They say that it takes a village to raise a child but the best indicator of success is when those children grow up and take their place helping others. For the Harbor Strong Coalition of the Grays Harbor County Public Health and Social Services Department, incoming high school Junior Merryn Bruner is a shining star. She works hard to keep her community healthy, educated and Harbor Strong.
The Harbor Strong Coalition has a mission “to prevent and reduce substance abuse and related problems to youth, adults and families by providing leadership, education and community partnerships promoting a healthy, positive lifestyle.” In partnership with the school district’s True North program, Harbor Strong supports things like smart medication storage and disposal, education and recovery support. Funding for the Harbor Strong Coalition is through the Washington State Health Care Authority.
Educators, civic leaders and community partners work with students on a near-daily basis. Students like Bruner can be a valuable voice about what works, what doesn’t, and how to best communicate and learn.
Merryn is a straight-A student, on the volleyball and fastpitch teams, and member of Aberdeen High School’s ASB and leadership organizations. “But the thing I am most proud of is being a youth coalition member on Harbor Strong Coalition!,” she says. “I first came across Harbor Strong last summer, when a member approached me and my mom asking us to join.”
She was intrigued from day one. “This opportunity was especially important to me because I’ve seen firsthand what substance abuse can to do someone with a bright future, and how easy it can be to get caught up in the tide,” she shares. “I really just want my peers to recognize that it’s okay to say no, and that you’ll end up thanking yourself in the long run. Not contributing to drug culture is how we will solve the problem, not trying to prevent things that have already happened. Youth play an especially important role in ending bad habits, as we are more likely to pass on our philosophies to our peers, and our future kids. I hope to play a huge role in this culture shift in the Harbor and go from there.”
“Growing up in the Harbor has been so amazing to me,” Merryn continues, “and it’s given me a lot of the tools I need to have a successful future, but we do have a problem with addiction here and I’ve seen it ruin a lot of promising lives. Whether it’s close to me or not, I’m just grateful for the opportunity to be part of the solution. My friends have been very supportive of my coalition work and think it’s a pretty cool thing that we’re doing. As far as my future endeavors, I’ve been looking into options in the behavioral health fields for quite some time now, and my work on Harbor Strong has taught me a lot about helping others get the help they need, overall public health, and community service, which is very important when looking into behavioral health.”
Merryn’s mom, Alysha, is extremely proud of her daughter. “I think it’s easy in society these days to focus on the negative, and surely I think we’re seeing this locally as it pertains to substance abuse. However, there’s a lot going on behind the scenes and many positive impacts being made to curb this. The Harbor Strong Coalition is a prime example. I’m very proud to be involved in the group with my daughter, who is one of our high school ambassadors.”
“I think it’s important as parents to really tune in with your kids and just keep up on their lives,” says Alysha. “Doing this is so impactful in making sure they don’t fall into the pitfalls of addiction. We’re lucky to be in such a tight knit community where we can all look out for each other and each other’s kids. I’m hoping to help change the perception people have about our addiction problem here on the harbor and shift the focus towards the proactive approaches, positive influences and the education the Harbor Strong Coalition stands for.”
Coalition coordinator April Heikkila is excited to see the next generation working so hard on such a crucial issue. “Youth play an important role in prevention work and that the Harbor Strong Coalition is fortunate to have two youth members that share their youth voice in a positive and impactful way. Both Merryn Bruner and Liam Heikkila have dedicated efforts to substance use prevention programs in Grays Harbor and I look forward to their ongoing commitments to continue to reduce risk factors and increase protective factors to promote community wide change.”
During these chaotic days, everything takes longer and is a little more complicated. But with patience, hard work, and a strong network we’ll all make sure tomorrow’s better and safer for everyone. Because staying Harbor Strong is truly a team effort!
To get involved, contact April Heikkila at aheikkila@co.grays-harbor.wa.us.
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