Nanuet VAASA Students Receive Grant for Substance Abuse Training

Substance abuse is an important topic for parents regarding their teens and young children. However, this new development may help them rest easy. VAASA—Varsity Athletes Against Substance Abuse—now have received funding to go through peer counseling training in the prevention of substance abuse.

"The 26 VAASA students were trained in January by CANDLE the Rockland County drug and alcohol prevention group," said Nanuet Teacher and VAASA Advisor Mike Fitzgerald.

Started in 1982, CANDLE is a non-profit organization aimed at preventing substance abuse and violence among youth. CANDLE's goal is to improve the health and climate of schools and communities by providing prevention education and resistance strategies to youth and their adult allies. It also provides support programs for young people at risk.

After their training, they will travel to different schools to speak to younger students, said Nanuet Lions President Barbara Chuck.

"Then the students will go to the Middle school to talk to all of the sixth and seventh graders about how to stay drug and alcohol free," said Fitzgerald. "We should be going there in the next few weeks."

All of this is possible thanks to the Nanuet Lions Club.

“I’m happy that the Nanuet Lions was able to give them $500 and have the Lions Club International match it for a total of the $1,000 needed for the training,” said Chuck. “This is very important to us in hopes preventing future substance abuse.”

Chuck received the $500 matching grant for the students’ training last Monday night, Jan. 31. Past Council Chair Angelo Purcigliotti stood in for Past Lion International President, Al Brendel, and presented the check to Chuck. Lion District Governor Michale Bryceland was also present.