By DONNA FARLEY
Associate Editor
A free event with games and competitions for youth will be held from 6-9 p.m. Friday at the Black River Coliseum.
The event was created as a drug, alcohol and tobacco-free event to provide fun activities for youth aged 10-17, explained Rebeca Pacheco, executive director of the Butler County Community Resource Council.
Music, food and activities such as jousting, sumo suits and other challenges are being provided through a grant from ACT Missouri, she said.
"The purpose of the rally is to empower youth to make a difference in the community, to raise awareness of the fact that most young people do not use drugs and that they resist the pressures to use drugs," said Pacheco.
The event is hosted by the We Can Be Drug Free Coalition, which is organized by the CRC. Its members include many community organizations, such as area school districts, SEMO Behavioral Health, Missouri Children's Division and Probation and Parole.
An event like this helps build a community where young people who do not use drugs can find camaraderie, said Pacheco.
It is a way to advocate for youth-led prevention, she said.
The organization wants to demonstrate that kids can have, and do have, fun without being under the influence, Pacheco said.
About 44 percent of Butler County youth admitted they had at least one friend who uses alcohol, a 2017 survey by the Missouri Division of Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration found. Approximately 35 percent reported at least one friend used marijuana.
Adults bringing a child to the event are welcome to stay with their child, but supervision will also be available, according to organizers.
Participants can also sign a pledge card to remain drug, alcohol and tobacco free. The cards include a place for a close friend to sign, Pacheco said.
"This is a new event for us to host. We really hope the kids get a lot out of it, and most of all enjoy having fun with their peers in a clean and sober environment," she said.
Donations from community partners have helped make this event possible, Pacheco said. Donors include: Whitworth's Jewelry; Casey's; Stinson Press; Pizza Inn; Burger King; and Ed Norton.
For more information, contact the CRC at (573) 776-7830.