Speak Up, Stand Out: Kathi and Chris Sullivan to Speak to Parents about Dangers of Underage Drinking and Drug Abuse.
The Strafford County Sheriff’s Office, in collaboration with the Dover Police Department’s Youth to Youth program, will be bringing Kathi and Chris Sullivan to speak to parents and the community on Wednesday April 30th at the Somersworth High School located at 11 Memorial Drive in Somersworth, NH from 6:30-8:00 pm.
This presentation by Kathi Sullivan provides a frank discussion of underage dirking risks and the miss-perceptions that teens, and sometimes adults, have about alcohol. These issues are considered in the context of what happened to her daughter Taylor.
During the day on Tuesday and Wednesday, Kathi and Chris will be speaking to the junior class at Dover High School, the Bud Carlson School in Rochester, and students at Somersworth High School.
Taylor Meyer went to a drinking party in the woods. When she left the party, she went the wrong way and walked deeper into the woods. She drowned in only two feet of water, alone in the cold woods, because of the alcohol in her system.
Kathi started giving presentations just two months later in hopes that her message would enlighten others on the dangers of underage drinking and poor choices. Passionate about reaching student’s hearts and minds, she shares what happened that night, how it could have been prevented, and how Taylor’s death has affected Taylor’s friends, family and community.
In addition Chris Sullivan, who is Kathi’s husband, will also be presenting. Chris, who formerly played for the New England Patriots will tell his personal story of how alcohol and substance abuse robbed him of his dreams and opportunities – including his professional football career.
Kathi has been working closely with Dover Youth to Youth over the last 6 years and has been encouraging the community to “Speak up and Stand Out” against underage drinking. This is the first year the program has been expanded to include Rochester and Somersworth with the assistance of the Sheriff’s Office.
Any parent from the area is welcome to attend the Wednesday night presentation at 6:30 pm. The presentation is free to the public.
The Strafford County Sheriff’s Office is sponsoring the presentation through an underage drinking grant provided by the NH Attorney General’s Office and the US Department of Justice – Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. For more information about their underage drinking prevention programs visit straffordsheriff.com
Dover Youth to Youth is a student advocacy group coordinated by the Dover Police Department’s Community Outreach Bureau. For any questions regarding this presentation please contact Dana Mitchell at d.mitchell@dover.nh.gov
