STUDENT FIGHT CONTINUES TO KELOWNA FOR A CAUSE

It has been well over a month since it was announced that the position
of drug and alcohol prevention worker at David Thompson Secondary
School would be cut by Interior Health. Students and now former
students continue to fight to save the position.

Tonie Minhas has just graduated from the school but is continuing to
try and reverse the position taken by the board. She feels the
position is vital to the students who will continue on at the high
school.

"As a continuation of the Interior Health, DTSS prevention issue, the
Critic of Health, Adrian Dix, suggested that I present at the next
Interior Health Board Meeting in Kelowna on July 21. Currently IH is
in the progress of processing our request to be on the agenda and
Mr.Dix is very confident we will get on the agenda. Mr.Dix will also
be in Kelowna with me for the presentation so this could possibly make
something happen," Minhas said.

Columbia River-Revelstoke MLA Norm Macdonald will also try to be in
Kelowna to show his support for the group according to the former DTSS
student.

Right now, Minhas working with other students on a petition that will
be part of an information package provided to the Board.

The petition currently has close to 200 signatures and will be
available to sign right up to the time she heads out to Kelowna.

Students are now offering to go door-to-door in the area to try and
raise the number of signatures and are joining the Facebook site
started to promote the issue.

The group is working with local businesses to schedule times to have a
small booth in their stores to have the petition available for signatures.

The Bargain Shop in Invermere has offered a spot to collect signatures
to the group already.

Even though Minhas has now completed high school she has seen the
positive side of the position and the effect it can have on students.

"It is something that we need in here. I have worked closely with
Shelley for two or three years and she has done so many things that
are not just limited to drugs and alcohol prevention," Minhas said.

Minhas said the school-based program is a key because students need to
have a relationship there to seek help.

The cutback was part of the ongoing massive cutbacks in every sector
of the health community, and the decision to centralize many of the
programs.