Drug-Free South to Present at Crime Forum for National Night Out

Drug-Free South, a chapter of the Foundation for a Drug-Free World, has been educating students on the harmful effects of drugs for years. Now they will be presenting their program during a Crime Forum for National Night Out.

National Night Out Against Crime is August 6^th, and this year Drug-Free South will speak at a forum regarding how drugs relate to crime. National Night Out is an event that was created by the National Association of Town Watch (NATW), a non-profit organization dedicated to the development and promotion of various crime prevention programs including neighborhood watch groups, law enforcement agencies, state and regional crime prevention associations, businesses, civic groups, and individuals, devoted to safer communities.

Drug-Free South (DFS) has been educating students in and around Tennessee since 2009 and in just that time, the group has enlightened over 15,000 students across 30 counties.

Brian Fesler, who coordinates DFS, says, “We participate in National Night Out Against Crime each year because drugs lead to crime.  It’s just that simple. And the way out is education.”

The Foundation for a Drug-Free World is a nonprofit public benefit corporation that empowers youth and adults with factual information about drugs so they can make informed decisions and live drug-free.  According to drugfreeworld.org, “no one, especially a young person, likes to be lectured about what he or she can or cannot do. Thus, we provide the facts that empower youth to choose not to take drugs in the first place.”

The organization provides a “Truth About Drugs” booklet, an informational pamphlet that details short- and long-term effects of drugs, common street names and myths that a dealer might use to make a sale.  The Foundation offers educational materials free of charge to educators and anyone who wants to learn more about drugs.

For more information, visit www.drugfreesouth.org.

The Way to Happiness Plans Summer of Events

“In early summer, kids are just getting out of school and want to have some fun,” says Chris Hays who coordinates the Way to Happiness locally, “but near the end of summer, they need some activities and some good direction as they are heading back to school. That’s why we have lined up events for August this year.”

The first event the Way to Happiness (TWTH) will participate in is National Night Out Against Crime, an event created by the National Association of Town Watch (NATW).

NATW is, according to its website, “a non-profit organization dedicated to the development and promotion of various crime prevention programs including neighborhood watch groups, law enforcement agencies, state and regional crime prevention associations, businesses, civic groups, and individuals, devoted to safer communities.”

In Nashville, National Night Out is celebrated in neighborhoods across the city. The Way to Happiness will participate by distributing informational booklets. “We distribute booklets that contain a moral guide to better living,” says Hays.

The Way to Happiness booklets have been distributed around the world since 1981 when it was written.  It is has been found that where the booklets are distributed, crime rates drop.

TWTH has also made plans for a community-wide distribution in late August.  Group members will team up with friends to pass out the booklet to every household in select Nashville neighborhoods. Hays is excited about this project, “We are so excited to make this happen. We aim to serve entire neighborhoods with this program!”

For more information about The Way to Happiness, visit thewaytohappiness.org or email twthnashville@gmail.com to learn about local activities.

Church of Scientology Confronts Education Crisis

Following the March 2013 Faith Day on the Hill at the State Capitol in Tennessee, the Church of Scientology is challenging the community to resolve the problems surrounding education.

At Faith Day on the Hill in March 2013, the Tennessee State Capitol saw leaders from various faiths gather, discuss and make plans for resolving issues in public education, however, that was the last time that group convened. The final segment of Faith Day on the Hill was entitled “After the Benediction, What Then?” and the Church of Scientology has re-issued this as a challenge to other faith leaders.

“We named that segment very carefully,” says Rev. Brian Fesler of the Church of Scientology, a member of the original planning committee for Faith Day. “We wanted to draw attention to action - not just talk.” Fesler says the Church of Scientology is preparing to bring faith and community leaders together again so a solution can be implemented.

Nashville ranks 84th in education amongst the nation’s cities, according to parenting.com. Fesler says his church has a workable solution, and he’s opening the doors to leaders of all faith communities to put it into action. “Education issues cross faith borders—if your child is struggling in school, you’ve got to look where the answers are,” says Fesler.

