BURRILLVILLE – It’s been two months since Monica Blanchette, the seven year coordinator of the Burrillville Prevention Action Coalition, worked her last day with the Burrillville Police Department.
Blanchette, who ran the program since its inception in 2017, providing Burrillville Middle School and High School students support and activities for leading a substance-free lifestyle, resigned to take on new challenges as a clinical manager for a rehabilitation center.
But her departure hasn’t stopped BPAC youth from holding weekly meetings and planning for the organization’s ongoing activities.
Julia Alger, a junior at Burrillville High School, stepped forward just after Blanchette’s resignation in February with the hope to continue BPAC’s work. Julia and her mother, Joann Alger, met with Col. Stephen Lynch soon after, asking if the student could take over the youth group’s weekly meetings until Blanchette’s replacement was hired.
Alger has since held six meetings with the youth coalition, focusing on an upcoming annual Mock”tale” event, where groups from across Rhode Island create a drink – alcohol free, of course – to honor a victim of impaired driving. The Burrillville group has chosen to honor Matthew Dennison, a West Warwick resident who died at the age of 17 following a collision with a drunk driver in 2022.
Details on the MockTale creation honoring Dennison, a hockey player who served as senior captain of the West Warwick-Exeter-West Greenwich Co-Op Team, will be revealed at the event, to be held at North Kingstown High School on Wednesday, April 23 starting at 6 p.m.
“Without divulging too much before the big reveal, our table will be hockey-themed with the team colors, black and orange,” noted Joann. “Everyone has brainstormed, done research and continue to work on the display for the 23rd. They’ve all been very supportive of Julia taking the lead and happy we will be doing this wonderful event.”
The proud mother noted that she’s worked with her daughter on all the details for the MockTale competition, shopping for supplies and planning table decor, food and drink.
Julia, a member of BPAC since her 8th grade year, has also taken on responsibility for the youth meetings, creating weekly agendas and communicating with the police department to get building access. The duties have been added an already busy schedule for the three sport athlete that also includes serving on the student council VASSA and DECA, while working on her gold award in Girl Scouts.
Her leadership with BPAC has kept the youth faction from missing out on important traditions focused on substance use and addiction prevention. The organization also includes a coalition of adults – community partners representing various sectors in town such as education, healthcare and government – which has not met since Blanchette’s departure.
“We all knew the meetings were over until a replacement was hired,” said Joann, noting her daughter came up with the idea to instead step up over February vacation.
Lynch said his department has now hired a new substance abuse prevention coordinator, set to begin work on Monday, April 21, with an announcement and meet and greet tentatively scheduled to be held next week.
The well-organized youth, it seems, will be ready to welcome them.
“They have a wonderful relationship and work really great together,” said Joann, noting that many of the parents have also become close. “Just a really great group of people that I am honored to be involved with.”
