Presented by Charles P. Erdeljac, Ph.D. and Stephen M. Wilson, D. Min.
Six years ago, the death of a beloved town mayor led to the formation of a drug and alcohol task force in Oakmont and Verona, Pennsylvania. Rev. Dr. Steve Wilson of the Oakmont Presbyterian Church and Dr. Charles Erdeljac, Superintendent of the Riverview School District, invited community leaders to form a task force, in order to communicate with one another and become part of the solution to the drug and alcohol problems that are present in all communities. Steve and Chuck will talk about the membership roles, purposes, obstacles, and small victories achieved over the last six years. They will discuss why they think a community task force is vital to a community's health, especially for its teens and young adults. Participants will gain some insight into one effort to organize and overcome the denial and silence that surrounds the drug and alcohol challenge. Participants who belong to such a community task force are encouraged to attend and share your experiences also.