Our country has made a beautiful change. Now Cayuga County needs to follow suit.

We have a national problem with our children talking pills, smoking weed and drinking alcohol. Our children in this country are dying in record numbers. In this county alone, we have several hundred children in need of treatment.

There's no program for drug and alcohol for children in Cayuga County. There is a need for these services here.

Some people are afraid to say there's a problem. They think that they messed up as a parent. Maybe, maybe not. It will be too late if the child dies and we as a community turn a blind eye because we are embarrassed or think we can't come up with the money.

Why can't we find the money? We can find it to bury them or to put them in jail, why not to educate and help these children? I once needed help myself, and I'm happy I did. It has to start with us to give these children the option to get help. I don't want to wake up one morning to find out a child has overdosed, when we could have done something.

We have the power, the knowledge and the resources to design a program. We can lead by example and teach our kids to do the same. What message are we going to send?

We already have Safe School, DARE, Partnership for Results. Let's use these programs with intense recovery for drug and alcohol. We have a building we can use at the rectory at St. Mary's. These kids are our future. Let's give them one.

One thing about addiction, you have to see the addiction. Hopefully the powers that be here in Cayuga County will see this problem and help our children. They need our help.

Denise Bond

Auburn