Bedford Building Our Lives Drug-free hosted their first monthly Speaker Series event at the Bedford Library on Sept. 27. This monthly series was established to create awareness and educate the community about substance abuse issues.

The first presenter for BeBOLD’s Speaker Series, "Bursting Bedford’s Bubble" – It’s Our Problem Too," was Bedford Police Chief John Bryfonski. Bryfonski, who is vice president of BeBOLD, gave the audience statistics regarding Bedford’s substance abuse problem.

"Based on the 2015 survey of students at Bedford High School, 56 had indicated they have used heroin. That’s about three full classrooms of students. The number is staggering." Another statistic that Bryfonski cited is that 5 percent of Bedford students surveyed have tried marijuana before age 13.

"While these statistics are scary, the good news is that a grassroots group like BeBOLD, the Bedford Police Department and our school system are all working together to change these numbers. We are concerned and are taking action to keep our kids safe," Bryfonski said.

The next Speaker Series event will take place from 7-8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 24, in the McAllaster room at the Bedford Library. This session will focus on "Substance Abuse and the Teenage Mind: How adults can communicate with adolescents about drugs, alcohol, and healthy choices. " Diane Vaccarello, owner of Bedford Family Therapy and BeBOLD’s Mental Health Advisor, will be the presenter.

Look for specific monthly topics and event dates on the BeBOLD Facebook page or at www.beboldbedford.org.

– Submitted by Tracey Bell,
BeBold secretary