The priority of the sturgis police athletic league coalition is to decrease the number of youth drinking alcohol illegally and the use of illegal marijuana in the greater sturgis area. - sturgis is…

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control awarded $250,000 to Action For The Betterment Of Our Community on July 1, 2026 under the Drug-Free Communities Support Program Grants (CFDA 93.276). The recipient, a nonprofit based in Sturgis, South Dakota, will work to decrease illegal alcohol consumption and marijuana use among youth in the greater Sturgis area through community coalition efforts. The Sturgis Police Athletic League Coalition addresses substance abuse challenges in a rural community of approximately 7,000 residents, roughly 20 percent under age 18, where youth exposure to substances is heightened by the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, which draws over 500,000 visitors. The funding supports a five-year period of performance ending June 30, 2031, with place of performance in South Dakota. The Drug-Free Communities Support Program establishes and strengthens collaborations among community coalitions, public and private agencies, and federal, state, local, and tribal governments to prevent and reduce youth substance use and address risk factors in communities.

The priority of the sturgis police athletic league coalition is to decrease the number of youth drinking alcohol illegally and the use of illegal marijuana in the greater sturgis area. - sturgis is a small city located in meade county, in western south dakota, nestled in the northern black hills region. As of the 2020 census, sturgis has a population of about 7,000 residents, with approximately 20% under the age of 18. The city is best known nationally and internationally for the sturgis motorcycle rally, held every august, which brings in over 500,000 visitors-temporarily increasing the city's population and potentially impacting youth exposure to substances. The information presented below tells a story of a rural community with adolescent substance abuse problems. Looking at the progression of youth substance use, a few patterns start to emerge. First, a small community negatively affected from years of social acceptance by the community to use alcohol and other drugs to party. Seen by the annual motorcycle rally that brings in up to a half a million people to party for ten days each year. An annual event that brings with IT easy accessibility to drugs for youth and adults. Second, a senate bill that views substance related offenses in a citation manner. Although the bill encourages the use of community programming, the state has not provided appropriate funding for these programs. A bill that has caused local law enforcement, probation officers, and the state's attorney to feel as if they can no longer "do anything" about the youth substance abuse issues in the community. A system where there is no way to force the youth and their families to follow through with diversion and treatment opportunities. Third, a community that is poor in resources and jobs. A community where youth score low on tests, and come from families with very little education. A community that those who cannot afford to live in the more affluent communities settle in. The consequences include youth who have a very low perception of harm in regards to both alcohol and marijuana. More than half of the youth who report that using alcohol and marijuana ISN't something that their friends or parents would be upset about. An increase of youth accessibility to illegal substances. The result is the development of a community coalition that has decided to stand-up and make their community healthy. With the support of the DFC grant, the sturgis PAL coalition will accomplish the following: goal 1: increase community collaboration related to community prevention while strengthening prevention capacity and infrastructure through the SPF process. Objective 1.1: sturgis PAL coalition membership will increase by 5%, as measured by signed CIA's. Objective 1.2: sturgis PAL will increase the financial resources of the coalition. Strategy 1: increase funding sources and staff expertise in grant writing and substance abuse prevention. Goal 2: prevent the onset of substance use by youth and reduce the progression of substance use and related problems. Objective 2.1 the number of 10-12TH graders reporting 30-day use of alcohol will decrease by 5%, as measured by the meade county school survey. Objective 2.2: increase the number of 10-12TH graders reporting a low perception of peer disapproval related to marijuana will increase by 5%, as measured by the meade county school survey. Objective 2.3: the coalition will increase youth's perception of parental disapproval of alcohol use among youth (ages 12-18) by 10% as measured by the meade county school survey. Objective 2.4 the high school youth grades 9-12 in meade county self-reporting a low perception of harm in regards to marijuana will increase by 5% as measured by the meade county school survey.