Schools

Galloway Counselor Honored For Work Keeping Children Drug Free

Patricia Palumbo has been part of the PLAYHARD program for 10 years.

For the last 10 years, Counselor Patricia Palumbo has been part of the effort to help Galloway students learn how to have fun without drugs and alcohol, and the Galloway Township recognized her for those efforts at its meeting on Monday, Dec. 19.

Palumbo, who was selected as this year’s Galloway Township Municipal Alliance Volunteer of the Year, works with PLAYHARD, which stands for Participating in the Lives of Youth Helping All Resist Drugs. It’s a program that began at the when it was a middle school, and moved to the Galloway Township Middle School when it opened.

According to Galloway Superintendent of Schools Dr. Annette Giaquinto, the program is 18 years old.

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Palumbo is a co-advisor along with Galloway Township Middle School Physical Education Teacher Tim Waldman.

“About 700 students are members,” Palumbo said. “We go on field trips. We go bowling, ice skating, go to the movies, we play volleyball and dodgeball. We show them they can have fun without drugs and alcohol.”

Find out what's happening in Gallowaywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The children and their parents sign a petition pledging to be drug and alcohol free, and PLAYHARD provides an outlet for them to follow through on their pledge.

It’s also not funded by taxpayer money. Instead, it is funded by the Galloway Township Municipal Alliance and funds collected through the county for drunk driving and drug abuse offenses.


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