NEW STRATEGY

It's a new year and a new beginning for the Lloydminster Area Drug
Strategy. After launching last year to a great deal of fanfare a poll
found 89 per cent of residents and 95 per cent of businesses felt
alcohol and drugs were a problem in the city, the organization has
been fairly quiet.

Kevin Kusch, chair of the drug strategy said this year should be
different with an effort to narrow the focus.

"We were spread too wide, we were trying to tackle five different
areas which just wasn't working for us so we really narrowed in,"
said Kusch. "(We) got some good advice from some different coalitions
across Saskatchewan and Alberta and they said 'just narrow your
focus, you're way too wide' and that really helped us. We had a
different co-ordinator before, right now we're looking at some other
possibilities, what this is, is a refocusing.

"I think you'll see a lot more of what we're trying to do this year,"
he said. "Last year was kind of a slow year, again we had some
transition and we were too wide and we couldn't seem to get
everything we wanted to get off the ground to go and this year I
think you're going to see some different things."

One example of the previous broad focus was the strategy's
downloadable resource book. The new approach will focus on education
and younger children, with efforts ranging from putting stickers on
doors, to something as involved as hosting children's events.

The other main mission for the strategy is to ensure the information
on where to go and what to do is readily available for those already
dealing with a problem.

"Most of our work right now has been done on education, awareness and
prevention we're doing a lot of in schools," said Kusch. "Be aware,
care, take action . we're planning on using that slogan as a way to
get people to understand where we are, what we are about."