VAN WERT — How does one help people get away from illegal drugs? That was the question considered by a group of Van Wert County residents. With well over half of court cases heard last year in the county being drug charges, the problem continued to get worse.

“We’ve got to do something. We can’t just put our heads in the sand and pretend it’s not there. It’s a community issue. It’s robbing us in all areas: kids, homes, economy-wise and these lives,” said Rev. Paul Hamrick. “Last spring, Jane Schmid, Cheryl Schaffner and Valerie Schoonover came to me to talk about the drug problem in our county and what we can do because it personally affects each one of us in one way or another.”