TDAC educates kids about dangers of alcohol, drugs
by: Lonnie Wilkey - Oct 5, 2008 - comment
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Since 1937 the Tennessee Drug Awareness Council (formerly the United Tennessee League) has trumpeted the dangers of alcohol and drugs.
TDAC first began as a “saloon league” touting the dangers of alcohol, said Phil Lovelace, president of TDAC since 2001.
Over the years the agency evolved to include all drugs and in 1957 began entering classrooms to warn children of the dangers of drugs.
“The drug problem in our state is destroying lives, families, and communities,” Lovelace warned, adding that church families are not immune to the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse.
Lovelace noted that a respected county sheriff recently said, “There is no way to reduce the drug problem without convincing children to refuse to get involved with drugs.”
Lovelace says that is why TDAC, which receives a large portion of its budget from the Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions and individual Tennessee Baptists and churches, still exists — to help children become aware of the pitfalls and dangers of drugs at an early age.
While there are other entities that warn of the dangers of marijuana, cocaine, prescription drugs, and more, Lovelace noted that TDAC is the only organization that speaks to younger children.
Lovelace noted that last year TDAC had requests from 450 schools in Tennessee to present their drug prevention program.
Due to a limited budget and staff and not enough volunteers, only 320 of those requests were met last year, Lovelace related.
“That means 130 schools and several hundred children missed out on drug prevention education that could have possibly saved their lives and their families much sorrow,” he said.
In the 300-plus schools they did visit they were able to present more than 4,000 classes to students, from kindergarten through 12th grade, reaching approximately 100,000 students.
Bob Osburn, a member of First Baptist Church, Somerville, and a board member of TDAC, stressed the importance of the agency.
“We are about prevention. Preventing kids from getting on drugs is easier than getting an addict off drugs,” he observed.
The schools are providing an open door to TDAC, Lovelace said. “They are crying for help.”
To meet the needs of schools and to reach more children, particularly those in elementary schools, TDAC desperately needs more trained volunteers who can go into the schools to share the message of health and abstinence, Lovelace said.
“We are an outside voice that comes in and joins hands with local counselors. We reinforce what they have been telling students,” he noted.
Currently TDAC has about 38 trained prevention specialist speakers. Among the specialists is Larry Putt, another board member from FBC, Somerville.
Putt estimates he makes between 30-50 presentations a year.
“I want to make a difference in their lives. If I just reach one in every classroom it would be a point of satisfaction knowing I reached that one,” he added.
“I have seen what drugs do to people,” Osburn added. “Prevention is the key,” he stressed.
Osburn said that TDAC desperately needs more volunteers willing to dedicate their time and efforts in helping to spread the message of drug prevention in schools across Tennessee.
Lovelace said TDAC is willing to go to churches and train potential volunteers. “Doors are open for us to go into the schools, but we need more presenters.”
While grateful for the support they have received, the non-denominational agency also is in need of additional funds “to help us in this fight to save Tennessee families and their children from the devastating results of drug abuse.”
TDAC is non-profit and non-political and receives no assistance or financial support from any government agency, Lovelace said, adding that all financial support comes from gifts from churches, religious organizations, businesses, and individuals.
For more information about TDAC, call (615) 385-2251.
This article is reprinted from the September 17, 2008, issue of the Baptist & Reflector, the newsjournal of the Tennessee Baptist Convention.
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