Anti-Drug Group Takes Stand in Hopatcong

In the grand tradition of small, thoughtful, groups of committed citizens changing the world comes HAD – Hopatcong Against Drugs. The local grassroots organization was born of the peaceful protest movement and is now in the process of becoming a legal nonprofit entity. The speed of its evolution matches the depth of its members' passion to achieve its primary goal: making the borough drug-free.

Robin Calandriello and Robin DeLorenzo became angry when seeing news stories about a Hopatcong Police bust of a heroin distribution ring on Aug. 6 at the River Styx Grill. They turned their anger into action, organizing an Aug. 18 protest at the restaurant. A crowd of about 100 turned out to stand against illegal drug use and to show their collective disapproval of a business that they said operated in bad faith, having promised to be a family-friendly operation, but instead was a negative presence in the town.

Protest participants, pleased with the demonstration's success, started to have discussions about harnessing the energy displayed to continue attacking Hopatcong's longstanding drug problem. Calandriello took action again, creating a Hopatcong Against Drugs group forum on Facebook. The HAD social media page generated so much activity, she reached out to its members and floated the idea of starting a formal nonprofit organization.

"A group of five people came together and, using their own money, formed a New Jersey organization, HAD – Hopatcong Against Drugs," said Calandriello, who now is the group's president.

The first job for the fledgling nonprofit is to raise awareness of its mission. The engine will be a lawn sign campaign.

"We checked with our town zoning department to check the requirements and we were advised by them we could do our signs as long as there was no endorsement on the sign by any business," she said. "Once we knew this information, my husband Peter donated our first order of signs which say, 'We Support A Drug-Free Hopatcong! Hopatcong Against Drugs.'"

The signs made their debut, appropriately enough, during HAD's first-ever community event, the annual Halloween Parade.

"The Mount Arlington Elks Lodge brought their anti-drug trailer to the park for us and we distributed the signs there for the first time along with information regarding substance abuse to the parents attending the event," Calandriello recalled. "We continue to distribute our signs through our Facebook page and
through word mouth amongst the residents of Hopatcong."

So far, she said, signs point toward success.

"We have received a positive response to our lawn sign campaign and the organization," said the president. "We are in the process of ordering more signs and would love to see a sign on the lawn of each and every house in town."

That, or something close, may be within the realm of possibility, if Calandriello's assessment of local response to HAD's mission is any indication.

"Residents continue to thank us for the lawn signs and the information we post on Facebook daily to keep them informed," she said. "One longtime resident told us it was nice to see Hopatcong coming together as community in a fight against substance abuse. Other people have said they wished their town would start a lawn sign campaign where they live."

Some have offered financial support, but Calandriello noted that since the group remains in the process of getting its 501C designation, donations currently are not tax-deductible.

"If someone would like to help our cause they may email us at hopatcongagainstdrugs@live.com or send us a message via our Facebook page.  Also, if an attorney would be willing to do pro bono work for us, this would be a help too."

For the future, Calandriello said the lawn sign campaign will continue. Once the 501c status is settled is in place, she said the group will be in a better place to "give back more to our community regarding substance abuse."

"We would like to set up a fund for children and teens unable to participate in activities due to signup costs," she continued. "We would like to host a teen social in town. We would like to sponsor pre-teens and teens in peer leadership courses and get them actively involved at their schools in fighting substance abuse."

In the meantime, the group will keep busy attending community and municipal meetings, staying informed on issues surrounding drug abuse and supporting other anti-substance abuse programs, Calandriello said.

And, perhaps, in time, these committed citizens can change, if not the world, the borough of Hopatcong.