'GOT DRUGS?' PROGRAM TO INFORM YOUTHS

The public was the beneficiary of a seminar for educators Wednesday
night.

Gary Shimabukuro of Laulima Hawai'i was scheduled to do a day-long
seminar for Kaua'i's educators yesterday, but on Wednesday night,
Shimabukuro and a group of professionals in substance abuse opened up
the doors of the Kaua'i War Memorial Convention Hall for members of
the public.

Theresa Koki, the county's anti-drug coordinator, said the "Got
Drugs?" program is a follow up of last year's community drug
awareness seminar that was sponsored by the County of Kaua'i and
Leadership Kaua'i.

"We are fortunate to once again have the opportunity to bring Gary
Shimabukuro back this time with several other notable presenters to
further our awareness of the drug-related issues that affect our
community daily," Koki said in the evening's program guide.

Koki said that with so much happening in Hawai'i and on Kaua'i, the
county pooled community resources to provide materials and other
information in support of the special guest speakers who follow the
trends and were available to update the public to better understand
the current drug situation.

Despite conflicting schedules of a Kaua'i Interscholastic Federation
boys basketball game at Waimea High School and an Open House at
Kaua'i High School, people found time to learn about the latest
trends in drug and substance abuse as the people flowed through the
doors when they opened at 5:30 p.m.

Displays and exhibits from nine different community groups and
agencies greeted attendees who made it a point to browse through and
look over the variety of information that was available.

Participating vendors, many of whom came from the successful Eastside
family summit held Saturday, included Parent Project, Hina Mauka,
Teen Care-Kaua'i High School, U-turn for Christ, Leadership Kaua'i,
Department of Liquor Control, Kaua'i Police Department, the Drug
Court and Alcoholics Anonymous.

Detective Mark Middleton from the Martin County Sheriff's Department
in Florida, Thoma Janette and Scott Duva, Connecticut Narcotics
Enforcement Officer's Association, were the professionals who joined
Shimabukuro in speaking about the overview of substance abuse and the
current national and local drug trends.

These professionals were on Kaua'i last year, speaking not only to
the public at the first of the free Community Drug Awareness Speaker
Series, but also addressed about 400 students at a drug summit geared
for student leaders in Kaua'i's middle and high schools.

Middleton, who has a knack for being able to capture students'
attention during his last appearance at the student summit, has been
in law enforcement for 20 years and has been involved in many facets
of police work including the DARE and GREAT programs, school
resource office, road patrol and corrections.

Currently, he is assigned to the juvenile crime unit where he
oversees several programs including the prevention of alcohol and
tobacco sales to minors, missing and runaway juveniles, and sexual
offenders and predators.

Janette serves as the director of the Connecticut Narcotic
Enforcement Officers Association where he is sought after as a
resource speaker and has been featured on prevention and substance
abuse videos that have won the Golden Eagle Award, states a press
release from the county's public information officer, Mary Daubert.

Duva is a law enforcement officer in Connecticut where he works
closely with Janette on prevention and substance abuse programs, the
release states.

Shimabukuro, who said he's picked up the handle "Shim-buck-a-roo"
from his talks in Australia, is the founder and owner of Laulima Hawai'i.

He has been providing drug education for businesses, schools,
apprenticeship programs, labor organizations, management groups, law
enforcement agencies, military personnel and other organizations
since 1978, states a release from Laulima Hawai'i.

Shimabukuro was a clinical supervisor for a substance abuse treatment
program and a former certified trainer and "Trainer of Trainers" for
the National Institute of Drug Abuse.

The release states that since 1988, more than 200,000 people have
attended the various training programs throughout the state of
Hawai'i, Alaska, California, and the Pacific Basin.

Gary's communication skills, including his prowess on the 'ukulele
when he joined musicians on stage at the Eastside family summit, have
effectively overcome language and cultural differences for
participants.

One of these facets involve the use of actual news clippings and
video to drive home the point of substance abuse.

The Kaua'i Community Drug Awareness Speaker Series was developed by a
Leadership Kaua'i group called "The Challengers."

Members include Fran Becker, Na Leiwili Area Health Education Center;
Sheryl Grady, Kaua'i Island Utility Cooperative; Kelly Knudsen, state
Department of Education; Jerry Refamonte, Kaua'i Marriott Resort;
Rebekah Reide, Ke Ala Hoku; and Lisa Ubay, Prince-ville Operations
Corp.

Their mission is to support the community and families who are
vulnerable to the onslaught of drugs by providing specific drug
awareness and education.