'REVIVAL' CALLED KEY TO REACHING YOUTH AT DRUG SEMINAR

Area civic and church leaders joined forces Thursday night to inform and
motivate parents to keep their children off drugs.

About 50 parents, relatives and other loved ones of area children gathered
at First Union Baptist Church for the 13th Annual Drug Awareness Seminar.

Notables such as Alexandria City Marshal James Byrd, seminar
founder/chairman Rev. Henry Powell and State Director of Safe and Drug-Free
Schools Steve Young relied more on inspirational messages than
informational ones to get their points across.

Their messages were supported by rousing performances from the First Union
Baptist Church Choir and the United Sons of God, a choir composed of
Rapides Detention Center inmates.

"Drugs of any kind are the tools of Satan," Powell said. "From my own
experience, I've seen what drugs do to our kids. This is good to make
people aware of what's going on around them."

The atmosphere generated by the seminar was more church than conference,
more revival than formal talk.

A governor's office official, Young felt extra motivation to make the trip
to Alexandria after receiving an invitation months ago from Powell, the
event's organizer.

"It's a fight we can win. But as long as there's drugs, there'll be
problems," Young said. "But we aren't going to solve this problem with
drugs until we have revival. There won't be any problems when we have a
revival."

Gov. Mike Foster himself was scheduled to appear but was unable to attend.
Foster did send a proclamation which was read to the audience by First
Union Baptist Pastor Nathan D. Lee.

"When we as parents are informed about drugs, our children will benefit,"
the brief letter read.

Byrd, meanwhile, reflected on his youth and 20 years in the Air Force when
speaking about today's war on drugs.

"Things are really bad for our young community," Byrd said. "If we had to
go to war now, we'd be in trouble. But God is good. And I know we can solve
this problem with God."

Alexandria Police Department Lt. Frank Dawson has witnessed the drug war
firsthand during his 25 years on the force. He reaffirmed the city police's
stance on the prevention, as well as enforcement of drugs. He estimated
three out of 10 black youth use drugs.

"I've seen just about everything there is to see," Dawson said. "We're at a
critical time with our youth. We do our jobs. But our job is not just to
bust people. But to prevent it from happening in the first place."