Operation UNITE has received funding to add 10 new AmeriCorps members to serve schools in Eastern Kentucky during the 2010-11 school year. News of the $325,000 grant from the Corporation for National and Community Service was announced by Fifth District Congressman Harold “Hal” Rogers. “Citizen service is an essential part of the solution to many of the social changes facing our communities, especially in tough economic times,” Rogers said. “These...

HYDEN – Fundamental skills used to play basketball – or any other sport – can be applied to the rest of your life. “The best way to get from where you are today to where you want to be is to set a goal,” Jeff Sheppard told the 89 school-age youth participating in Operation UNITE’s second Shoot Hoops Not Drugs basketball camp of 2010 at Mountain View Elementary on Thursday, June 10. “None of us is perfect, but you need to set goals, work hard and avoid...

LEATHERWOOD – Fundamental skills used to play basketball – or any other sport – can be applied to the rest of your life. “The best way to get from where you are today to where you want to be is to set a goal,” Jeff Sheppard told the 110 school-age youth participating in Operation UNITE’s first Shoot Hoops Not Drugs basketball camp of 2010 at Leatherwood Elementary on Tuesday, June 8. “None of us is perfect, but you need to set goals, work hard and...

PRESTONSBURG – Approximately 300 students representing UNITE Clubs at 20 schools in the Big Sandy region completed the second phase of a new UNITE Youth Leadership Program Monday. This was one of three regional programs to train middle and high school youth to be catalysts for helping their peers make positive life choices by demonstrating leadership skills within their home communities. Conducted by Youth To Youth International, the objective is for participants...

HAZARD – Better utilization of the state’s prescription drug monitoring program, increasing education about the disease of addiction, and providing greater collaboration and communication on available resources were all short-term priorities identified by medical professionals attending an Operation UNITE symposium held Saturday, March 6, 2010. The symposium brought together more than 300 physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, social workers, substance...

PIKEVILLE – Residents at WestCare Kentucky’s facilities in Pike County provided 3,050 volunteer man-hours of service for community service projects and in support of Operation UNITE’s youth initiative during 2009. Clients of the residential substance abuse treatment facility in Ashcamp and the homeless shelter and community involvement center in Pikeville were instrumental in park litter control, emergency flood relief efforts, a high school athletic...

HAZARD – Kentucky River Properties, LLC, has pledged $500,000 to the Operation UNITE Foundation over the next five years to provide substance abuse treatment. The first $100,000 installment was formally presented to UNITE Director Karen Engle and Fifth District Congressman Harold “Hal” Rogers during a dinner held at Hazard Community and Technical College on January 25. “We are proud to support Operation UNITE’s efforts to provide substance abuse treatment...