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WCCD helping combat opioid crisis

The Record Herald - 3/22/2019

March 21-- Mar. 21--WAYNESBORO -- A grass roots movement stemming from Vision 2035 and the Rotary Club of Waynesboro is doing its part in creating awareness about the opioid epidemic that is raging across the area. Such efforts have formed the Waynesboro Community Core for Drugs.

"The point is to reach out to other organizations and community members who are willing to join together and raise awareness and focus resources," explained Dan DeDona, Rotary board member and activist with the WCCD. "We're using WCCD as an umbrella to bring in the Civitan Club, the school district, Noah's House and many other organizations which will help broaden the reach of our message. There is a limit to the number of users the current drug programs can handle. Preventing drug abuse will help keep those efforts effective."

DeDona said that even though the Rotary Club of Waynesboro is a large club, they are extraordinarily active in many different areas which results in more worthy projects than there are resources. In approaching drug use, the club's best efforts are simply not enough for a problem of this size.

WCCD, which was formed in June of 2018, has already made an impact in the greater Waynesboro community by bringing in thought leader in combating the opioid epidemic, Tim Ryan of Transformations Treatment Center in Delray Beach, Florida to speak during open community forums.

"Most of the over 100 people who attended his last speaking engagement were either former users or people who are intimately associated with current users," said DeDona. "The question we are still trying to figure out is 'how do you get your arms around the processes and demographics of drug use and effectively prevent abuse?'"

Part of the answer came in the form of a diagram of the varying stages and outcomes of those involved in using drugs, including recidivism into the system.

"My impression is that once someone starts using drugs it's like throwing a grenade into the room. It's not just the user, it's everybody in the room that picks up the shrapnel," said DeDona. "A lot of good people in law enforcement, the judiciary system, the medical community and others are dealing with those already using. We're focusing on spreading a preventative message as well as a message that recovering users have the possibility of rebuilding their lives by receiving help."

Meetings open to the public are in the process of being organized for the Waynesboro area.

"We're not law enforcement officers, we're not lawyers, we're not judges or in the legal system. Our biggest strength is that there are hundreds of thousands of people who are just normal citizens who, with the right message, and coordination with those with special training, will carry the message of prevention," stated DeDona.

For more information about the WCCD, email wccdrugs@gmail.com.

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