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By Colette Dell

On November 7 at 6 p.m., the Belle Vernon Reality Tour was held at Belle Vernon High School, where parents and their children came to learn the realities of drug use and the negative consequences one can face when abusing them.

Pictured is a teenager in a jail scene during the narrative part of presentation.

The international award-winning and evidence-based Reality Tour began in 2003, when a resident of Butler, PA, Norma Norris, envisioned how she wanted to reach the kids in her community about drugs. She took notice that there were a number of youths in her area that were either addicted or dying from drug use. She put together a presentation that begins with a narrative that depicts a teenager’s life and death from heroin use.

There are five major scenes that are acted out by volunteers: first there is the peer pressure scene, then an arrest, a jail scene, an overdose scene in an emergency room and a funeral scene. After the narrative, a few speakers step up to share their knowledge and experiences with drug use. A police officer shares first, which was Westmoreland County Sheriff Jon Held at the November 7 presentation, then a parent spoke of his experience with his affected child, followed by an individual who is currently in recovery.

The target audience is for kids 10+ and they are to come with a parent.

On realitytour.org, Norris explains why she requires parents to attend with their kids, as well as how she wishes to reach them through the presentation: “I felt that parent and child need to be on the same page, with the same information. That information had to be delivered in an engaging manner; it had to be true, emotionally charged and consequence driven,” Norris said.

The Belle Vernon Area Reality Tour Director, Celeste Trilli Palamara, added that it helps that the parents are in the know.

Pictured is a teenager in an emergency room scene after an overdose.

“The parent is the best prevention factor when they are educated about the dangers of drug use. National statistics show that it takes an average of two years for parents to recognize their kids are abusing drugs,” Palamara said.

The Reality Tour is currently presented at six locations throughout Westmoreland County. It also has branched out to several other Pennsylvania counties, 16 states and Canada. Palamara hopes the program will be in more communities.

“The Reality Tour is needed in every community. It is my goal to have this program moved into Washington County and beyond,” she said.

The Reality Tour at the Belle Vernon location presents once a month, in the evenings. Upcoming presentations have been scheduled for December 12, January 9, February 13, March 6, April 10 and May 1.

There is a registration fee of $5 per person and anyone who plans to attend must pre-register. Attendance is free for children who receive free or reduced lunches. Please, go to realitytour.org to print a registration form or to find presentation dates, times and locations.

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