Hamilton Area Community Coalition hosts teen event for Alcohol Awareness Month
To kick off Alcohol Awareness Month, the Hamilton Area Community Coalition sponsored the aloha formal dance at Hamilton Central School April 7. Open to high school students across Madison County, the goal of the event was to educate and remind teens to make safe and healthy choices regarding alcohol, especially as we enter prom season.
HACC teamed up with Community Memorial Hospital, Hamilton Central School’s Students Against Destructive Decisions chapter and Reality Check to host this event.
The party came alive with DJ Mikey of Madison and included a message from local guest speaker Anthony DeMario of Liverpool. DeMario presented an inspiring message of hope, using his story of how he rose above adversity, addiction, depression and the loss of his friend to suicide. He encouraged teens to find their passion and to live every day with purpose.
“Hope is real,” says DeMario. “You are worthy of love and you’ve got so much to give this world.”
Teens had the opportunity to win prizes by completing drug and alcohol prevention activities, sponsored by the HACC and Reality Check. Reality Check is a statewide youth program that works to reduce youth exposure to tobacco marketing in stores and on screen. Prizes included passes to Wonderworks Laser Tag, Glo-Golf, Colgate Bookstore and more.
In addition, every teen in attendance received a free pass to Colgate’s Angert Family Climbing Wall facility.
HACC extends special thanks to Community Memorial Hospital for sponsoring refreshments, and to
Stephanie and Colin Fadale for managing the hugely popular smoothie bar – complete with color
changing cups.
For resources and tips on talking to your child about alcohol, visit hamiltoncoalition.com/parents.