Raise Your Voice for Poway's Children

Two weeks ago hundreds of Poway residents came together for an extraordinary community conversation about teen substance abuse sponsored by Poway Community Leadership Institute and the Rotary Club of Poway. The Town Hall gathering was unprecedented not only in the number of attendees but also because residents were able to share their concerns and ideas with the City Council, PUSD officials, representatives of law enforcement, coaches, clergy and other local leaders.

There were stories of heartbreak from families who had lost loved ones to drugs or alcohol; stories of hope from others who had barely dodged tragedies in their families; and many shared their ideas in an effort to help our community win the battle against substance abuse. It was an evening that exemplified Poway’s commitment to family and community safety - a shining example of our community’s willingness to tackle any problem head-on.

But it was only a beginning. The tough work is ahead - and we need your help.

Some of the ideas suggested by residents at the Town Hall meeting have been included in a poll to gauge community support for their implementation. Questions such as:

“Do you support increasing drug dog visits to PUSD high school campuses?”

“Should PUSD high school athletes be subject to random drug testing?”

“If a juvenile is arrested in Poway for drug trafficking or possession should such an arrest be made public by the Sheriff's Department?”

For that survey to be meaningful your input is needed. Visit http://www.PowayTownHall.com and complete the survey in the next seven days so your voice will be heard. It only takes a few minutes and the results will help determine the course we take to win this battle.

Then what?  It's time to go to work!  We need a dozen people to join our Substance Abuse Task Force.  We’ll identify those next steps and work with the various organizations and parents to make things happen!  We’d love to have you on the team.  To be a part of this, send an e-mail to Steve Vaus at stevevaus@cox.net.

Our children's lives are at stake.  Working together we can save them.  We need your help!