FIESTA URGES UNITY AGAINST DRUGS

Four religious leaders from three denominations echoed a common prayer
for unity and protection in the fight against substance abuse Saturday
afternoon at the Fiesta de Nuestra Comunidad in west Eugene.

As people from Eugene and Springfield gathered in a semicircle, the
men each prayed in Spanish for the communities that must confront drug
and alcohol use.

I'm really grateful we're all getting together to worship together,"
Pastor Luis Vergara of Centro De Fe Spanish Outreach in Eugene said
during a brief prayer time at the fiesta.

The grass-roots neighborhood organization Comunidades Unidas Contra
las Drogras, or United Communities Against Drugs, sponsored the fiesta
along with Centro LatinoAmericano to reach out to the Latino
population. Their goal was to educate Latino families about drug and
alcohol prevention.

Carmen Urbina, executive director of Centro LatinoAmericano, said her
agency doesn't push religion, but many people in the Latino community
value the message the men shared.

She said the event was designed in the spirit of National Night Out,
which encourages neighbors to turn on their porch lights and meet the
people living next door and across the street.

"Let's take back our neighborhoods and make our communities safe,"
Urbina said.

Organizers expected about 300 people to attend Fiesta de Nuestra
Comunidad, which in English translates to "party of our community."

For many, the event was simply a fun spot to spend a Saturday. Many
children had their faces painted, waved bubble wands in the air,
painted with sponges and made necklaces.

Emma Vazquez watched as her son and daughter had face paint applied to
their foreheads. The muted rainbow colors soon resembled stars, and
her children, ages 3 and 2, eagerly accepted stickers from a volunteer.

"I came for them," Vazquez said as she proudly pointed to her children
who moved along to play with gigantic bubbles.

When she moved to Eugene six years ago from Mexico, she took English
classes at Centro LatinoAmericano. She said the agency provides "a lot
of resources."

"I don't need a lot of help now, but a lot of people need help," she
said.

The Eugene fire and police departments as well as a variety of social
service agencies also took part in the fiesta.

Many of the agencies gave parents material published in Spanish on
drug and alcohol prevention and encouraged them to talk with their
children about the issues.

Judy Jacquez, the heroin recovery program coordinator at Centro
LatinoAmericano, said she recommends that parents approach their
children about drugs and alcohol using a casual "third person
strategy," as if they were talking about someone else doing drugs.

"Children feel much more comfortable sharing information if it's a
friend or family (that they're talking about)," she said. "They can
open up and ask questions."

Once the ability to communicate about drugs has been established,
Jacquez said parents can share more about the dangers of substance
abuse.

At the Eugene Public Library's booth, kids picked up stickers and
bookmarks while their parents learned more about the library.

Claire Ribaud, the youth services manager at the library, said reading
and library programs give young people a reason to stay away from
drugs and alcohol.

"Reading fills them up with a lot of opportunity so they won't be
tempted to go to drugs and alcohol," Ribaud said. "Kids really have
the opportunity then to fulfill their potential."