Calling All Bidders!

ACE’s eBay fundraiser is under way NOW! Don’t miss out on your chance to win some great items including a football autographed by former Kansas City Chiefs tight-end Tony Gonzalez, and a beautifully crafted glass platter with stand. Swing by and browse our eBay store today, and be sure to check back daily for newly listed items!

Please remember that with each bid you are doing your part in helping ACE reach out to more communities and touch more lives! Happy Bidding!

Strike Out Inhalant Abuse Program- Maryland

ACE is teaming up with the Bowie Baysox, Trenton Thunder, and New Britain Rock Cats to raise awareness about inhalant abuse this summer through a "Strike Out Inhalant Abuse" program!

"Strike Out Inhalant Abuse” is a two-pronged community based program seeking to blend the appeal of America's pastime with the popularity of minor league baseball teams in three local

communities. In these three regions ACE is working with local counselors to help them set up in-schools assemblies with appearances from local team mascots and players.

The first Maryland in-school assembly took place at J.C. Parks Elementary School in Indian Head! Thanks to the dedication and planning of Mrs. Dorothy Cole, school counselor, the program was a success! Due to her efforts, ACE and the Bowie Baysox were able to speak with students about the importance of healthy and safe decision making this summer.

If you know an elementary or middle school student in New Jersey, Maryland or Connecticut please urge them to enter into the Strike Out Inhalant Abuse Super Hero Contest!

(Mrs. Dorothy Cole takes a moment with Baysox and ACE)

Strike Out Inhalant Abuse Program: New Jersey

Rachel Wolf & Boomer from the Trenton Thunder

ACE is teaming up with the New Jersey School Counselor Association, the Trenton Thunder, Bowie Baysox and New Britain Rock Cats to raise awareness about inhalant abuse this summer through a "Strike Out Inhalant Abuse" program!

"Strike Out Inhalant Abuse” is a two-pronged community based program seeking to blend the appeal of America's pastime with the popularity of minor league baseball teams in three local communities. In these three regions ACE is working with local counselors to help them set up in-schools assemblies with appearances from local team mascots and players.

One of the first in-school assemblies took place at Lady of Lourdes School in Milltown, NJ! A big fat thank you to Jim Lukach (pictured to the right), Executive Director of the New Jersey School Counselor Association, for his dedication and leadership in bringing ACE and the Trenton Thunder together!

If you know an elementary or middle school student in New Jersey, Maryland or Connecticut please urge them to enter into the Strike Out Inhalant Abuse Super Hero Contest!

This summer "Be Tuff Don’t Huff"!

With yet another summer season rapidly approaching, we here at ACE wanted to wish you and your family a happy, healthy, and safe summer! In addition, we invite you to share in the personal reflections of one of our active parent advocates, Don Coates, who lost his beloved son to inhalants three years ago.

“Once again it is that time of year when all of our young people prepare for a summer full of happiness, joy, and plenty of activities that will keep them busy and safe from all the dangers we encounter. As you well know, summer break is a time when kids will find new things to do, try things that have no explanation, and with the economical crisis that we are all witness to must also understand there will not be as much allowance for these kids to get out and enjoy some of the things they would like. It can be depressing, the road less traveled; as even the wishes and dreams of a new road can create detours. As dreams of summer fun can be very pleasant, so too can the nightmares of the same season become our undoing.

I had a dream of life with you, and it all ended when the nightmare came true. In my heart he will always be, but inhalants took him far away from me, and when my day on earth is done, in heaven I will reunite with my lost son Brady Coates.”

Adorned with the words "Be tuff, don’t huff" and Brady´s picture, the truck serves as a warning to parents and teens that inhalants can kill. By displaying the truck throughout the community, hopefully curious onlookers will try to learn more about inhalants and make it part of their discussions.

Two More Awards for ACE!

The Alliance for Consumer Education just received notification that it had won two Hermes Creative Awards:

ACE received a GOLD for its 2007 annual report "Foundations for the Future"

In addition, ACE received an Honorable Mention for the redesign of its Disease Prevention website: http://www.stopgerms.org/

Thank you to all of you as well! Without your continued support of ACE we couldn't reach as many families and communities with our preventative message.

ACE Trustee Making an Impact on Her Community

Earlier this month ACE Board Trustee Patrizia Barone took some time out of her busy schedule to visit the University of Maryland and help contribute to “Maryland Day.”

Patrizia actually donated “Testudo” (the Terp statue seen here to the left) to the University’s College of Chemistry and Life Science.

During the weekend she also volunteered to assist with the Introductory Flag Ceremony. She and her family also set up a scholarship in memory of her father, Francesco Barone.

Here she is (photo to the left) with Garima Narayen, the scholarship’s recipient. Garima graduates this year and plans to go to Medical School.

Pat notes that with all of these efforts her goal is to "encourage people to go into the sciences and give back to support educational efforts." From all of us.. Thanks Pat for all that you do for ACE and for our communities.

ACE Recognizes Keep Kids Alive Drive 25

Next month is National Youth Traffic Safety Month. National Youth Traffic Safety Month initiates the development of youth led community projects and activities in raising awareness on traffic safety issues. Unfortunately, we have seen a lot of headlines detailing car accidents due to inhalant abuse. Whether it's the user hurting themselves or other people, this needs to be stopped. Don't wait until May, get started early by practicing safe driving.

Both ACE and Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 (KKAD 25) recognize the importance of open dialogue among parents and youths, and the role education plays in keeping our communities safer.

Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 is a nonprofit organization that focuses on active community commitment through educating, regulating, and managing neighborhoods on traffic safety. KKAD 25 states that “41,059 people – daughters, sons, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, friends – died on America’s roadways in 2007. That’s an average of over 112 deaths per day each and every day of the year. (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 2008)”. KKAD 25 works in conjunction with local and state businesses, communities, and nonprofit organizations to reduce the number of traffic accidents that occur annually as a result of drug, inhalant, and alcohol abuse.

In an effort to continue to raise awareness on traffic safety and speed limit management KKAD 25 has formed a Facebook cause page. Also, please click here to check out KKAD 25's blog.

Life is too short to become a statistic, so learn, communicate, and extend a hand to others through arming one’s self with the resources, knowledge, and proactive skills in making a difference within your community.