Drug Prevention Coalition Holds Outdoor Movie Party

The Nyack-Valley Cottage’s Our Community Against Drug Abuse (OCADA) is holding a family friendly party to bring the community together in the spirit of healthy living and good ole’ fashion fun.  

The OCADA, a coalition of Nyack Public Schools working to prevent substance abuse in its community, is inviting all to Memorial Park, on Piermont Avenue in Nyack, on June 1 first at 7 p.m.  The event will include a mix of Haitian, Latino, Island and Hip Hop music by DJ Woodley; free popcorn, candy and beverages; and a big outdoor screen showing of “Finding Nemo,” which starts at 8:15 p.m.  

Be sure to bring a blanket and chairs!  

The effort of Nyack Public Schools earned a $75,000 grant to find ways to bring the community together to stop underage drinking and drug abuse.  

Read more from the OCADA for more information:    

The Nyack Public Schools’ pro active efforts to stop underage drinking and abuse of drugs received a tremendous boost these past two years from a Drug Free Communities* $75,000 Mentoring grant awarded to the South Orangetown Community Awareness of Substance Abuse (SOCASA) group.

SOCASA, a well established coalition, has collaborated with the former Nyack Schools’ Task Force to Reduce Underage Drinking to mobilize the community and strengthen its goals through proven strategies and shared services and materials. OCADA has actively outreached to the Nyack-Valley Cottage community to expand its influence and support, with the goal of becoming community based, not school based.

Establishing an ongoing network of community members for: awareness, information, support without judgment and change is fundamental to OCADA’s mission. Some of O.C.A.D.A.’s efforts thus far include neighborhood meetings in community centers and homes, workshops with local experts and activists, sponsorship of new groups such as the High School’s Heroes and Cool Kids, and motivational speaker events for school assemblies.

Neighborhood meetings and workshops are also being conducted in Creole and Spanish. OCADA group meetings are held the last Wednesday last Wednesday of each month at different community locations.

Both SOCASA and OCADA’s community based approach aims to provide resources for prevention and intervention, while also promoting safe, healthy environments where families can raise children free form the dangers and destruction of substance abuse.

Call 353-7053, Lisa Retallack, Coordinator for the group and the Nyack Middle School Family Resource Center, for more information.

*The Mentoring Grant is from the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)