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UNITE Activities
There were 123 participants in the Shoot Hoops Not Drugs basketball camp held at Morgan County High School on June 22. These youth represented Menifee, Morgan and Rowan counties. Winners of portable basketball goals were 13-year-old Craig Joseph of West Liberty and 10-year-old Josh Caudill from Ezel.
To view photos click here.
Morgan County has three registered UNITE Clubs for the 2009-10 school year - East Valley Elementary, Morgan County Middle and West Liberty Elementary.
Morgan County has conducted a 10-week summer swimming project at the Kiwanis Pool in West Liberty each year since 2007. The very successful event draws between 75 and 150 people every night. Drug prevention information is distributed during the event along with with interesting programs. The swimming was sponsored by the Morgan County Community Center, Kiwanis Club, and Operation UNITE.
To view photos from the 2008 program click here.
To view photos from the Family Safe Night held July 14, 2007 click here.
During the 2006-07 school year Morgan County UNITE provided funding for preventive health counseling in the elementary schools. These services would have been stopped due to lack of funds in the spring. Approximately 50 students and their families were affected by the project.
Thursday, March 18 - First of six regional UNITE Coalition training sessions for anyone interested in making a difference within their community, 9 a.m. in the basement of the Morgan County Courthouse in West Liberty. For details contact your county's coalition coordinator, call 1-866-678-6483, or e-mail to bcalhoun@centertech.com.
Recent Activities
2009 Activities
Thursday, September - Sharon Tharp went to Morgan County High School and taught six classes to seniors and six classes to freshmen on the dangers of methamphetamine. Many people don't realize how dangerous meth is, and that the waste from manufacturing can be just as harmful.
Tuesday, August 25 - A free summer swim was held at the West Liberty Kiwanis Pool in Morgan County. Drug prevention messages and activities were conducted by the Morgan County UNITE Coalition. For details contact Sharon Tharp at 606-743-3128 or morunite@mrtc.com.
Tuesday, August 18 - A free summer swim was held at the West Liberty Kiwanis Pool in Morgan County. Drug prevention messages and activities were conducted by the Morgan County UNITE Coalition. For details contact Sharon Tharp at 606-743-3128 or morunite@mrtc.com.
Tuesday, August 11 - A free summer swim was held at the West Liberty Kiwanis Pool in Morgan County. Drug prevention messages and activities were conducted by the Morgan County UNITE Coalition.
Tuesday, August 4 - A free summer swim was held at the West Liberty Kiwanis Pool in Morgan County. Drug prevention messages and activities were conducted by the Morgan County UNITE Coalition.
Tuesday, July 28 - A free summer swim was held at the West Liberty Kiwanis Pool in Morgan County. Drug prevention messages and activities were conducted by the Morgan County UNITE Coalition.
Tuesday, July 21 - A free summer swim was held at the West Liberty Kiwanis Pool in Morgan County. Drug prevention messages and activities were conducted by the Morgan County UNITE Coalition.
Saturday, July 18 - A free Safe Night program was held at the Old Mill Park in West Liberty. Youth in grades K-12 were invited to come together for a variety of activities. KCCD provided a "grill out" with food for everyone. The day concluded with a march against drugs to the Kiwanis pool. The event, which had 123 participants, was sponsored by Morgan County UNITE Coalition and many community partners. For details contact Kim Cox at 606-743-3292 or kim.cox@uky.edu.
Wednesday, July 15 - A free training for Safe Night (July 18) volunteers was conducted at the Extension office. Lunch was provided for the teens and a light lunch for the adults. For details contact Kim Cox at 606-743-3292 or kim.cox@uky.edu.
Tuesday, July 14 - A free summer swim was held at the West Liberty Kiwanis Pool in Morgan County. Drug prevention messages and activities were conducted by the Morgan County UNITE Coalition.
Tuesday, July 7 - County Judge-Executive Tim Conley record his monthly broadcast from the West Liberty Kiwanis Pool during a free summer swim sponsored by Morgan County UNITE Coalition. Children presented anti-drug slogans and parents had an opportunity to speak about drugs. The program was aired on WLKS (KICK 109) on Wednesday, July 8. A group from Texas that had come to do work on churches in Morgan County participated and learned about the positive things UNITE is doing. For details contact Sharon Tharp at 606-743-3128 or morunite@mrtc.com.
To view photos from the event click here.
Tuesday, June 30 - A free summer swim was held at the West Liberty Kiwanis Pool in Morgan County. Drug prevention messages and activities were conducted by the Morgan County UNITE Coalition. For details contact Sharon Tharp at 606-743-3128 or morunite@mrtc.com.
Tuesday, June 23 - A free summer swim was held at the West Liberty Kiwanis Pool in Morgan County. Drug prevention messages and activities were conducted by the Morgan County UNITE Coalition. For details contact Sharon Tharp at 606-743-3128 or morunite@mrtc.com.
