RACING AGAINST DRUGS RETURNS TO BROCKVILLE

Racing Against Drugs, a community-based drug and alcohol awareness
program, returns to Brockville's Memorial Centre next week.

More than 1,000 students from Leeds and Grenville are expected to
take part in the program, which will run Tuesday through Thursday. It
aims to inform Grades 4 and 5 students of the negative impact of
alcohol and drug use, using auto racing to capture young people's attention.

The program is running for the 10th straight year in the region. It
has alternated each year between Brockville and Smiths Falls.

Racing Against Drugs events provide up to 30 different learning
opportunities, or "pit stops," from police, fire, ambulance, public
health and addictions agencies and other community partners.

For example, one pit stop may demonstrate the effects of drinking and
driving, while another may introduce students to the effects of
alcohol on an unborn child and yet another may show how using drugs
can interfere with one's ability to succeed in a certain sport.

The opening ceremonies take place Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. Students will
arrive at 12:30 and start participating in seven-minute-long pit stops.

In Tuesday's final race, at 1:50 p.m., teachers from the
participating schools will race remote control cars on a big oval
track. The winning teachers' class will get a special prize.