DADS AGAINST METHAMPHETAMINE TO HOLD CLEAN-UP PROJECT AT FOOT OF DEL NORTE

For the first time since its inception in March, Dads Against
Methamphetamine is holding its third weekend outing to focus on
something that will help improve Eureka.

Dennis Sutton, group founder and a recovering methamphetamine user,
started the group in an effort to keep himself drug free while
helping others in similar situations.

In addition to meeting weekly, Sutton has led the group on a hike and
held a weekend barbecue, but this Saturday, the group is going to
spend time cleaning up trash in the area surrounding the foot of Del
Norte Street."This is going to be a community service event," Sutton
said. "(Its purpose is) to give something back to the community,
instead of taking, taking, taking like we may have done in the past
in our using (meth), period."

In addition to people who participate in DAM, Sutton said he has gone
to other similar groups and invited them to help as well as any other
interested community residents interested.

"I hope I can get the community (involved)," he said.

As for why he chose the area, Sutton said when he was a boy he used
to go fishing on the dock at the foot of Del Norte and when he was
recently walking his dog in the area, he noticed all the trash.

"It just popped in my head (that) maybe I can do a community service
project down there," he said.

Eureka Police Capt. Murl Harpham said Sutton contacted him about the
project and EPD will do what it can to help DAM clean up the area,
which is heavily populated by transients.

"What the police department (is) going to do is walk through there
and run everybody out of there Thursday, prior to them going in there
Saturday," he said.

Harpham said he also has a call into Gary Bird, who heads special
programs at the city, to see if the city can supply Sutton's group
with a trash bin.

"We'll be providing a dumpster for them," Bird said. While it is
helpful when groups such as DAM clean up areas in the city, Harpham
said there is one downfall.

"It's great. The only downside, I would say, is that they clean up
areas that the transients have totally thrashed and left so much
garbage that they can't even live there," he said, adding that once
it's cleaned up, the transients return. "The good side is it cleans
up an unsightly mess for a while."

Anyone interested in joining the clean-up effort may gather at the
foot of Del Norte Street on Saturday at 10 a.m.

Anyone interested in learning more about DAM, which Sutton said is a
nonprofit, or donating to it, can phone Sutton at 707-832-8664.