ELKS SPREAD ANTI-DRUG MESSAGE

The Plainview Elks Lodge is part of a national program and has been in
existence since 1909. The lodge is involved in many charities and work
to support and encourage area youth.

Drug awareness for children in pre-K through 12 is a priority for the
Elks. This year, five more area school districts added their names to
the list to receive information for students, bringing the total
number of educational packets distributed to 13,166.

With Red Ribbon Week, a National Drug Awareness Week, scheduled for
Oct. 23-31, the Elks have worked hard to get information out to all
the campuses.

Elks Drug Awareness Chairperson Pat Medlin said the UPS truck backed
up to her home one day with the entire truck full of boxes, all in her
name. The next day, a UPS driver surprised her when he said he had
another truck load. Actually, there were only a few boxes the second
time and they had a good laugh.

Ms. Medlin and Jana Cannon said their job is to "try to teach every
child in this area about drugs through education."

They work to teach students the effects that drugs can have on their
lives and how to resist peer pressure. A sub project of the Drug
Awareness program is an art contest for third through fifth grade students.

The theme is "Drug Awareness and Prevention" and art work will be
judged on theme, originality and neatness. First place winners in each
grade level will receive a $100 savings bond and the art work will go
to the state level. State winners receive a $300 savings bond.

The children have their work cut out for them. There are 2,771 third
through fifth grade students in the area alone. The Elks were proud to
have two first place winners in past years, a fifth grader from Cotton
Center and a third grader from Floydada.

Entries for the art contest are due by Nov. 1 and an all-expense paid
trip for the student and their family will be provided by Plainview
Elks if an area student is a state winner.

"We think it is important for the kids to be there to receive their
award," said Ms. Medlin.

The Drug Awareness program is in effect at all schools in Plainview,
Cotton Center, Floydada, Hale Center, Happy, Hart, Kress, Lockney,
Nazareth, Olton, Petersburg, Valley (Turkey-Quitaque), Silverton,
Springlake-Earth and Tulia schools.

Wal-Mart Distribution Center 6012, Jack Morris Ford, Scoggin-Dickey
Car and Truck, Eaton-Craig Stationery, Oswald's Printing and The
Plainview Daily Herald are businesses that have made donations to the
program this year.

The Elks are the No. 1 provider of scholarships in the U.S. next to
the federal government, said Mrs. Cannon. The state project is
"special grants for special needs," a project that helps anyone with a
disability.

The Plainview chapter, comprised of 321 area members, is involved with
at least nine local charities in the area and the majority of them are
geared toward children.

For more information about Drug Awareness the number to call is
293-1212.