The Clay Counts Coalition is hosting the community at the Rex Theater on Thursday, March 25th at 6:30pm. During this time we will watch the short film, "If They Had Known"and host a panel discussion to talk about the laws, safety procedures, signs of distress, community culture, and answer questions from community members.
According to the Kansas Communities that Care Survey in Clay County about 40% of high school students have tried alcohol at least once with about 14% saying they have actually consumed alcohol within 30 days of taking that survey. Of those students who admit to drinking, about 63% say they usually drink in their own home and 60% choose to drink at a friend's home. Be aware also that about 8% of our students report that they have used illegal prescription medications.
Is this community data concerning to you?
Do you want to have the tools to talk to your child about the party culture in college and high school?
Do you want to have information that could help save a life?
Then we encourage you to give one hour of your life to this event. March 25th at 6:30pm at the Rex Theater in Clay Center.
Clay’s Story / Why We Made This Film
In the early morning hours of July 18th, 2015 Clay Soper died tragically from the combination of prescription drugs mixed with alcohol. Just shy of his 20th birthday, Clay was a thriving college student home for the summer. That night, he and his friends were doing what many students do in today’s party culture. They had no idea that combining prescription drugs with alcohol could kill them or their friend.
Days after Clay’s death, a group of his friends came together to provide support for one another. As they struggled to understand how this tragedy could have happened to their friend, the phrase “he didn’t know ... we didn’t know” was repeated over and over. Clay’s tragic death motivated his peers to tell his story in a way that was different from other health related “If They Had Known” is an honest and emotional account of what happened that night spoken by the people who were with him. Clay’s friends wanted his death to have a purpose — they wanted his death to have an impact on other students who also may be unaware of the potentially fatal outcome of this toxic trend.
By sharing Clay’s story, the Soper family hopes to advance awareness and promote conversation among teenagers, families and our greater community about the very real dangers of mixing prescription drugs with alcohol. “If They Had Known” is a film that focuses on the risks of current party culture. It is not a film about drug addiction or substance abuse. Mixing prescription drugs with alcohol has become a recreational trend in high schools and on college campuses across the country and is resulting in accidental deaths. With this film, we hope to help others avoid such a tragic accident.
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