Windsor Locks Wellness Coalition Starts New Campaign

The Windsor Locks Wellness Coalition Monday kicked off its newest initiative discourage underage drinking as well as misuse of prescription drugs.

Town and school officials, students, school bus drivers, public works employees, law enforcement and others gathered at Windsor Locks High School to announce the new campaign.

Garbage trucks, school buses, delivery vans, tow trucks and other vehicles will be sporting  blue decals with “You are the Key” on them. The focus of the campaign is to inform parents of where kids report they frequently get their alcohol and prescription drugs _ in their homes without parental knowledge.

More than 100 storefront business in Windsor Locks are displaying the same blue decal in their windows, officials said. Churches in town have included flyers in their weekly bulletins.  In a town with no billboards the Lions Club, town Hall  and Fire Department display boards will spell out the same message. Banners on Main Street and other locations will support the message, officials said in a press release.

Sandra Jones, director of prevention, for New Directions, said enforcement efforts that have cracked down on businesses selling alcohol to minors has made the compliance rate better. Now the focus is to prevent kids from getting the substances where they say it’s easiest unknowing homes, Jones said.

There are three important things parents and older community members can do to keep alcohol out of the hands of kids, Kate Barnard, youth services director, said.
They are:
Lock up or monitor your alcohol or any medications you have in your home.
Talk it up to your kids about alcohol and drugs.
Set the Rules, tell them your rules and consequences for underage drinking or other drugs.

Barnard said targeting the parents lets them know there is support in the community for them.

“We’re really just trying to put more information and awareness out there,” Barnard said.

Barnard said members of the Youth Action Committee are organizing advisory classes for their fellow students as well as working on public service announcements.

“It’s the kids sending messages directly to the parents,” Barnard said.