Most parents worry about their kids becoming involved with drugs, tobacco, and alcohol. Glenrock, Wyo.-based nail tech Amy Butler is actually doing something about it. As the director of the Glenrock Prevention Coalition (GPC), an organization she founded in 2003, she has been awarded grants totaling more than $1 million. The funds are used to aid in the prevention of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use in children. “We do this through summer and before- and after-school programs,” says Butler. “The theory is, if we keep kids busy with constructive programs that target mentoring, homework help, and the arts and sciences, students’ delinquent behaviors will diminish and grades will improve.”

Butler spends roughly two-thirds of her workday at the helm of the GPC and one-third at her salon, Paradise Hair & Nails in Casper. Being director of a non-profit is stressful and somewhat political, she says. In addition to writing the grant applications, she oversees all the funds and the programs and personnel that receive the funds. She also monitors student participation and handles the reporting back to the state and federal government.

She’s taken on some of the prevention work herself. “I am a Prevention Specialist Trainer and contract with the State of Wyoming to train others in the business of prevention,” she says. “I also run the local youth art club, which meets weekly to explore various ways of being creative.”

As you might expect, this is rewarding work. “It takes a lot of time and effort, so it is a thrill to find out my hard work had been rewarded with funds for the community,” says Butler. “I also love working with the kids in the community. It’s great to see them smiling and having fun in ways that keep them safe and out of trouble.”

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