stb-1992-05
THE DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE PROBLEM--
LODGES CAN HELP!
by Worshipful Brother Lawrence J.
Chisholm, Executive Director, National
Masonic Foundation for Prevention of Drug
and Alcohol Ahuse Among Children.
This STB is the third in a series of the Masonic
Response to the devastating problem of drug and alcohol
abuse among children. (See 5-87 and 1-89 STB). This
Short Talk is specifically aimed at what individual lodges
can do! However before undertaking any program
please check with your Grand Lodge to see what may he
doing on within your Grand Jurisdiction and what program your lodge could undertake that would best fit into
an overall program within your state. We need to work
together!
Editor
Freemasonry embodies the values that are
needed to combat our nation's drug and alcohol abuse problem--belief in God, patriotic
support for our country, and a full appreciation of and respect for others from all walks of
life. It is only natural that Freemasons should
feel the impulse to do something to help with
youthful drug and alcohol abuse.
There is probably no one in this country
who isn't aware of our nation's drug and
alcohol abuse problem. There have been countless programs launched to address the problem in a variety of ways. From Nancy Reagan 's
"Just Say No" public awareness campaign, to
local community treatment centers, to the solid
community relations work of cops on the beat,
there are many efforts already underway to
stem the tide of drug and alcohol abuse.
There are many things a Blue Lodge can do.
However, a good idea and the best intentions
are not always enough to increase awareness,
raise money, or get participation in drug and
alcohol abuse prevention. There are practical
hurdles that must be overcome for a Blue
Lodge's efforts to be successful. Here's a
checklist of some of the questions that should
be asked and answered before embarking on a
drug and alcohol abuse prevention related
effort.
Where does the program fit in with what
else is going on in the community?
Is there or has there already been a similar
effort that failed? Why?
Is there another charitable organization or
govemment agency or non-profit social service organization which might consider the
proposed program to be a duplication?
Whose cooperation would be beneficial or
necessary to the success of the program?
What budget might be needed for the pro-
gram? Where will the money come from?
How much time and what kind of time (i.e.,
evenings, weekends, days) will the program
require?
How should the program be run--i.e. would
one Brother, or a Masonic family member or
group, be most appropriately in charge of most
of the project, or should there be a sizeable
committee? Should the working group orcommittee include other representatives from the
community?
How should the program be publicized?
What newspapers, television stations and radio
stations should be contacted? Who will write
news releases?
To get a sense for the importance of these
questions, consider some of the observations
of R.W. William V. Quackenbush, Second
Queens (NY) Masonic District, who, after
marching in a "Just Say No to Drugs" Parade,
thought a poster contest in the public schools
in his area would be a great way to help
convince kids to stay away from drugs and
alcohol. According to Brother Quackenbush,
the following points are important to running
a successful poster or essay contest:
The brother who takes on this project should
be retired, or otherwise have free time available, in view of the fact that schools are most
easily visited during the day.
There must be a budget. Decide on prizes
and miscellaneous operating expenses and then
solicit funds. Usually, each school should be
allotted the same amount.
Meet with the district director of Drug and
Alcohol Abuse (or, if none available, with the
school principal) and get their support of the
poster program.
Prizes--U.S. Savings Bonds, plaques or
something for the school's use (athletic equipment, musical keyboard, etc.). Remember that
clothing as gifts presents size problems.
Get appropriate local govemment officials
to attend the award presentation ceremonies.
Take pictures and prepare appropriate captions. If local newspapers do not cover the
awards ceremony, take the pictures to them.
Media coverage is very important.
Posters can be displayed in banks, community centers, etc.
Funds left over could be given to the kindergarten classes for a party.
What kinds of programs can a Blue Lodge
sponsor to help with the drug and alcohol
abuse problem? Here are some ideas. Many of
the programs listed below have already been
sponsored by Grand Lodges. Many can be
done on a smaller scale by Blue Lodges or
BlueLodgescanworkwiththeirGrandLodges
in support of these kinds of programs.
Poster contest in the public schools- (See
above.)
Essay contest in the public schools on a
drug and alcohol abuse prevention theme--
Bandera Lodge No. 1123 in Bandera, Texas
awarded a computer to each of two winners--
a fifth grader and an eighth grader--as part of
the contest it sponsors each March during
Public Schools Week.
Computers teaching about drug and alcohol abuse prevention--The Wisconsin
Grand Lodge makes computer programs available to its Blue Lodges at a nominal cost.
