SUMMERLAND AIMS TO STOP CRYSTAL METH 'SCOURGE'

A Summerland group is using new provincial funding to spread
awareness and educate the community about crystal meth.

The Summerland Asset Development Initiative is using a $10,000 grant
to organize workshops and create community-based youth programs to
deal with the drug, said Michelle Stephan, co-ordinator for SADI and
a member of the community drug education task force.

"This is a good opportunity to get the community involved," said Stefan.

The task force, made up of a school drug and alcohol prevention
worker, a local youth pastor, the RCMP and school representatives,
applied for the grant after identifying that crystal meth was present
in the community, but did not yet pose a serious problem, said Stefan.

"We wanted to take a proactive approach," she said.

SADI will be hosting workshops for parents and youth as well as
creating a public service announcement contest with the schools. The
60-second announcements will then be aired at a community forum. The
viewers will vote on the most effective videos, which will win cash
prizes, said Stefan.

This approach will encourage students who may not otherwise get
involved to participate. It will result in the community
understanding the negative impacts of crystal meth and enable adults
and youth to make better decisions, she said.

Offering community-based progams is the key to dealing with crystal
meth, said Okanagan-Westside MLA Rick Thorpe, who announced the
funding yesterday.

"Crystal meth is a terrible scourge on the earth," said Thorpe. "It's
destroying our children."

The $10,000 seed funding is part of $2 million provided by the
province through the Union of B.C. Municipalities.