As early as the 1950s, the founder of Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard, recognized failings in the educational system. In answer to this crisis, he developed an actual “technology” of learning with which to master any subject. Known as “study technology,” Hubbard’s techniques have found broad application from pre-school through adult learning environments.

Hubbard said, “The end and goal of any society as it addresses the problem of education is to raise the ability, the initiative and the cultural level, and with all of these the survival level of that society.”

“We want to bring this technology to the students in Davidson County,” says Fesler. “I know that if every child in the city knew exactly how to study, they would be able to succeed in life. And our  education system would be the best in the country.”

For more information on study technology, visit www.scientology.org.

Drug-Free South Turning the Tide of Drug Abuse Across Tennessee

The Foundation for a Drug-Free South is a chapter of the Foundation for a Drug-Free World which educates young people on the harmful effects of drugs.

“Prescription drug misuse and abuse continues to be a major problem in the state of Tennessee,” according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations. This is why the Foundation for a Drug-Free World is making plans to spread its education initiatives even further in the coming months.

Anne Vallieres coordinates the local chapter, “It is important to reach youth before drug dealers do,” she says, “and that can only be accomplished by being proactive—going to the schools and teaching them the truth about drugs.”

The Foundation for a Drug-Free South (DFS) has been educating students in and around Tennessee since 2009. So far, the group has enlightened over 15,000 students across 30 counties in the state. And Vallieres has no intention of putting on the brakes. “Students who receive these seminars and learn the real truth about drugs are inclined to look and think for themselves, and they decide not to take drugs. That is the true benefit to this program.”

The Foundation for a Drug-Free World is a nonprofit public benefit corporation that empowers youth and adults with factual information about drugs so they can make informed decisions and live drug-free. According to drugfreeworld.org, “No one, especially a young person, likes to be lectured about what he or she can or cannot do. Thus, we provide the facts that empower youth to choose not to take drugs in the first place.”

DFS provides a “Truth About Drugs” booklet, an informational pamphlet that details short- and long-term effects of drugs, common street names and myths that a drug dealer might use to make a sale.  The Foundation offers educational materials free of charge to educators and anyone who wants to learn more about drugs.

For more information, visit www.drugfreesouth.org.

Drug-Free South Arms Students Against Drugs

The Foundation for a Drug-Free South, a chapter of the Foundation for a Drug-Free World, is educating young people on the harmful effects of drugs throughout Tennessee.

According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, “In 2007-2008, Tennessee ranked first among all states for past-year non-medical use of pain relievers among persons age 26 or older. Tennessee also was one of the top ten states for rates in other drug-use categories, including past-month use of illicit drugs other than marijuana among persons age 12 and older.” This is why the Foundation for a Drug-Free World has plans to spread its education initiatives further in the coming months.

Anne Vallieres coordinates the local chapter of the Foundation, Drug-Free South.  “It is no longer difficult for children to get their hands on drugs,” she says, “they are everywhere.  Our purpose is to educate young people on their harmful effects, so they know why they should stay away.”

Vallieres says this program doesn’t just tell a student to say no. “We give them the truth, then they can make up their mind. It becomes their decision to say no.”

Drug-Free South has been educating students in and around Tennessee since 2009. So far, the group has enlightened over 15,000 students across 30 counties in the state.

The Foundation is a nonprofit public benefit corporation that empowers youth and adults with factual information about drugs so they can make informed decisions and live drug-free. According to drugfreeworld.org, “No one, especially a young person, likes to be lectured about what he or she can or cannot do. Thus, we provide the facts that empower youth to choose not to take drugs in the first place.”

The organization provides a “Truth About Drugs” booklet, an informational pamphlet that details short- and long-term effects of drugs, common street names and myths that a drug dealer might use to make a sale.  The Foundation offers educational materials free of charge to educators and anyone who wants to learn more about drugs.

For more information, visit www.drugfreesouth.org.