To the editor:
As I listened to the tributes given in praise of Kathy this past Saturday night, I could not help thinking about the great Irish American actress Maureen O’Hara (“The Quiet Man”, “McLintock”, “Rio Grande”, “The (original) Parent Trap”). I can almost hear Kathy say, “OK, Ellen where ya goin’with this?”
In the August issue of Vanity Fair, the feisty octogenarian Ms. O’Hara responded to the question: “What is it that you most dislike?” She responded, “Addiction. It robs a person of everything they hold dear and leads to sorrow and heartache.” This is a sentiment that Kathy relates to. She has seen the devastation addiction brings to the children and families she serves.
Kathy served as president, and retires interim president, of the Power of Prevention Coalition. In this leadership role she has worked tirelessly to help make Aroostook a healthier place to live, work, play and learn. Kathy is also a moving force behind the Community Alcohol and Drug Education Team (CADET).
Recognizing the impact that alcohol, marijuana, prescription drug misuse, and other drugs were having — despite the best efforts of parents and community members — Kathy determined to not bury her head, or allow anyone else to bury their head in the sand and insisted that the community work proactively on the problem of adolescent substance abuse.
Under her leadership, The Power of Prevention Coalition has been awarded $500,000 by the Office of National Drug Control Policy’s Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program. The primary purpose of the DFC program is to:
1. Establish and strengthen collaboration among communities, public and private non-profit agencies; as well as federal, state, local, and tribal governments to support the efforts of community coalitions working to prevent and reduce substance use among youth.
2. Reduce substance use among youth and, over time, reduce substance abuse among adults by addressing the factors in a community that increase the risk of substance abuse and promoting the factors that minimize the risk of substance abuse.
It is a fitting tribute to Kathy, that her former employee and mentee, Mark Shea is the project coordinator of the Drug Free Communities grant. Mark may be from “away” but he and his lovely wife Megan (a Caribou native) have chosen to raise their five children in Caribou; in keeping with Kathy’s “raise them here – keep them here” objective.
Kathy’s enduring gifts to the greater Caribou community are 1) in daring to disturb the sounds of silence surrounding alcohol and drug abuse; 2) giving momentum to the Prevention Movement; and 3) giving every Aroostook child the chance to have an active, healthy childhood, AND the hope of a substance abuse free community.
Well, Kathy, I think I have finally gotten to where I was heading. Molte grazie e Arrivederci!
Ellen A. Willinghan, director
Power of Prevention/
Healthy Maine Partnership
Cary Medical Center
