For 25 years, Elizabethtown Area Communities That Care (EACTC) has been working to improve the lives of others. The organization is going strong, serving even more people with programs for school-age children and youths in the Elizabethtown Area School District.

"This year it will be 25 years that Elizabethtown Area Communities That Care has brought programs, initiatives and partnerships into our Elizabethtown community that directly benefit our youth and their families and help them avoid the use of drugs and alcohol and other high-risk behaviors," said executive director Gail Viscome. "The PA Youth Survey and our program outcomes help us monitor youth risky behaviors, social-emotional concerns and help us track our successes."

As times change, EACTC has pivoted, focusing on current needs. "The past several years have been especially hard for our students as they have had to face so many more challenges than expected, somewhat due to the ongoing lingering impact of COVID both academically and socially," she shared. "Also, there continue to be lasting impacts of the opioid crisis in our community. ... We have worked hard this year to continue to provide and expand our research-based programs and initiatives."

Viscome noted that EACTC hosts a mentoring and tutoring program called Homework Helpers for students in sixth, seventh and eighth grades who are struggling academically. In the fall of 2023, EACTC expanded the program to high-school students.

EACTC has also expanded its Club Ophelia program for girls, adding new groups for sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders to the middle school program that's been running for 20 years. "We have also been running the Club Ophelia program at Bear Creek in the fall and spring and added a pilot program at Bear Creek for girls on navigating friendships on social media that is resulting in updated curriculum," Viscome said.

Additional programs of EACTC include the Paws and Think Social Norming Club, which disseminates information to help students make positive decisions regarding drugs and alcohol use, as well as PEP Club, a college-student-run after-school program at Bear Creek that provides fun activities to promote friendship skills and teach positive ways to express emotions. EACTC also recognized 71 students this past year with Do the Right Thing awards, honoring them for random acts of kindness and other positive behavior, and recognized 69 students for improvement in grades, behavior or attitude at its Turn Around event in May.

Additionally, EACTC coordinates the Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) program, providing all ninth-grade students with tools to assist classmates with getting help to prevent suicide.

In the greater community, EACTC expanded its prescription take back program to include an additional event. "EACTC partners with Northwest Regional Police at Giant for the National Prescription Take Back Days to help advertise the events," Viscome remarked. "In 2023, we collected over 345 pounds of prescription medication. A total of 3,936 pounds have been collected since the start of the program."

Although EACTC programs are supported by grants from several sources, the organization can always use financial help, Viscome said.

"We are doing all these programs with much less grant funding than we have ever had," she said. "We need to find community resources to take care of our community's children. ... We also are looking for community volunteers for our Homework Helpers program where we help students complete their work to prevent them from failing one or more classes."

Viscome said the services provided by EACTC are needed more than ever.

"Research now shows that delaying the age of experimentation with drugs and alcohol can significantly reduce an individual's chances of developing a substance use disorder," she shared. "Kids 13 and younger who are using substances have a 70% chance of developing an addiction within seven years. Truly the adage 'an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure' applies. Good communication and problem-solving skills and bonding with others with clear standards helps strengthen good decision-making for our young people."

For more information on EACTC, contact Viscome at 717-341-7961.