A group of concerned community members gathered April 4 at Lake Orion High School for a town hall-style meeting, to address the problem of underage drinking.
Eight panelists, representing all cross-sections of the community spoke, along with Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard, and Katrina McGuire, Executive Director of the Rochester/Auburn Hills Community Coalition.
‘We need to be a stronger voice,? McGuire said, encouraging the audience to continue their efforts. ‘The community cares about kids.?
The meeting comes just weeks before the start of the prom and graduation seasons, often associated with underage drinking,
The panelists ranged from Judge Julie Nicholson, from the 52-3rd District Court, to ‘Deuce? Banard from the Oak Barrel Party Shoppe, and LOHS student Kaelyn Weidman.
Each panelist had up to five minutes, and answered some questions from the audience at the end.
Banard spoke about the need to put identification scanning equipment in any store that sells alcohol.
‘Every retailer should be made to do it,? he said.
But stopping underage kids from getting access to alcohol is just one part of the problem.
‘It’s possible to have fun without alcohol,? said Donnis Reese from the Alliance of Coalitions for Healthy Communities. ‘We, as adults, have to communicate that.?
Most of the panelists agreed that the role parents play in this issue is central.
‘You have to set firm boundaries and you have to stick with them,? said parent Mike Wheelock, who set his boundaries based strictly on the age of his daughter.
‘It’s not easy to raise a kid today, especially a teenager,? said Nick Klempp, a church youth director in Davisburg. ‘Parents need as much encouragement as they can get.?
In the end, the meeting seemed to focus on bolstering the troops more than anything else.
McGuire noted that even ‘preaching to the choir,? can be beneficial, and is something that still needs to be said and heard.
‘One person can do something to help solve the problem,? said Village of Holly Police Chief Rollie Gackstetter.
Some parents that have dealt with the issue first-hand were also in attendance, and took some time to speak, including a father of a former LOHS student that lost her life to alcoholism.
‘We can never do enough,? said LOHS Associate Principal Chris Bell, who said the focus of the schools is on helping, as opposed to just punishing.
To learn more about community coalitions in Oakland County visit www.achconline.org.