MERIDIAN, Idaho — Meridian Anti-Drug Coalition celebrates 20 years in the community.
- MADC was founded by former Mayor Tammy De Weerd in 2004
- The coalition works with the city and police to educate community members. Their main goal is prevention, especially in Meridian's youth.
- Details on monthly meetings found here.
(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
The Meridian Anti-Drug Coalition (MADC) is celebrating 20 years of educating and building up the community. As your South Meridian Neighborhood reporter, Allie Triepke, I’m here at West Ada School District, speaking with coalition members on what they do.
“So I’ve had some friends who have been really important to me that started to become involved with substance," said MADC youth representative, Sydney Nate.
Sydney Nate got involved with Meridian Anti-Drug Coalition because she sees the need for substance abuse education among her peers.
“Vaping has become a big problem obviously. Alcohol and seeing the way this has destroyed people’s lives,” said Nate.
The student representative says many of the coalition’s members and volunteers have been personally impacted by the terrors of substance abuse. That’s why they push for education in their community.
“People with different experiences with their loved ones understand the need for connection and education in our community,” said Nate.
Among the MADC's pillars of action is prevention. Multiple leaders in the community speaking Thursday on why they stay involved and how they are changing the community for the better over the last 20 years.
“I was a school teacher for many years so I understand what it means to prevent, and to really teach and educate to what could happen,” said MADC's Brenda Willson.
One of those being Former Mayor Tammy De Weerd. She shared an emotional and personal experience on why she backed the MADC years ago.
Other than fostering relationships with youth and providing resources for parents, the MADC made an impact last summer when they passed an ordinance prohibiting Marijuana advertisements in Meridian.
MADC works closely with West Ada School District, reaching thousands of students and their parents with prevention education and resources.
Brenda Willson has been involved in the coalition for over 5 years, and she says with Meridian’s growing population, so is the need for advocates in the community.
“Preventative information and education will help in the future and as we see rates increase in the things that we are trying to educate towards and advocate for being healthy, we want to make sure that we stay ahead of the game on that,” said Willson.
To be a part of the solution, you can join the Meridian Anti-Drug Coalition team every third Thursday of the month at 4:00pm at the police department.
