CENTRE FOR YOUNG ADDICTS FUNDED

Janine Copeland could easily have been a tragic victim of a dark side
of university life: alcohol and drugs.

Instead, thanks to the Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre, she has
beaten her addictions and will soon be professionally assisting other
young people who also may be headed in the wrong direction.

"I was living in B.C., attending university and drinking for a couple
of years, then I started using drugs -- cocaine and ecstasy," the
23-year-old Calgarian recalled Thursday at AARC's fundraising gala,
held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel.

"I didn't think it was a problem until I tried to stop. I used to get
really depressed and had a failed suicide attempt. My brother picked
me up and drove me back to Calgary, then my dad asked me to speak to
Dr. (Dean) Vause at AARC. After going there and speaking to staff, I
knew that was the place I should be."

Janine spent eight months at AARC's facility, living there all day and
staying with the parents of other young adults in the program at
night. She has been alcohol- and drug-free since last June.

Janine is now a year away from graduating as an addictions counsellor
from the University of Lethbridge.

Don Copeland, president and majority shareholder of Diamond Tree
Resources, an oil-and-gas exploration and production company, was so
impressed by the help his daughter received, he donated more than
$100,000 to AARC. He is involved in fundraising to help the centre
double its capacity to 60 families.

"It's miraculous," he said of the program. "It has assisted in her
recovery and gave her a future, and, in so doing, our whole family has
benefited because of her treatment.

He has nothing but praise for AARC's chairwoman, Ann
McCaig.

"(She) recruited me for fundraising, and I'm happy to do it and give
back to the program. If it's more than writing a cheque, I'm happy to
do it."

The fundraising dinner, which attracted 1,000 people, was held not
only to announce such private donations, but also to unveil a
$2-million contribution from the Alberta government. AARC now has
two-thirds of the $8 million needed to accomplish its expansion goals,
said Vause.

"We've had incredible success, with 80 per cent of grads clean and
sober," said Vause, the centre's executive director. "The program is
helping kids become contributing members of society, instead of being
a huge cost to families.

"The hardest part has been turning away people in crisis, because
we're full. But we'll soon be able to help many more families. We've
purchased the building next door, and when we have reached our goal,
we'll turn the sod and be up and going in six to eight months."

He said Vancouver, Toronto and other Alberta cities have studied the
model to find a solution to adolescent addictions in those
communities.

Bud McCaig and Alan Markin, two of the Calgary Flames' owners, have
also made significant contributions to AARC through their companies,
Trimac and Canadian Natural Resources, respectively, said Vause.

More than 250 young people have graduated from the program since 1992
and are contributing to the community.