*PAGE 20 SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2008 L THE POST “Nothing beats seeing our kids grow up healthy and strong.” No one can argue with that statement. It's the opening line, spoken by Lackawanna County District Attorney Andy Jarbola, in a hard-hitting, new multi-media public service campaign aimed at getting County residents to realize a major heroin problem is threaten- ing our children, and to encourage parents to talk to their kids about the problem. What are your kids doing? campaign brings home the point that politics takes a back seat when it comes to protecting our children. The public service television announcement, shot at Mellow Park in Peckville, was the result of a collaborative effort by several County organizations. The firm of Lavelle Murray Marketing, Advertising and | Public Relations donated its time and talent to creating the script and producing the Jarbola and State Senator Robert J. commercial. WBRE-TV, WYOU-TV and Mellow met and decided to be proactive Fox 56 WOLF-TV are contributing air time about the ever-growing addiction problem Ea in running the announcement. The children in our area. In 2006 37 heroin-related deaths were reported in Lackawanna County alone and that number continues to grow. In addition, 18 area high school students were recently treated for addic- TO YOUR featured in the spot, and their parents, gave of their time and support to the effort, and Colarusso’s in Jessup kept the talent and crew energized with pizza during the day- long shoot. The Times-Tribune, The tion, all at one time, most of them to heroin. Times Leader, The Sunday Dispatch, As Senator Mellow notes in the TV spot, The Citizens’ Voice, The Weekender, “ ..our children are at risk and we must face aly the facts, and take immediate action.” The Senator and District Attorney were The Standard Speaker, The Dallas Post and The Abington Journal are assisting in getting the word out in their newspapers joined by ten children from throughout the STRAIGHT and websites. Lamar Advertising is sup- County to shoot the 30-second television BW porting the effort with digital billboards. Radio spot, one of many efforts planned to create awareness. In the spot, the children are playing basketball -- a subtle yet effective illustration that shooting hoops, not heroin, is what our children should be doing during their young years. According to Nick Colangelo, PhD, CEO of Clearbrook Adult and Adolescent Treatment Centers, “heroin is robbing the souls and futures of our children.” The message, aimed at Northeastern Pennsylvania parents, is simple — talk to your kids. Engage them in a conversation about the dangers of addiction and how heroin sales are insidiously creeping into our neighborhoods and schoolyards. It goes on to say “set them straight” because substance abuse knows no boundaries when it comes to age, education or lifestyle. Throughout their careers, District Attorney Jarbola and Senator Mellow have both made individual, conscious efforts to fight the war on drugs in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Their partnership in this recent Our All-Stars: First Row: Thomas Huffsmith, Sage Santarsiero, Peter Miles, Shannon Jones. Second Row, Joey Pacholec, Tommy Lavelle, Charlie Koytek, Senator Bob Mellow, District Attorney Andy Jarbola, Alyssa Huffsmith, Samantha Jones, Emily Huffsmith, Morgan Curran. stations are standing by ready to help as well. “We are blessed with the most generous media market in the nation,” states Creative Director Helen Lavelle. “We could not do it without them.” “We in the media continue to report on drug-related tragedies,” states Lou Abitablo, Vice President and General Manager of WBRE-TV. “To support this valiant effort to protect Northeastern Pe
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers