‘I AM ONE’ campaign kicks off
Sgt. Robert Mansfield of the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department places an “I AM ONE” sticker on his patrol vehicle following Friday’s press conference.
Law enforcement, the Anderson County Underage Drinking Task Force, ASAP Youth Ambassadors, and first responders are all involved in the campaign.
The message is simple.
Anderson County youth are asked to choose not to drink alcohol and to proclaim in the face of peer pressure ‘I AM ONE who will not drink underage.’
Community partners supporting the campaign are pledging their commitment by saying ‘I am one who will not provide alcohol to minors.’
‘I AM ONE’ is about being proactive against substance abuse and underage drinking and, as the phrase implies, it is meant to be a unifying, community effort to eradicate underage drinking, stated ASAP Director Stephanie Strutner at the campaign launch on Friday at the Clinton fire station on Longmire Road.
“I want everybody in the community to proclaim ‘I AM ONE,” said Strutner. “The response from local businesses has been amazing. It’s great. I want this to be a long lasting campaign in Anderson County.”
First responders and law enforcement agencies in the county are doing their part by conducting compliance checks and facilitating medication disposal.
The Clinton City and Anderson County School Systems and the Anderson County Health Department are collaborating on providing and contributing to campaign messages intended to educate the public, and local businesses are maintaining compliance with underage drinking laws.
These are just a few of the ways the community is working on combating what was identified eight years ago to be a primary concern in Anderson County.
In 2009, it was reported that 1 in 5 adolescents engaged in underage drinking every month, but thanks to the large amount of community support to reduce underage drinking, ASAP has reported that the rate of Anderson County students who say they have consumed alcohol in the past 30 days has decreased by more than 57 percent.
Local law enforcement showed their support for the I AM ONE campaign on Friday by applying ‘I AM ONE’ decals to their patrol vehicles as the campaign was officially launched.
Anyone wanting more information about the I AM ONE campaign may contact ASAP of Anderson County at 865-457-3007 or info@ASAPofAnderson.org.