BY DAVE BENJAMIN
Staff Writer

Four coordinators of local municipal alliances were recently honored at a dinner sponsored by the Monmouth County High School Task Force on Drinking, Driving and Drugs.

The Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office was a co-sponsor of the May 18 “2005 Celebration Dinner” held at Gibbs Hall, Fort Monmouth, Eatontown.

“This program is one of the most essential programs in reference to prevention and education in getting people to recognize that [by having] students collaborating with the adults we can still make a dent in keeping mayhem off our highways,” said Jerome Hamlin, director of special projects for the prosecutor’s office. “It’s better to be drug-free and alcohol-free than to be one of the statistics we read about. So [let there be] lots of success for the continuation of the high school task force.”

Receiving the awards were Joanne Schuh of the Allentown and Upper Freehold Alliance, Lisa Harmon of the Manalapan-Englishtown Alliance; Barbara Hilliard of the Hazlet, Holmdel and Keyport Alliance; and Scott Isaacs of the Highlands and Atlantic Highlands Alliance.

“We do the very best we can in the individual municipalities in Monmouth County to create awareness of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs,” said James A. Wallace Jr., Monmouth County Municipal Alliance Coordinator. “The alliance coordinators who are being presented tonight are some of the best of the best. They go far and beyond and commit themselves to not only their municipalities on an individual basis, but to the county as well.”

Municipal alliances throughout New Jersey receive funding from the Drug Enforcement Reduction Grant. Those funds come from anyone who has been fined for drunk driving, disorderly conduct or anything that has to do with alcohol or drugs.

“I would like to say thank you for the contribution” to all the people who have had to pay fines, Wallace said. “Those monies are collected at the municipal level and are then sent to the state, which reallocates those dollars to the 21 counties.”

Wallace said in Monmouth County those funds are used for science-based programs which are proven programs by the federal government.

“These are programs that, if followed, will give results,” he said. “Monmouth County is the only county in the state that funds these programs.”

Wallace said in Monmouth County there is a commitment to share information with parents, businesses and youths.

“It is our job to give you all of the information that you need,” he said.

Wallace said the award that was presented on May 18 is for municipal alliance coordinators who have been active with the high school task force in their community, helping with transportation, supplies, programs, activities and any services the task force needs.

Wallace said the staff of the Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services is proud of the honorees.

Joan A. Spinelli, county coordinator, Monmouth County High School Task Force on Drinking, Driving and Drugs, said, “Lisa [Hamon] has done it all. She is not only busy in Englishtown and Manalapan, she is also a member of the Monmouth County Drunk Driving Task Force and recently started statewide program on drinking, driving and drug abuse. She’s wonderful. It’s very difficult for Monmouth County to thank you for all you have done.”

“I truly feel blessed to be able to do what I love to do,” said Harmon. “To wake up every morning and want to go to work and to know that I make a difference in people’s lives.”

Spinelli said Hilliard has contributed much to the northern part of Monmouth County as well as other parts of the county.

“Barbara has been around for a very long time and she has done a wonderful job. I know she will continue to keep doing it,” said Spinelli.

Hilliard said she has been involved since 1989 and remembers when the mayor visited the juvenile conference committee asking to obtain a grant application.

“He said the county was giving out some money and we had to get involved,” Hilliard recalled. “I wrote the first grant application and have been doing it ever since.”

“Joanne [Schuh] has been involved with the western part of the county since 1998,” said Spinelli. “Not only is she very active in her own area, but also with the Monmouth County Task Force on Drunk Driving and on [anti-]smoking.”

Schuh said she was the baby of the group and felt honored to be recognized with the others who have been working so long.

Spinelli said Scott Isaacs, who began working as a coordinator in June 1995, was not able to attend the award dinner due to a prior commitment.

“He was trained in media and conflict resolution and he always comes to the high school task force meetings,” said Spinelli. “He’s also on the task force on drunk driving. He has contributed a lot to the youth of the Highlands and Atlantic Highlands.”