Late Nite @ the Y

For those of you who have been following the efforts of the Coalition, you know that we have worked diligently over the years to educate parents and students about the dangers of underage drinking and drug use through various collaborative programs and initiatives. We have also interviewed local teens asking them to help us identify the issues in our community that increase the risk of adolescent substance use and to help us promote the factors that minimize that risk.

Consistently, the main issue raised by the kids is the need for more weekend youth-oriented activities where they can just "hang out with their friends and have fun". To address this need, the Coalition has joined together with the Chapel-Hill Carrboro YMCA to host the first in a series of safe and fun evenings out for all Chapel Hill High and East Chapel Hill High School students (only) on Friday, October 27th from 9 pm to Midnight.

Dubbed "Late Nite at the Y", this event will include a D.J., dancing, basketball, Wolleyball, "open-mic" performance lounge, concessions, games and much more. To ensure everyone's safety, Chapel Hill and Carrboro police officers will be on-site, breathalyzers and metal detectors will be administered to students upon entry and attendees must present a Chapel Hill or EAST school identification card. Cost is $5 per person at the door.

I want to express my personal gratitude to the Chapel Hill-Carrboro YMCA for providing their leadership, facility and youth expertise in hosting this long-awaited teen event. Together, we support our youth in making healthy choices about their lives and we are committed to providing them with safe and fun-filled opportunities where alcohol and drug use is not peer-pressured or expected.

I hope you will join with me in showing support for this and similar events for our teenagers. To volunteer for "Late Nite @ the Y" or make a donation to YMCA hosted substance-free activities for local teens, please contact me or Jeff Lloyd at the YMCA 942-5156.

All my best,
Dale