YORKTOWN GROUPS COMBATING HEROIN TIDE

In the wake of several heroin overdoses and fatalities among youths
in the region, individuals and local prevention agencies in Yorktown
have stepped up efforts to stem this tragic tide.

Christina Farrell lost her daughter Gwendolyn Farrell, 21, in March
to an apparent heroin overdose. She believes her death was an
accident, she said, and stressed that more education needs to happen
on how common "casual use" has become and how easy it can be to
acquire tainted or fatally potent drugs.

"I do think that parents think it's the bad kids that are doing this
so they dismiss it. They don't realize it can happen to anyone," she said.

"There needs to be an open dialogue. People need to know the truth
that it's more prevalent in our communities than we want to admit."

In dealing with the 2008 death of his teenage son, Jeffrey Veatch
began this year traveling to schools giving talks to eighth-graders
about Justin.

The family created The Justin Veatch Fund to honor their son and
award scholarships each year to graduating seniors who plan to study music.

"We haven't truly addressed the issue because not everyone is
listening," Jeffrey Veatch said. "I feel like by telling Justin's
story we can help other kids avoid the perils of drug overdose. The
approach of simply saying 'Don't do it,' doesn't work."

The Alliance for Safe Kids in Yorktown has also launched a new
campaign "Be the Change" to reach young adults ages 19 to 24.

"We're trying to find small ways to make a difference," Alliance
board president Tricy Cushner said. "As a community, we haven't
embraced this demographic."

Rebecca Ballinger, a longtime close friend of Gwendolyn Farrell's,
recently created a group, "For the Youth By the Youth," aiming to
give people ages 14 to 25 things to do and places to go by working
with Yorktown businesses and the teen center in providing outlets,
discount nights and extending event hours.

"If you ask young people, 'What is there to do?' They'll tell you
'Nothing,' " said Ballinger, 24. "We're going to provide that list."

Pharmaceuticals, she said, are rampant in suburbia. Kids hang out in
cars in parking lots, and because cops are so vigilant, they take
prescription pills instead of calling attention to themselves with
the smell of marijuana, she said.

Ballinger theorized that people began turning to heroin after the
Federal Drug Administration approved a new, tamper-proof form of
Oxycontin approved in 2010 that prevents the medication from being
crushed or dissolved for snorting purposes.

"Everybody in Yorktown is noticing these kids dying and they want to
help," Ballinger said. "Gwen could have been anybody's kid. That's
how scary it is. She was not reckless."