Rotary Program: 7/12/06

Program Chairperson: J. Morgan Chapman

Speaker: Alisha Baldridge, Coalition Coordinator - Operation UNITE

Alisha Baldridge is a 1998 graduate of Prestonsburg High School. In May 2003, she earned her Bachelors Degree in Juvenile Corrections from Eastern Kentucky University and went on to work for Operation UNITE in March of 2004. She is married to David Baldridge, a recruitment specialist for Buckhorn Family Services.

Alisha says that it was the dream of Congressman Hal Rogers to find a way to help combat the ever-growing drug problem in Eastern and Southeastern Kentucky, and so Operation UNITE was born. In addition to the three components of education, treatment, and law enforcement, there needed to be some element of community involvement. Through the combined efforts of all aspects of the program, there have been some astounding results. Anonymous tip lines have been established, community watch groups have been formed, drug courts have been created, and funds have been made available to help treatment centers, training programs, school counselors, and law enforcement agencies. One of the best outcomes has been that over $5 Million worth of drugs have been taken off the streets. Alisha states however, that this amount is just a drop in the bucket and much more still needs to be done if we are ever going to win this war on drugs, especially the growing threat of methamphetamine. She works to help recruit more programs like UNITE Pike in all the 29 counties within this Congressional District and to strengthen those that are already established. She says that she is available to help with employee drug screening programs, making jobs available to persons who have completed rehabilitation programs, and any other ways that employers can help make Operation UNITE work for them. Check out the website at www.operationuntie.org or call the London, Kentucky office at 606-330-1400. Thanks, Alisha for the informative program, today. - JMC