Springville residents Kevin and Brooke Scholz have been honored with the Beacon of Hope Award by Intermountain Healthcare's Utah County Regional Governing Board for their work to curb the use of prescription drug abuse in the community.

Several years ago, the Scholzes became very passionate about substance abuse after dealing with a family member who became addicted to prescription drugs. They set up a parental support group called YouthNet to help families cope with the challenges of children who become involved with prescription drugs.

Later, the Scholzes were invited by Intermountain Healthcare to serve on an advisory committee that was working on ways to prevent drug abuse in South Utah County. Subsequently, the Scholzes have been instrumental in implementing "clean out the cabinet" campaigns that encourage parents to rid their home medicine cabinets of prescription drugs, particularly narcotic pain killers that often become the target of theft.

Kevin Scholz has also been invited to serve on a task force established by the governor to address this issue.

"Kevin and Brooke Scholz are amazing individuals who have seen a problem in our community and have committed their time and abilities to find solutions. There are many families whose lives have been directly impacted for good by the work of the Scholzes and individuals and organizations they have mobilized to fight drug abuse," said Kye Miner, manager of Community Health Partnerships for Intermountain's Urban South Region.

The Beacon Award is given several times a year to individuals who are making positive contributions to the health and well-being of Utah County residents.