LEE COALITION CELEBRATES 20 YEARS OF EFFORTS TO COMBAT DRUGS

The Coalition for a Drug-Free Southwest Florida has fought to keep Lee
County children drug- and alcohol-free through multiple programs and
partnerships for 20 years.

As part of its anniversary celebration Wednesday, the organization honored
the man who started it all, founder Jim Nathan.

"I wish there wasn't still a need for it," said Nathan, who is Lee
Memorial Health System CEO. "But there are still a lot of challenges out
there."

According to Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey statistics, there has
been a drop in cigarette, marijuana and hard-drug use among Florida's
youth the past eight years.

Cigarette use has dropped from 21 percent to 11.2 percent and marijuana
use from 15.6 percent to 11.1 percent. Steroids and "club drugs" use also
declined, but less than 1 percent.

Coalition Executive Director Keral Kronseder-Vogt attributed the results
to coalitions throughout the state and strong community efforts. She
described the results as "phenomenal."

In addition to Nathan, the coalition recognized 19 other individuals,
organizations and businesses, including The News-Press, for their part in
making a "dramatic impact" in the coalition's mission.

"Partnering with 218 organizations and asking them to come up with just 20
who have made a difference was a terrible idea," Kronseder-Vogt said
jokingly, implying there were many more who could have been recognized.

Since 1989, the coalition has partnered with community members, businesses
and organizations in hopes of achieving its mission "to empower the
children of Lee County to lead drug-free lives."

It has done so through coalition-sponsored programs such as the annual Red
Ribbon Community Celebration, Drug House Odyssey, the Florida Addictions
Institute, and the annual Conference on Addictive Disorders. The coalition
has also worked through community action teams and alcohol- and
tobacco-free youth initiatives.

About 60 people attended the celebration. Among the guests was Cape Coral
Mayor Jim Burch; representatives from the offices of Gov. Charlie Crist;
state Rep. Gary Aubuchon, R-Cape Coral; the Lee County School District and
the Cape Coral Police Department.

"There is no magic solution (to drug and alcohol abuse)," Kronseder-Vogt
said. "There is no magic fairy-dust solution. The long-term solution
involves the entire community."