Page 89 - May-June-July Life In Naples Magazine

FRANK NAPPO, MAYOR JOHN SOREY, MIMI SCOFIELD AND PATRICK NOLAN.

medication. Her involvement began in 2006 after several local
elementary students were transported to the hospital after taking
Xanax pills given to them by another student. She recognized that
something needed to be done to keep this from happening again and
volunteered to spearhead Operation Medicine Cabinet. Today, there
are now 11 permanent drop boxes in Collier County where residents
can safely dispose of unwanted medication.

“All of the stories that were shared at this year’s luncheon, point
to the tragic consequences of substance abuse and clearly show
us that we each have the power to make a difference through the
choices that we make,” said Melanie Black, Executive Director of
Drug Free Collier.

The luncheon generated critical funding to support our school-
based prevention clubs known as the CORE Society. “The generous
response from our community provides local teens with the
encouragement they need to continue changing teen perceptions
about drug and alcohol use,” Black said. “We are grateful for the
strong support of our sponsors and especially thank Mayor John
Sorey and Patrick Nolan for their roles in making our event a huge
success,” she said.

“We’ve made some real progress, but there’s still more work to
do,” added Black. To get involved or to learn more about Drug Free
Collier, visit www.DrugFreeCollier.org or call 239.377.0535.

VANN ELLISON AND LOCAL CORE STUDENT ALLEXA AKERS

Life in Naples | May • June • July 2015 89