A Community Resource Fair is in the works

Campbell United Executive Director Charlsa Honeycutt takes notes during Thursday’s anti-drug coalition meeting. The next meeting is scheduled for noon on Thurs., March 14 at TCAT.

By Charlotte Underwood

LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF) – Campbell United held its second anti-drug coalition meeting on Thursday at Roane State Community College with the planning of a Community Resource Fair topping the agenda.

Community leaders and local organization members came together to brainstorm and plan how to help the community with the newly reignited coalition, which had its first meeting last month.

Trent Coffey, who is the executive director of Scott County’s STAND Coalition, along with Catherine Brunson with Prevention Alliance Tennessee and Campbell United’s new director Charlsa Honeycutt addressed those in attendance at the meeting, which was held over the lunch hour.

Community leaders and local nonprofits turned out in number for the second Campbell United Anti-drug coalition meeting which was held at Roane State Community College at noon on Thursday.

The main take-away from Thursday’s meeting was a plan to work on organizing a Community Resource Fair, something similar to LaFollette’s National Night Out, that will bring together multiple organizations and nonprofits to hand out information about resources they offer.

Campbell United Members are still working on setting a time, date, and location for the event, but project it will be held on a Saturday in April.

Trent Coffey, executive director of Scott County’s Anti-drug coalition, and Catherine Brunson with Prevention Alliance Tennessee, spoke to community leaders during Thursday’s Campbell United Anti-drug coalition meeting. 

As part of the Community Resource Fair that Campbell United will be organizing, the group also plans to hold a diaper/wipes drive for the Children’s Center and the Pregnancy Center.

Key highlights from the meeting once again included the importance of connecting people to resources, organizing a community resource event together, the need for more education and overall community awareness and the “collaboration of efforts on working together.”

According to organizers, anti-drug coalitions greatly reduce drug usage in their areas and the amount of drug overdoses.

“We want this coalition to help fill in the gaps in services in the community. We want to be the go-to for local resource in the county, but we need to have the powers and the partners to be able to do this. We want to be able to direct people to the resources they need to prevent further harm and to live clean, healthy lives,” Coffey said, explaining that Campbell United wanted to be a “coordinator” to direct those in need to the proper organization to help with treatment, recovery, spiritual guidance and more.

The next Campbell United anti-drug coalition meeting is set for Thursday, March 14th at noon at TCAT.

For those interested in more information about the Campbell United anti-drug coalition can contact Director Charlsa Honeycutt at 423.907.2908. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 02/09/2024-6AM)

 

Related