By Lauren Brown
Burns Times-Herald

A trio of women working for three different non-profit groups focusing on children’s issues as well as agricultural issues in this rural county share an office at 113 W. Washington.

Angie Witzel is the Drug Free Communities (DFC) Coordinator for Harney Partners for Kids & Families; Hilda Allison is the coordinator for the High Desert Partnership; and Amanda Benton is the Resource Assistance for Rural Environments (RARE) representative assigned to Harney County to work with the High Desert Partnership for 11 months.

Witzel took over the DFC coordinator job from Brett Jantze in September, and Allison began work for the High Desert Partnership in October. Benton began her 11-month RARE stint in Harney County in January. While each has a different mission, they are all committed to bettering Harney County as they share office space and expenses.

High Desert Partnership and RARE

With the High Desert Partnership, Allison facilitates resolution of important land stewardship, community and economic issues with the intent of addressing these issues in a collaborative forum before they reach a crisis situation.

Some current High Desert Partnership project include Harney County restoration collaborative projects, the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge’s Comprehensive Conservation Plan, grassbank feasibility studies and floodplain education.

RARE representative Benton is working with Allison on some of these projects. RARE’s mission is to increase the capacity of rural communities to improve their economic, social and environmental conditions through the assistance of trained graduate-level participants who live and work in communities for 11 months while gaining community building and leadership skills.

The High Desert Partnership’s goal is to protect the rural lifestyle and associated natural resources of Southeast Oregon for present and future generations through open communication and cooperation. It is a private non-profit organization comprised of state and federal agencies, county government, private landowners, conservation groups and individuals.

Harney Partners Drug-Free Communities

As part of Witzel’s job with Harney Partners for Kids & Families, she has organized a youth subcommittee of 25 to 30 teens from Crane and Burns to discuss substance abuse and alcohol issues. The group has put together a Web site, riseabovetheinfluence.com to serve as a resource for students and parents. The site features news stories, a blog and a listing of drug-free events.

A Drug Free Communities Grant of $625,000 ($125,000 for five years) funds Witzel’s position and her projects.

One of her goals is to lessen the age of onset for first-time alcohol/tobacco use, which is currently age 13 in Harney County. She hopes to do this primarily through education in the schools and community. There are four billboards around town with anti-drug/tobacco messages. She is also working with law enforcement  on conducting regular compliance checks of local alcohol and tobacco vendors.

A recent Oregon Healthy Teens Survey revealed several reasons why Harney County’s numbers regarding alcohol and tobacco use among teens are higher here than elsewhere in the state. Teens perceive that their parents don’t feel it’s wrong to use tobacco, especially smokeless tobacco. Youths also feel that if they host a party or attend a party, where there is alcohol, they won’t get caught. Many teens also didn’t think there would be any ill effects from regular alcohol use.

Out on the ranches, Witzel said it may be common for teens to have a beer after a branding. Parents feel it is OK because that is how they were raised.

Witzel said that it comes down to educating both parent and teens about alcohol and tobacco use. She noted that the cities, county and community members need to buy in to the realities of the problem. Seven out of 10 teens who try alcohol likely will go on to live a normal life. It’s those three who become addicts as a result of teen alcohol use who worry Witzel. If she can prevent just one youth from having drug/alcohol problems now or later in life, she feels she’ll have done her job.

For more information on Harney Partners for Kids & Families Drug Free Communities attend one their monthly meetings, the third Wednesday of the month at noon at Glory Days Pizza, 960 Oregon Ave.