PACT (Parents and Community and Teens Together) and Syracuse/Onondaga Drug and Alcohol Abuse Commission, Drug-Free Coalition are co-sponsoring a presentation that will take place Tuesday, Oct. 21, at the Skaneateles High School Auditorium. The presentation will feature Chris and Toren Volkmann, mother/son co-authors of “From Binge to Blackout: A Mother and Son Struggle with Teen Drinking,” who will speak about how a fun-loving adolescent who liked to party slid into alcoholism and eluded discovery by his intelligent, accomplished parents.

Co-authors of the nationally respected book “From Binge to Blackout,” Chris and Toren have traveled the country to share their true story of a family confronting the fear, pain and denial of underage drinking.

I think it would be safe to say that, for the majority of teens at least, drinking (and by this I mean consuming alcoholic beverages) is something that will come up sooner rather than later. Seen by many as a “right of passage,” teens and alcohol are things that seem to go hand in hand. What many teens don't realize, and quite possibly don't even understand, is that due to their actual adolescence and the changes that brings, their bodies are actually at risk to suffer greater negative effects from alcohol.

“From Binge to Blackout” is the story of Toren Volkmann and his mother, Chris. Toren was like any teen, one who experimented with alcohol in ways that didn't, at first, prove to be a problem. Throughout his college years, Toren partied like there was no tomorrow, having what was supposed to be the time of his life. Unfortunately, this experimentation later led to full-blown blackouts and an eventual stay in a rehab center for alcohol addiction.

The speakers do an excellent job of balancing statistics with their personal stories. Attendees will learn facts such as one-third of college students have alcohol disorders, and 63 percent of students under age 21 drink.

They will share the warning signs of teen drinking, reference places that can help families - both as a drinker and a family member affected by someone who is a drinker - and answer questions that can help parents talk about alcohol dependency.

This presentation is not just for parents, but also for teens who struggle with an alcohol problem - or even those who don't yet, but realize they could be on that path.

This is a touching, heartwarming story that ended, thankfully, with recovery. Unfortunately, many more teens might not be as lucky as Toren Volkmann was, and those are the ones who really need to pick up a copy of “From Binge to Blackout.”

The book is available now at Creekside Books and will be sold at the event.

Also, on Nov. 20, Creekside Books & Coffee will hold a Community Read.

The two events offer a unique opportunity to begin a dialogue both within individual families and in the overall community.

I encourage all to attend these events. For more information, please visit www.pactskaneateles.com.

Lisa Wellington is a PACT board member