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Wlaf1450By Charlotte Underwood
JACKSBORO, TN (WLAF)- A multitude of invested community leaders and individuals attended Thursday’s Campbell United anti-drug coalition meeting held at TCAT Jacksboro.
TOP PHOTO: Community interest and investment continues to grow for Campbell County’s anti-drug coalition. Multiple community members filled the conference room on Thursday at TCAT Jacksboro.
Vickie Jones, the Youth Program Director with STAND in Scott County, has officially joined Campbell United as the program continues to grow, with plans for youth programs. Jones and current Campbell United Director Charlsa Honeycutt will be co-directing the coalition as it begins its outreach to area youth.
Coalition organizers talked briefly about the TN Together Student Survey which was passed at Tuesday’s Campbell County School Board meeting. This survey is a “critical element” and will help the drug coalition to continue to get grant funding. The survey will also give the coalition an idea of what to focus most on to prevent drug use and underage drinking with the county’s youth.
The information will only be used for evaluation purposes by the coalition.
“My goal is to see us have a youth program in Campell County that is sustainable for many years after I am retired. Take this drug collation seriously, these kids are counting on us to come up with ways to help them not go in that direction,” Jones said.
Catherine Brunson with Prevention Alliance Tennessee went over the Drug Free Communities Grant and some of the requirements for the grant.
The coalition will be developing a community strategic action plan, as well as a sustainability plan as part of this grant. The coalition will also be looking for organizations to partner with on community service projects to “give back to the community and county.”
At its next meeting, Campbell United members plan to bring bedding supplies to contribute to the Sleep in Heavenly Peace nonprofit which builds beds for children in the community.
“One of the key pieces is to increase community collaboration and build capacity; the more people we have invested in the work we have to do, the more likely we will be successful and sustainable,” Brunson said. Part of this goal will involve promoting Campbell United to more organizations in the community which may not know about the coalition and its role in the community in an effort to continue raising awareness.
“One of the most important things I tell coalitions that I have worked with for more than 30 years, and that is attend your public meetings,” Brunson said, encouraging coalition members to build relationships with community leaders and county and city governments, as well as with law enforcement and others in social services.
She also encouraged members to attend networking events that the coalition can have a presence or partnership with.
Part of this plan is to start getting out to some of the more underserved areas of the community up in Jellico.
Other things the coalition will be working on in the upcoming months will be developing its website, which has not yet been developed. They will also be working on environmental strategies to reach kids in schools and people within the whole county and establishing more partnerships within the community.
On that note, she said that the Boys and Girls Club will be hosting a Fall Festival on October 3 from 10am to noon at Freeman Park in downtown LaFollette. There will be “fun food, vendors, inflatables, a live band, and other family activities.” Campbell United will have a presence at this event.
“We want coalition members to volunteer for these events and help us have more visibility within the community,” Brunson said.
The next Campbell United meeting will be held Thursday, October 8, at noon, at TCAT Jacksboro in the conference room. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-09/15/2026-6AM)