![\"Check](\"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Check-Donations-Bethlehem-SD.jpg\")
Check Donations Bethlehem SD<\/span><\/a><\/div>Check Donations Whitehall Coplay SD<\/span><\/a><\/div>Check Donations Salisbury SD<\/span><\/a><\/div>Check Donations Catasuqua SD<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div>Dan McNeill, State Representative from the 133rd<\/sup> District, today donated all the proceeds from his First Annual St. Patty\u2019s Day Campaign Fundraiser to the four school districts in the 133rd<\/sup> District to pay for education programs that will help to fight the Heroin and Opioid addiction problem plaguing the Lehigh Valley.\u00a0 The $2000 was distributed evenly to the Whitehall\/Coplay, Catasauqua, Bethlehem and Salisbury school districts.\u00a0 The fundraiser was held on Friday, March 18, at the American Club Pavilion in Coplay.\u00a0 The money raised was initially going to be used to fund his re-election campaign, but at the event he announced the donation.<\/p>\n \u201cThis epidemic is tearing families apart throughout the Lehigh Valley, and I\u2019d rather see the money we raised go to fighting this problem than to pay for another campaign mailer,\u201d said McNeill.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m tired of hearing about another young life lost to heroin, and the money will be better spent on educating our children and young adults on the dangerous of this often deadly addiction.\u201d\u00a0 McNeill decided to donate the $500 to each district in order to pay for drug education programs such as the highly effective HOPE program which not only educates children on the dangers of heroin and opioid use but educates parents about the signs of heroin and opioid abuse as well.\u00a0 Although he hopes that the programs are presented to all grades, he would like to see the focus on elementary school students.<\/p>\n McNeill has hosted two Town Hall Meetings as well as a roundtable discussion with State Secretary of Drug and Alcohol Programs Director Gary Tennis on the addiction problem.\u00a0 \u201cI believe that we need to educate our students on the dangers of these drugs.\u00a0 If we can convince just one young adult to say \u201cno,\u201d it will be worth it.\u00a0 If you don\u2019t already know someone who is affected by this problem, within five years, you will.\u00a0 It could be your family member, your friend, your co-worker, or your neighbor. \u00a0We have to fight this as a community, and I believe we have to educate our kids as early as possible to keep them off this dangerous path,\u201d concluded McNeill.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Information and photos provided by: <\/strong> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n
\nMick Dee<\/strong>
\nFriends of Dan McNeill<\/strong><\/p>\n
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