MADD CANADA AND GM CANADA TAKE NEW SHOW MIND CONTROL ON CROSS-COUNTRY
TOUR OF HIGH-SCHOOLS

Local High School Students To Learn About Mind Control

High school students in Spruce Grove and Stony Plain will soon be
facing a multimedia presentation designed to combat drinking and
driving, thanks to a local advocacy group.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Parkland will be showing Mind
Control, which focuses on the realities of taking drugs or drinking
alcohol and operating a motor vehicle.

"It's very well done," said Ray Boudreau, president of MADD Parkland.
"It deals with modern issues, modern instances, and it's narrated by
a young person."

Boudreau said the group is hoping to present three viewings at Spruce
Grove Composite high school, and at least one show each at St. Thomas
Aquinas high school and Memorial Composite high school.

The cost of each production is in the area of $1,000.

"We're probably spending upwards of $3,000 or $4,000 for this, but we
believe the production is worth every penny," he explained.

The group recently received a donation of $1.000 from the Stony Plain
Rotary Club to help offset the costs of the production.

The rest of the cost is coming from MADD Parkland, which raises money
through fundraisers such as the recent red ribbon campaign.

Boudreau is also excited about how closely the message from both MADD
Canada and the Mind Control presentation align with the DARE (Drugs
and Alcohol Resistance Education) program in schools. Being a former
RCMP officer, he has a lot of experience with that police initiative.

In the DARE program, elementary students are taught about making
positive decisions, as well as steering clear of alcohol and other drugs.

"These decisions about high-risk activity are all about choice," Boudreau said.

The support for the local MADD chapter has been overwhelming, he added.

"Everywhere we go, we're getting a lot of encouragement," he
explained, adding that the group is always looking for volunteers.

To contact the organization, call 960-5976. More information can also
be found online at www.madd.ca.