Throughout its history, the Cortland Area Communities That Care coalition has worked diligently on education and prevention efforts to reduce the rate of underage drinking and drug use throughout Cortland County. All of the young people in our community are truly our greatest asset for the County’s future. Our investment in them will reap vast rewards.  With the holiday season upon us and a time of year when many homes are set to ring in the New Year, now more than ever it is time we take a stand in our community.

Multiple agencies and organizations have worked and continue to work together to achieve measureable and lasting effects on the goals set forth by the coalition.  With that being said, we can’t do it alone.  Critical to the success of our efforts in our community is the influence of adults, those who are parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, Godparents and others, to positively influence our young people and to act as role models for positive, healthy behaviors.

One way any adult in our community can help the coalition and in reality help our young people, is through the Safe Host Pledge. The Cortland Area Communities That Care Coalition (CACTC) in concert with Cincinnatus, Cortland, Homer, Marathon, and McGraw school districts has established a program called the Safe Host Pledge. Its purpose is to provide community-wide support for families who want children to socialize in safe, alcohol and drug-free settings. It also serves to limit teen access to alcohol and other harmful substances. To date, hundreds and hundreds of parents, caregivers, guardians, and concerned citizens have signed it.  This action means that they have promised to provide a safe and drug-free atmosphere for youth.

Why is the Safe Host pledge needed?

A recent survey of teenagers aged 13 to 18 conducted by the American Medical Association (AMA) found that nearly half of teenagers surveyed reported having obtained alcohol; two out of three teenagers said it was easy to get alcohol from their homes without parents knowing about it; one-third of teens reported it was easy to obtain alcohol from their own consenting parents; two out of five teenagers said it was easy to obtain alcohol from a friend’s parents; one in four teenagers responded they had attended a party where minors were drinking in front of parents; and for teens who obtained alcohol in the past six months, parents have been the supplier an average of three times in a six-month period. Local youth survey data indicate that these same behaviors take place throughout Cortland County.  It’s time we changed that.

How can I get involved?

It’s easy, simply go to the Cortland Area Communities That Care website at http://cortlandareactc.org/home and go to the Safe Home Pledge link.  Down load the PDF or MS word document, read and sign it and send it into our offices at 45 Crandall Street, Cortland, NY 13045.  If you need multiple copies for our organization, business, church group or other entity, please contact the Michele Whalen @ This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and she will gladly send you multiple copies.  Our goal is to get a minimum of 1000 parents/adults to sign and pledge to be a safe host in 2011.

If you, your organization or business would like to be involved in other activities of the coalition please feel free to contact us.

Jean Rightmire is the Project Director for Cortland Area Communities That Care Coalition.