GETTING MADD ABOUT DRUGS AND ALCHOHOL

On Dec. 19 the students of DHS were shown the Mothers Against Drunk
Driving (MADD) multi-media presentation "Mind Control". The message
delivered was clear: if you have put marijuana or alcohol into your
body it affects your mind and you are no longer in control of your
choices, your decisions, your responses. If you use these substances,
make a decision and firm plans that under no circumstances will you
drive a vehicle.

It's that simple and clear.

MADD's program was brought to the school by Katharine Smith, the
Family Wellness Worker for DHS, Ross Ford, Midway and Outreach Schools.

The significant cost of the show was generously donated by a local
business that strongly believes in programming that delivers these
valuable messages to youth.

Christopher's Welding Ltd. sponsored MADD's program without
hesitation and has also provided a second financial donation for a
youth motivational speaker planned for late spring.

In presenting the Wellness Program with this funding, Chris Overwater
says, "CWL believes that today's youth are much more socially
conscious than we ever were at their age. They are trying to make
better choices in a social atmosphere that contains many more
distractions than we ever faced. Anything that we can do, either
personally or as a company that can help provide support to them in
order to aid them in making the proper decisions to protect
themselves, their friends, and their families is not optional, but a
responsibility that we take seriously.

"We believe in being proactive in our community, not reactive.
Didsbury youth are great kids, with a great future, and they deserve
the tools to ensure they can fulfill their futures to the utmost.
Hopefully these programs can help them make the right choices to
achieve that and we are thankful for the opportunity to support them."

Other community funding has come from both our local Thrift Stores
and Mountain View Credit Union.

These monies have facilitated all students at both schools hearing
speakers from the Crisis Center in Red Deer and students from Midway
and Ross Ford seeing Quest Theatre's production of The Field, a play
about tolerance, inclusion and kindness-themes that are consistent
with the schools' character education and moral intelligence goals.

Harmattan Gas Co. and the Parent Advisory Council at Ross Ford have
also committed the necessary funding for a surprise performer in March.

Without this kind of meaningful support from corporate citizens, many
of these excellent learning opportunities might be unavailable to our students.

These interesting and unique eductional programs touch hundreds of
students in our schools in valuable and important ways.

A huge thank you is deserved and extended by Katharine Smith, the
staff and the students. We truly appreciate your contribution to the
wellness of our children.