Drug House Odyssey returning to Lee Civic Center
After a three-year hiatus, the Coalition for a Drug-Free Southwest Florida and its many community partners will bring back one of its key events to the Lee Civic Center.
The “Drug House Odyssey” will happen Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, Feb. 7-9, with Lee County fifth-graders coming in during the morning and a special family night on Wednesday at 5 p.m.
“Drug House Odyssey” is a five-scene play that depicts teenagers making the wrong decisions about drugs and alcohol and the consequences of those decisions.
Deborah Comella, director of the Coalition, said after having the 2021-22 events cancelled by COVID, it’s great to be back.
“This program has taken place in Southwest Florida for the past 28 years, except for the two COVID years. It’s unique because it used all the actual first responders,” Comella said. “The only actors are the high school kids.”
Partners taking part are the United Way, Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Cape Coral Police Department, the Florida Highway Patrol, Lee County EMTs, Lee Health, Bayshore Fire Department and the State Attorney’s Office.
Also giving a huge hand is the Lee County School District, which provides the teenagers the opportunity to take part and the hundreds of fifth-graders countywide who will witness this event.
The play takes viewers to a party where teenagers get drunk, a sobriety test with a local police officer and a day in court where the accused is sentenced for his/her actions.
That person may be the lucky one. The final two scenes depict a car accident where someone is critically injured, and finally the hospital scene where that person dies.
There have been some changes over the years, with the hospital scene being added several years ago. However, the basic idea has remained the same, Comella said.
“For kids, it’s not only a realistic experience, but also provides a one-on-one with our community heroes,” Comella said. “We’re now at the point where we have second and third-generation kids who have gone through it.”
Comella said she hopes the experience will result in discussion about drugs in the classroom and at home for Family Night.
“What do you do at a party and someone offers you a joint or you feel like you’re in danger?” Comella said.
About 1,000 kids attend the fifth-grade field trip version of the event, while another 300 come for Family Night.
Comella warns that the program is not recommended for children under age 8, as the scenes may be too intense for them. Parental discretion is advised.
For more information, go to drugfreeswfl.org.
To reach CHUCK BALLARO, please email news@breezenewspapers.com