year 2 of funding.

Front -- Jodee Goche, Kossuth Connections - Bancroft, Nicole Hamilton, Lake Mills Task Force- Lake Mills, Angie Asa-Lovstad, Kossuth Connections - Algona, Sandy Rayhons(in yellow) , Garner Asset Project - Garner, (front next to Sandy) Cassie Gerst, Henry County Substance Abuse Council Mt Pleasant, (next to Senator Grassley) Shanna Eastvold, Lake Mills Task Force - Lake Mills, Keiaffa Green, Benton County Above the Influence Coalition - Vinton, (end) Cherry Sandeen, Henry County Substance Abuse Coalition - Mt. Pleasant.