Talk On Substance Abuse Prevention

Ginger Katz knows all too well the effects drugs can have on a family. Her 20-year-old son, Ian, died of a heroine overdose in the late 1990s. Mrs Katz will be in Newtown speaking to both students and parents about the destruction drugs can cause and the damage it can do to a family.

“The Courage to Speak” is a lecture on preventing drug and alcohol abuse among adolescents. Mrs Katz will speak to parents of children in grades five through 12 at 7 pm on June 20 at St Rose of Lima Parish Hall on Church Hill Road. Admission to the lecture is free.

The program is being brought to Newtown in a collaborative effort between St Rose School, Newtown Middle School, and St Rose Parish Education. Substance abuse is one of the most serious issues facing many communities throughout the nation, including Newtown.

The purpose of “The Courage to Speak” is to inform young people and adults about substance abuse and its impact on their lives; to encourage every person to take responsibility to combat substance abuse and addiction; to remove the stigma of substance abuse and replace shame and despair with hope; and to offer a support group for parents and other family members to come together to heal.

For more information about the upcoming program on June 20, call St Rose Parish Education at 426-2333.