Drug-Free South Spreads Message in East Nashville

Saturday, August 2, was a beautiful, warm day to be in the community. In East Nashville, Drug-Free South participated in a Community Day to spread the Truth About Drugs.

Citizens of East Nashville were brought together for learning and discussion around hot topics during a Community Festival on Saturday. One organization that participated was Drug-Free South, an initiative which is seeking to stop the demand for drugs by educating youth and adults alike on what drugs really do to harm people.

Volunteer Ann Vallieres says, “It’s important to spread this information, because with each person who gets the truth – that’s another life saved.”

In just the past month, more than 60 drug-related crimes have occurred in East Nashville, according to crimemapping.com. That’s not to mention the more than 350 other crimes that occurred in that area in the same timeframe.

Rev. Brian Fesler who coordinates Drug-Free South (DFS), a chapter of the Foundation for a Drug-Free World, says Nashville is in danger and, “we have to double and triple our efforts if we are ever going to have an entirely drug-free society.”

The East Nashville Community Day festival had music, food, one-on-one basketball and much more. Dozens of young people attended with their parents.

Participating in community festivals is part of continued efforts by DFS to create drug-free zones across Tennessee.  DFS works with youth, educators, parents, community leaders and law enforcement officers to provide drug education to children and teens by working together with the Foundation for a Drug-Free World. DFS also enters the classroom, with a series of drug education resources that work—a multimedia program that speaks to the youth of today, informing them of the truth about drugs and empowering them to make their own decisions to live drug-free.

Drug-Free South is dedicated to handling the drug problem in Tennessee.  For more information, visit drugfreesouth.org.