Alcohol & Drug Awareness Council of Orange County

11/10/2025

On October 3rd, 2025, the Town of Newburgh Recreation Department held a Senior Wellness Fair at Chadwick Lake Park. Over 50 seniors attended and received information from ADAC Prevention Specialist, Eileen Buckley, on Safe Medication Disposal, the WISE program and other topics for seniors!

11/08/2025

🎨📝 Our 39th Annual Substance Use Prevention Poster and 8th Annual Prevention Essay Contest is underway! 🎨📝 Our theme this year is:

English theme: "Picture Your Future Through a Drug Free Lens"
Spanish theme: "Imagina Tu Futuro Desde una Perspectiva Libre De Dr**as"

All youth in grades 1-12 are invited to participate in this important awareness campaign. Each year, we receive more than 1500 submissions from young people throughout our community. Please share with all young people you work with in school, recreational activities, after school clubs, and beyond. We want every young person to have the chance to participate and be recognized for their support of a healthy lifestyle. Cash prizes available! Entry form (provided below) must be included with each poster or essay.

Check out the flyers below for more details. Questions can be emailed to prevention@adacinfo.com! 🎨📝

11/07/2025

On Wednesday, October 22nd, 2025, ADAC kicked off Red Ribbon Week at our Red Ribbon Tying Ceremony outside the Orange County Government Center! The ribbons were displayed on the trees through RRW from October 23rd through November 1st. 🎀

We would like to thank our ADAC staff including Red Ribbon Coordinator Arabia Shearn for organizing the event and others for helping with preparation. We would also like to give thanks to those who donated/sponsored bows and/or spoke at the event. Thank you to Orange County Government officials who joined us, as well as NYS OASAS for attending and honoring our Executive Director, Jim Conklin, with a certificate of appreciation! We would also like to thank the students from The ACT Group INC. who gave an amazing performance at our ceremony. Thank you to the students throughout the county who joined together to show their support of youth prevention in Orange County!

The Red Ribbon Campaign is the nation's largest and longest-running drug prevention campaign, in memory of DEA Agent "Kiki" Camarena. Red Ribbon Week inspires millions of people around the world to live a positive, drug-free life and to always try to make a difference in your community. The campaign raises awareness for the prevention of drug and substance misuse. Remember, "Life is a Puzzle, Solve it Drug Free!" 🧩

📸 MORE PHOTOS 📸 from the tying and kick-off ceremonies can be found on our public Flickr albums: https://www.flickr.com/people/adacofoc/

Orange County Government

11/06/2025

On Wednesday, October 22nd, ADAC Prevention Specialist Wanda Febus-Marrero had a Red Ribbon Week-themed trunk at Middletown High School's Fall Festival! "Life is a Puzzle, Solve it Drug Free!" ❤️🎀

11/03/2025

On Wednesday, October 22nd, Orange County schools kicked off Red Ribbon Week with a ceremony hosted by ADAC and Goshen Central School District! The Red Ribbon Campaign is the nation's largest and longest-running drug prevention campaign, in memory of DEA Agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena. This year's theme is, "Life is a Puzzle, Solve it Drug Free!" 🧩

A special thank you to those who facilitated workshops at the event were facilitated by ADAC staff, Nike, Goshen administration, Positive Rocks, and our K9 and therapy dogs, followed by an inspirational keynote address from Peer Recovery Advocate Frankie Wright!

ADAC and Orange County STOP DWI & Traffic Safety Program would like to send a special thank you to all involved for putting on such an awesome program for the students. ADAC is proud to partner with a different school district each year to bring this important drug prevention event to our youth.

Each year the host school passes a burning bush to the next host school so they can plant it on their grounds in preparation for the next kick off. Goshen Central School District passed the symbolic plant to Newburgh Enlarged City School District, who will host in 2026! If your school is interested in hosting, please email prevention@adacinfo.com. THANK YOU to all who made this year's ceremony special!

📸 MORE PHOTOS 📸 from the event can be found on our public Flickr albums: https://www.flickr.com/people/adacofoc/

Goshen Central School District
Orange County STOP DWI & Traffic Safety Program
Newburgh Enlarged City School District
Orange County Sheriff's Office, New York

11/01/2025

Happy Hallo-weekend from ADAC!

Some cannabis edibles look just like candy. Make sure to keep them away from kids so their Halloween is safe. Not scary. 🎃

NYS OASAS

10/27/2025

Thank you to the students from The ACT Group INC., Reed, Noah, Jayden and Shelby, for singing at our Red Ribbon Tying Ceremony! These students gave an amazing performance and reminded everyone that, "you are not alone". ❤️

10/27/2025

Thank you to NYS OASAS for joining us at our Red Ribbon Tying Ceremony and for honoring our Executive Director, Jim Conklin, with a certificate of appreciation!

10/23/2025

10/23/2025