Students answer a series of questions. Once
the questions are completed, the student eams
the reward of playing a follow-up computer
game. The computer programs were originally developed with the assistance of the
Grand Lodge of Kansas.
Make lodge facilities available for 12-
step meetings! (Alcoholics Anonymous,
Narcotics Anonymous, Al-Anon, etc.)--Several U.S. Blue Lodges have made this their
major program emphasis and have built warm
relationships with people in the community
who are part of the solution rather than part of
the problem.
Bumper stickers, for the cars of Blue
Lodge members and family, to give evidence of Freemasonry's support--An attractive Masonic bumper sticker is available
from the National Masonic Foundation at nominal cost.
"Masonic Model" Training Video--Available from the Foundation at nominal cost,
shows a "Masonic Model" trained team in
action. Also available is a 5-minute "Message
to the Brethren" from Brother Ernie Borgnine,
useful for initiating a Lodge discussion of the
problem of drug and alcohol abuse.
Prepare and distribute literature and
audio visual materials to Brethren, friends,
and the community--American Canadian
Grand Lodge has an active information-distribution campaign which includes incorporating drug and alcohol education into Masonic
Youth programs; distributing four pamphlets--
"Just Between You and Me, Brother", "For
the Good of the Order", "Three Dangerous
Words", and "Thought You'd Like To
Know"--which contain discussions of the
effects of alcoholism on adolescents and others, recognizing and preventing substance
abuse in the family, and where to get help.
(Sample copies of these pamphlets are available from the National Masonic Foundation.)
Grand Lodge of Utah distributed a tape,
"How to Talk to Your Kids About Growing
Up Without Drugs and Alcohol" and has sponsored, in cooperation with U.S. West Telephone, in-school talks by Ken Muhle, a recovering substance abuser who is a U.S. West
employee.
Tap the talents of the Brethren to provide
a focus for a substance abuse prevention
message--"Rob the Drummer", a Connecticut Brother who interweaves his considerable
drumming skills with an anti-drug message
for school children, has been the centerpiece
of programs in schools.
In-school programs of the Grand Lodge of
Massachusetts feature a mascot--"Little No!
No!"--which is featured on T-shirts and buttons distributed to elementary school children.
Sponsor road races, walkathons, or simiIar athletic events--The Rhode Island Grand
Lodge holds an annual 5-mile "Race for DrugFree Youth". Blue Lodges provide a wide
range of support--fruit and juice for the runners, a public address system, first aid stations, sign painting, attendants to park cars,
clowns for entertainment, messengers, T-shirt
designs, race brochures, etc.
Support existing programs in your community--Grand Lodge of Montana supports
the "Center for Adolescent Development" with
funds, use of lodge halls for meetings and
workshops, assistance and leadership with
community fund drives, and volunteer work
by Brethren trained to be Community Coordinators. It also supports the Montana Teen
Institute and Teens in Partnership with scholarships for high school students to attend their
summer camps.
Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania provides
financial support for the Maternal Addiction
Project at the St. Francis Medical Center in
Pittsburgh and the Gateway Rehabilitation
Center, and numerous "Masonic Model" training sessions for Pennsylvania educators.
Grand Lodges of Massachusetts, New
Hampshire, Maine, and others support DARE
(Drug Abuse Resistance Education), a nationwide program featuring school presentations
by specially trained police officers.
New York Grand Lodge worked with State
officialstocreateacompleteDrug-FreeSchool
Zones program.
Dinners, shows~rder of Eastern Star of
Michigan kicked off its "Because We Care"
campaign with a Dinner Show featuring professional magic and comedy acts. Funds from
this and the Annual "Family Christmas Session" were contributed to South Central Michigan Substance Abuse and to the National Foundation.
Organize or participate in a parade highlighting Blue Lodge involvement in Drug
and Alcohol Abuse Prevention--Warren G.
Harding Lodge #260 in the State of Washington paraded its message before 30,000 spectators in a "Viking Fest Parade". The National
Masonic Foundation has copies of an excellent Blue Lodge report from Warren G. Harding
#260 describing the role such an individual
Blue Lodge can play in making an effective
presentation.
For a set of publications describing these
and other Masonic programs that are fighting
the drug abuse battle, contact the National
Masonic Foundation.
If you have, or have an idea for, a program,
let us know at the National Masonic Founda-
tion, 1629 K St., NW, Suite 606, Washington,
DC 20006.
Free JavaScripts provided
by The JavaScript Source