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Little League ump puts opioids prevention message in kids’ hands

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Newsrooms across the commonwealth have spent years documenting the opioid crisis in their own communities. But now, in the special project State of Emergency: Searching for Solutions to Pennsylvania’s Opioids Crisis, we are marshalling resources to spotlight what Pennsylvanians are doing to try to reverse the soaring number of overdose deaths.

WITF is releasing more than 60 stories, videos and photos throughout July. This week, you will find stories about education, prevention and community support.

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Barry Rake started his initiative last fall and has already distributed approximately 7,000 water bottles in the county.

A veteran Little League umpire believes it’s never too early to start educating young people on the danger of drugs.

That is why Barry Rake initiated an educational program in Lycoming County with plastic sport water bottles labeled with the slogan “Too Smart to Start.”

Inside is a bookmark developed by the West Branch Drug and Alcohol Commission that provides helpful hints for parents when speaking with their children about the opioid crisis. They include:

“You are the best tool to keep your child substance free. Over 80 percent of youth report that their parents are the leading influence on their decision to use substances.”

Rake started his initiative last fall and with the help of about a dozen volunteers has distributed approximately 7,000 water bottles in Lycoming County. “We’ve been to many youth groups,” he said.

The Williamsport area resident, who is in his 47th year as a Little League umpire, has the support of  Lycoming’s commissioners and district attorney along with West Branch.

The commissioners gave him $6,400 from their natural gas impact funds to help fund the program.

Although the water bottles are for youngsters, Rake says he tries to distribute them when parents are present. “I’m trying to get the message to parents,” he said.

Without the parents present, kids would tend to throw out the bookmark and not understand the importance of the message on the bottle, he said.

Reaction from parents has been positive. The most interesting comment he said he has received came from a father who told him: “I wish I had one for my daughter.” He suspects the daughter had drug issues.

Is the water bottle program having an impact? “I hope so,” said Pascha Ferry, a West Branch commission staffer who has been assisting him.

“I think this issue is so important,” Rake said. His targeted age group needs to be educated before they are exposed to drug users, he said.

His water bottle initiative is patterned after one started in Ohio by Charles Niles, a long-time Little League volunteer who lost a son to drugs in 2015, is aimed at youngsters in the 5- to 13-year-old range.  Niles’ bottles are inscribed with the phrases “Be Smart, Don’t Start,” and “Drug Free.”

Stephen D. Keener, Little League president and CEO, said: “If we can help educate even a handful of young parents who have kids playing Little League today on the dangers, the consequences, and the information they need to know about this dangerous addiction, it’s a small part that we can play in this effort that Charlie started.

“I keep one of Charlie’s bottles in my office as a reminder every day about how devastating the opioid addiction can be to families and communities, and hope that Charlie’s initiative will tell all Little League families that this tragic outcome can be avoided.”

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