Rockwood Town Hall Meeting, April 3rd 5:30-7:30 pm @ Crestview Middle School

(here is a letter sent to parents of students at Living Word, please feel free to pass on)

Dear Parent,

You and I are no stranger to the seemingly endless number of challenges to raising and caring for the children of our church community. All it takes is 3 minutes of watching the news or a glance at CNN.com to be reminded that we live in a broken world. There are too many problems to name and the all-to-accessible list of temptations facing our children is growing. I truly believe that only the hope of the Gospel can give us the strength to not only “survive” these times, but to thrive. As a church community it is important that we support one another and also be reaching out to the cultures and communities outside of our local church. It is in that spirit that I want to encourage you to attend A Rockwood Town Hall Meeting on Underage Drinking, Thursday April 3, 5:30-7:30 p.m. at
Crestview Middle School.

In 2004 students in Rockwood were surveyed, and the results are less than encouraging:

*39 percent of Rockwood high school students report that they binge drink regularly
*45 percent of Rockwood 8^th-grade students say they have been to a party where other kids their age have been drinking
*75 percent of our Rockwood 10^th and 11^th grade students state they have been to parties where kids are drinking

Folks, we cannot sit passively while this taking place in our own backyard. I have been involved in this event’s sponsor; the Rockwood Drug-Free Schools Coalition, since February of 2007. An article about the coalition appeared in West Magazine, which piqued my interest; but it was being approached at a local QuikTrip to buy alcohol for an underaged student that motivated me to get involved. (I hope it goes without saying that I declined.)

I have seen the hard work of community leaders, teachers, and Rockwood staff make some strides in under-age alcohol consumption and abuse. But for deep change to take place we need much more than a coalition or even a meeting. Our schools are charged with teaching our children civic duty and imparting information. It is our job as Christians to instruct our children in what is right and wrong. Our students’ choices are guided by much more than what a health class or school assembly can give them.

Students hearing statistics (not unlike the ones I’ve fed you) or seeing crash reenactments might serve as a small deterrent from destructive drinking behavior, but a lifestyle flows out of faith.

So won’t you join me in supporting the efforts of our community? Will you take time out of your busy life to stand up against what the world wants our teens to think, and what too many of them are believing- that booze is what it takes to have fun? Here is what you can expect from the Town Hall Meeting:

1. Meet      others in the Rockwood community who want to take a stand to prevent      underage drinking
2. Find      out which businesses in your neighborhood have participated in and passed      local police department’s alcohol compliance checks
3. Learn      from a panel of experts, including professionals in the area of alcohol      prevention in youth, as well as Rockwood teachers, parents and students.
4. Participate      in a question-and-answer session and find out what you can do to help your      child make good choices for their future.
5. Get involved on specific committees and be a part of the Rockwood solution to      stop alcohol abuse and underage drinking.

If you have any questions, concerns, or even better- want to get more involved please contact me. I thank you for your consideration and again, strongly encourage you to attend this community wide event.

Much love,

Adam Mustoe
Director of Youth Ministries
Living Word United

Methodist

Church

www.lwyouth.org
www.mustoe.blogspot.com
adam.mustoe@gmail.com
636-821-2800