BERLIN – Officials with the Worcester County Warriors Against Opiate Addiction have plans to introduce and expand events in the new year and are urging members to find their niche.
In a general meeting held last month, co-founders Heidi McNeeley and Jackie Ball rehashed the organization’s prior events and asked the audience for input regarding new ideas in 2017.
“We thought tonight may be a good opportunity for us to have an intimate, casual meeting to talk about where we’ve been in this past year and talk about where we want to go and what you want to see the Worcester County Warriors do in 2017 and how you want to be a part of it,” McNeeley said.
Officials said the organization has plans to expand its reach within its three committees – education, fundraising and navigating resources – and wants members to get involved in the participation process.
Currently, McNeeley, Ball and other committee participants have intentions to expand their presence in dentists’ offices and southern portions of the county, host more fundraisers, introduce a new website and begin training sessions for the non-profit’s new Warrior Angel program.
Yet, Ball said the organization wants the backing of residents and members.
“We need the whole community to be supporting us,” she said.
In recent months, both she and McNeeley have spoken to members of a local Chamber of Commerce, the Ocean City Hotel-Motel-Restaurant Association and the Kiwanis Club to gain support and share their mission, something McNeeley took great interest in.
“It was interesting to speak to the Kiwanis Club because I think everybody in the group is 65 and over and it’s a real issue for them as well,” McNeeley said. “Opiate addiction is occurring in a lot in seniors, and there are a lot of grandparents raising their grandchildren because their children are addicted. So it was really eye-opening for me to talk to a lot of people in that club.”
From their experiences last year, both McNeeley and Ball are working with members to roll out new events and resources that will better fulfill their mission statement.
One by one, attendees expressed thoughts and concerns that will benefit the organization in the future.
One expressed interest in connecting with addiction organizations in other counties. Another suggested introducing naloxone to high school students. The comments and suggestions lasted the remainder of the meeting.
One woman in particular said she has missed out on many committee meetings and events due to communication issues.
McNeeley retorted that the organization needs the help of members to send emails, promote events and share meeting times and locations on Facebook.
“A big part of this epidemic, and wanting to fight it, is nobody knows what the hell to do,” McNeeley said. “People are frustrated and in so much pain and they don’t know how to fight it. One of the tangible ways of fighting it is being on one of our committees. Everybody has something that they can use to fight this.”
In nearly a year’s time, Warrior officials said the non-profit raised thousands of dollars in numerous fundraising events for those seeking treatment and have provided resources and information to community members and organizations across the county.
The Warriors have since partnered with Atlantic General Hospital, Worcester County schools, businesses, government entities and other key partners in their mission to end addiction.
“When I started thinking about it, I got kind of emotional because this time last year I didn’t even know that this group was ever going to come to be,” Ball said.