Monday, June 22 - There were 123 participants in the Shoot Hoops Not Drugs camp held at Morgan County High School on June 22. These youth represented Menifee, Morgan and Rowan counties. Winners of portable basketball goals were 13-year-old Craig Joseph of West Liberty and 10-year-old Josh Caudill from Ezel. This was the second of five free regional UNITE Shoot Hoops Not Drugs basketball camps with Jeff Sheppard.
To view photos click here.
Tuesday, June 16 - A free summer swim was held at the West Liberty Kiwanis Pool in Morgan County. Drug prevention messages and activities were conducted by the Morgan County UNITE Coalition. For details contact Sharon Tharp at 606-743-3128 or morunite@mrtc.com.
Monday, June 8 to Friday, June 19 - A Hooked On Fishing-Not On Drugs (HOFNOD) program was held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. each aday at Morgan Central Elementary. Approximately 115 students ranging in age from third grade to high school made their own fishing lures during during the annual summer camp. The students were then invited to a local veterinarian's pond to fush. For details contact Keith Holbrook at 606-743-8082 or keith.holbrook@morgan.kyschools.us.
Tuesday-Wednesday, April 7-8 - Approximately 125 fifth-grade students in the county received hands-on education about the effects of smoking, alcohol and other drugs during an overnight "Health Rocks" Colonial 4-H camp. The youth learned stress coping methods and ways of valuing themselves. Peer mentoring from trained teen-agers was also provided. For details contact Kim Cox at 606-743-3292.
Wednesday, March 4 - At the regular coalition meeting the upcoming "Spring Fling," "Summer Swim," and "Health Rocks" anti-drug curriculum to be taught by 4-H members this summer was discussed. A special presentation was made by Circuit Clerk Donna Pelphrey.
Wednesday, February 4 - Frankie Spencer, an addiction counselor from Pathways, Inc., presented the HBO documentary "Rehab" during the monthly meeting of KY ASAP, UNITE and Champions.
2008 Activities
Thursday, October 23 - An overview of drugs in Eastern Kentucky will be presented at 3:30 p.m. to teachers at Morgan County Elementary School. For details contact Sharon Tharp at morunite@mrtc.com.
Wednesday, October 1 - A presentation on the Focus on the Family/Operation UNITE Declare Hope family strengthening summit was given to members of the Morgan County Ministerial Association at the Morgan County Kiwanis Club room. For details contact Sharon Tharp at 606-743-7163 or moreunite@mrtc.com.
Wednesday, October 1 - A presentation on drug trends in the area will be given to Kentucky ASAP and Champions members at noon in West Liberty. For information contact Sharon Tharp at 606-753-3460.
Thursday, August 21 - A free night at the Morgan County Fair included a magic show, "There is no Magic in Drugs," along with rides, prizes, world's largest dog and other wholesome fun for the family. For details contact Langley Franklin at 606-743-4415.
Summer 2008 - The coalition's summer school project reached approximately 150 youth. Students were able to interact in a safe, drug-free environment and learned that they could have fun without any negative behavior. For details contact Keith Holbrook.
Tuesday, June 3 - A presentation on Neighbors UNITED was given in the West Liberty community center. All county residents were encouraged to attend. For more information contact Tim Conley at 606-743-3897 or Sharon Tharp at 606-743-4128.
Thursday, May 1 - A four-month investigation into illegal sales of prescription drugs in Morgan County led to the arrest of eight individuals.
To read story Click here
2007 Activities
Tuesday, November 20 - The Morgan County UNITE Coalition held a recruitment dinner at Morgan Central Elementary School. Approximately 65 people attended. This event included special speakers and information on how to become involved in local anti-drug efforts. For details contact Sharon Tharp at 606-743-4128 or morunite@mrtc.com.
Sunday, November 18 - Approximately 150 people attended the Thanksgiving Singspiration was held at the Morehead State University West Liberty Campus. This free event featured area church choirs, worship teams and soloists. Guests were asked to bring a canned food item to be donated to the Morgan County Christian Social Services. A fellowship supper and drug-awareness program was presented. The event was sponsored by UNITE and the Morgan County Ministerial Association.
Tuesday, October 30 - "Drugs are a Trick, Not a Treat" event at Old Mill Park. More than 1,000 people stopped by. For details click here.
Friday, October 26 - A Neighborhood Watch training was held at Ezel School.
Sunday-Saturday, October 21-27 - "Paint Morgan County Red Against Drugs." Local businesses, civic groups, churches, law enforcement and government officials provided different activities with the schools as part of National Red Ribbon Week. The whole county was asked to "Plant the Promise" by planting tulips or putting red ribbons on all mailboxes or homes. In all 1,500 bulbs were planted.
Monday, October 15 - UNITE presented a program on methamphetamine and prescription drugs to EMTs, ambulance service workers and other emergency responders at the Morgan County UK Technology Center.
Wednesday, October 3 - Monthly meeting of KY ASAP, Champions and UNITE coalition, noon, at the community center conference room. UNITE put the final touches on the Red Ribbon "Plant the Promise" for the schools, "Paint Morgan County Red Against Drugs," and "Drugs are a Trick, Not a Treat" projects. For details contact Sharon Tharp at 606-743-4128 or morunite@mrtc.com.
