FAMILIES MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Twenty-five years is a long run for any nonprofit organization,
especially one taking on such a seemingly intractable problem as drug
abuse. But Wilson Families in Action is celebrating its 25th
anniversary this week after a quarter century of award-winning
efforts to save children from the temptations and devastations of
substance abuse. Begun in 1982 as an initiative of the Wilson Chamber
of Commerce, Families in Action went to work immediately on the
problem of drug abuse. Initially under the leadership of Tom Brown,
Families in Action faced a most daunting task. The drug culture of
the late 1960s had never been tamped down, and highly destructive
crack cocaine was on the horizon. Few, if any, employers required
drug tests at the time, so recreational drug users could fit easily
into society with potentially catastrophic results for work safety
and productivity.

This was a time when some elements of society still glorified illicit
drug use, when Hollywood celebrities made no attempts to hide their
illegal recreational activities. In this environment, Families in
Action attempted to publicize the dangers of substance abuse and the
simple pleasures of drug-free recreation.

Begun in 1982 as an initiative of the Wilson Chamber of Commerce,
Families in Action went to work immediately on the problem of drug
abuse. Initially under the leadership of Tom Brown, Families in
Action faced a most daunting task. The drug culture of the late 1960s
had never been tamped down, and highly destructive crack cocaine was
on the horizon. Few, if any, employers required drug tests at the
time, so recreational drug users could fit easily into society with
potentially catastrophic results for work safety and productivity.

This was a time when some elements of society still glorified illicit
drug use, when Hollywood celebrities made no attempts to hide their
illegal recreational activities. In this environment, Families in
Action attempted to publicize the dangers of substance abuse and the
simple pleasures of drug-free recreation.

Families in Action grew, hired staff and created a series of
now-familiar events aimed at preventing drug experimentation among
young people: America's PRIDE, Sports Drug Awareness Week, Red Ribbon
Week, Simple Pleasures, Prom Promise, Project Graduation and others.
In 2004, the group created the Parent Resource Center to support
parents and others who are spreading the message of abstinence from
mind-altering substances.

The latest creation of Families in Action is the Wilson County
Substance Abuse Coalition, which organized this year with assistance
from parents, schools, law enforcement and others.

From its beginning as a Chamber initiative, Families in Action has
been a grassroots organization, depending upon the committed efforts
of individuals who are concerned about the community and its
children. Wilson County Schools, Wilson police and county deputies
have all played supportive roles in Families in Action's efforts.

While Families in Action celebrates its 25 years of existence, no one
supposes that this organization or any other has succeeded in ridding
Wilson society of the dangers of substance abuse. Illegal or misused
drugs remain a primary problem among youth and adults; no one denies
that reality.

But without Families in Action, how much worse might the problem be?