Rockville Centre community takes steps against destructive decisions

Nearly 200 students, parents and educators joined local officials and members of the law enforcement community last Sunday morning for the annual Substance Use Awareness Walk at the Skelos Sports Complex. South Side High School social worker Naomi Bisk, the event coordinator, offered an introduction that made its message clear: Make healthy choices — stay alcohol-, drug- and cigarette-free.

“Thank you all for participating in [the] annual Rockville Centre Drug and Alcohol Task Force walk to raise awareness about substance abuse among our youth,” said school administrator Noreen Leahy, a member of the task force. “Your presence this morning thrills a group like the task force.

“We are all responsible. All of us — schools, law enforcement, substance-abuse counseling centers, recreation centers, coaches, cultural and civic organizations and, most importantly, parents and guardians of the precious lives of our children,” Leahy added. “Though this committee represents a number of organizations, we are at our heart of hearts a grass-roots organization … natural, spontaneous and rooted in emotion. We are starting at a local level to create noise … We are afraid of what might happen if we stay silent on the issue of drug and alcohol abuse in this

community.

“So we are willing to continue to meet … to chip away, with walks, presentations, selling bumper magnets, attending back-to-school nights or handing out information.

“Some say we’re spitting in the wind, some say our mission is impossible, some don’t even think there is a problem,” Leahy said. “But I say, as long as one young person’s life is lost or destroyed because they didn’t get the message, then we do have a problem and we do have a role. As long as one child turns to drugs and alcohol instead of the healthy alternatives and opportunities … we have a role. As long as one child hears our message and does not make that first bad decision, we have been successful.”

Before setting out on the 1½-mile walk on a cool fall day that featured strong sun as well as dark, threatening clouds, participants also heard from District Court Judge Anthony Paradiso, who said that he sees the consequences of bad decisions every day; Mayor Fran Murray; Board of Education Vice President Mark Masin, who was accompanied by Trustee Mayda Kramer; and Assemblyman Brian Curran. Students from the elementary, middle and high school, with SADD and Youth Decide faculty advisors, followed with anti-drug and anti-bullying poems, pledges and promises.

After completing the walk, which was also supported by the village Council of PTAs, the Youth Council, the village and the Confide Drug and Alcohol Counseling Center, participants received congratulations and certificates of completion from the event organizers.