UCADC receives $50,000 grant
By JARED PUTNAM Union Sentinel Editor

The Union County Anti-Drug Coalition (UCADC) will receive a significant boost in funding after obtaining a $50,000 Community Assistance Grant from the state of Georgia.

The organization only recently learned that they will be awarded the grant. They have not yet determined the specifics of how the money will be used once the funds are transferred later this year.

"There are a number of programs that we want to do," UCADC Chairman Mike Priven said. "We are trying to influence the Union County school system to start a Mendez program. According to Priven, it is a proven system that goes from 1st grade to high school. "It is a series of educational programs that is integrated within the school," Priven said. "They instituted it in Clay County, North Carolina a few years ago, so we are going to use them as our guide"

The Chairman added that he was in the process of finding out how much the program would cost, and that he hopes the UCADC can at least be the catalyst for it. "We also have some displays, we have a hotline we need to set up, billboards we need to pay for, presentations we want to put together, stickers we need distributed, brochures we need, so there are a lot of things that we can do," he added.

Priven credited State Senator Chip Pearson for all his efforts in making the grant a reality. The Chairman said that the entire board of the UCADC thanks Pearson for his diligent effort in securing the money.

"It was not an easy task, with the current budget difficulties, to get this approved," Priven said. "[Senator Pearson,] your ability to secure these funds for Union County speaks volumes for your capability and dedication to our area of the state. Keep up the good work. Let me assure you these funds will be used to prevent drug abuse. The grant will go a long way in insuring programs we have planned are implemented. We will be good stewards."

Priven added that he appreciated Senator Pearson's efforts in securing a third superior court judge. "This will greatly relieve the backlog of cases in front of the bench," Priven said. "It also opens the way for Union County to implement a drug court."