Please join us for monthly coalition meetings to address the issues related to alcohol abuse and binge drinking in the Ypsilanti area.

Next meeting is Wednesday May 5th, 2010 from 11:30-1:00 in the EMU Student Center Building Room 302

WARP has begun an intensive education campaign in the Ypsilanti area to target binge drinking and risky alcohol use by adults. This program targets the community at-large in an effort to increase understanding around alcohol abuse and dependency. In July, WARP launched the “RETHINKING DRINKING” campaign at the Lakepoint Fireworks on July 1, 2009 and at the July 4th Parade sponsored by the Jay-Cees. WARP will place a poster in local social service agencies, retailers, and health care offices along with the NIAAA published “Rethinking Drinking” pamphlets as a way of educating the community. We will have a table at the annual Heritage Festival in August. In October, WARP will hold a Round Table Discussion focused on the issue of adult binge drinking in Ypsilanti. This meeting will bring together community leaders, elected officials, local law enforcement, the religious community, prevention and treatment providers, and the general public.

Ypsilanti Blast

The Ypsilanti Blast was the launch of a campaign to bring awareness and education to the issue of adult binge drinking, to the community of Ypsilanti, through the distribution of a pamphlet, “Rethinking Drinking”. The pamphlet was obtained from the National Institute of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. A group of 23 volunteers from the Ypsilanti community was assembled to distribute the pamphlet at the Lakeshore Fireworks on July 1, 2009, and along the route of the 80th annual July 4th Parade in downtown Ypsilanti. These events were selected because of their history of having a large turnout. While the fireworks were rained out and only 50 pamphlets were distributed, the parade effort was a great success. Some 400 pamphlets were distributed. The volunteers reported that only 2 pamphlets were rejected. Both of those were accompanied by the comment, “I don’t need it because I don’t drink.”

There were two 2-hour sessions of volunteer trainings to assign teams, discuss how to answer questions about the issue of adult binge drinking while handing out the pamphlet and how to handle an unexpected/difficult encounter, and obtaining consent forms from all volunteers.

The volunteers all said they enjoyed themselves and support WARP’s efforts in the community.

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This programs is made possible through funding from the Michigan Department of Community Health, Bureau of Substance Abuse & Addiction Services and the Washtenaw Community Health Organization.