(Okoboji)– A townhall meeting to talk about underage drinking in Dickinson county will be held this coming Tuesday, April 4th at Arrowwood Resort and Convention Center in Okoboji.
Ron Vincelli, Community Prevention Coordinator with the Northwest Iowa Alcoholism and Drug Treatment Unit, says it’s one in a series of meetings being held statewide and throughout the nation thanks to a federally funded program.
Vincelli sites some alarming statistics. According to the Iowa Use Survey given to sixth, eighth and 11th graders, 31 percent of eighth graders have had atleast one drink. Vincelli says that’s reason for concern. He says those kids have a much higher risk of alcoholism as they get older.
Vincelli does have some good news though as far as Dickinson county is concerned. He says the numbers actually compare favorably with other areas of the state once summer visitors are subtracted from the equation. Even then, Vincelli says local residents still need to be aware of the matter.
Tuesday’s meeting will consist of a presentation by Vincelli and law enforcement, followed by a breakout into four groups: youth perception, parent/adult attitudes, accessability, and advertisement. People will be able to select whatever group they want to participate in. After that Vincelli says they’ll reconvene as one large group to talk about ideas on how to curb the problem.
Tuesday’s meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. with an informal get-together with the meeting itself at 7:00 p.m. in the Bayhill Room at Arrowwood Resort and Convention Center in Okoboji.
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