A familiar group has unveiled a new name to better reflect their efforts in the community.
The Drug Strategy Action Committee, formerly known as the Swift Current Drug Task Force, adopted their new name this past month because of a misconception surrounding their old name.
“We have some community members on our committee who felt our name kind of implied that we had some power in the community. And that when they were out at community events that was the feedback they were getting from people. So we wanted a name that reflected what we’re actually doing. And we are a committee that’s doing things in our community to try and address the issue of alcohol and drugs,” explained committee spokesperson Patti Dekowny.
The committee is comprised of a number of different organizations in the community ranging from the RCMP, Mental Health and Addictions, City Council, and community members. However, they are all driven by a passion to work towards eliminating substance misuse in the community.
All members of the committee also recently completed their Safe Places Youth Certified certification.
“We want to be Youth Certified to say that we are a group that youth can work with and feel comfortable with. And we just felt it was important to support the City initiative with Safe Places,” Dekowny noted.
The Drug Strategy Action Committee is now gearing up for a series of events during National Addictions Awareness Week which is held November 13 to 18. They will be hosting a Swim Night on November 16 at the Aquatic Centre from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. They will also be participating in the SCCHS SADD Group’s Mocktails competition on November 16.
Dekowny represented the Drug Strategy Action Committee at Swift Current City Council’s November 6 meeting where the week of National Addictions Awareness Week was proclaimed by City Council.
The committee is also gearing up to launch a new logo design contest.
“We want to have a new logo that reflects what we’re doing, what we stand for. Our old logo was a badge. And we felt again that really reflected that we had some power in the community. And so we want a logo that’s just more reflective of what our committee does.”
Details of the contest will be posted on their Facebook page, and Innovation Credit Union has sponsored a tablet as the grand prize for the winning design.
