GROUP WORKS TO BETTER COMMUNITY

Six years ago Tonya Long, an Ohio native, woke up from her haze of drug
addiction and embarked on a journey towards becoming a better parent and
community role model.

Tuesday she took time out of her day to share her struggles and triumphs
over a cocaine addiction with Port Arthur residents, in a presentation
aimed at building leadership and eliminating child abuse in the community.

"Six years ago I was in a homeless shelter battling a 20 year crack cocaine
addiction," Long told a large audience during a Parents Anonymous
presentation at Memorial High School. "When I was coming off of crack my
children were just babies."

While at the shelter, Long said she joined a group that gave her the
strength and courage to change her life.

"I immediately felt at home in the group," Long said. "These people were in
the same boat as me and we shared the same fears and concerns."

Through her group meetings, Long said she received encouragement from
counselors that she needed to become a leader in both her home and her
community. Since then, she has become a mouth piece for the Parents
Anonymous organization, speaking with residents and parents a like about
their worries and fears regarding their children.

"I neglected my children with my drug addiction," Long said. "I am not
proud of my past, but I don't regret it. If I can help just one person with
my experiences, then it is worth it."

Long is now a proud mother of both adult and adolescent children, as well
as a grandmother.

The purpose of the Parents Anonymous meeting, however, was not in whole
about Long's experience. The group orientation was rather an informal
gathering of peers and parents to discuss the methods that the community
should enact as a whole to eliminate child abuse.

"We should embrace our role of making Port Arthur a stronger community,"
Sandra Williams, vice president of programs for Parents Anonymous, told a
diverse group of mothers, fathers and volunteers during the morning
meeting. "We need to create a vision and get the whole community excited
about eliminating child abuse."

Jefferson County currently has a higher percentage of reported child abuse
cases than the state average. For every 1,000 children living in Jefferson
County, it is estimated that between eight or nine are victims of abuse.
These numbers, however, only reflect the numbers of reported cases.

According to Williams, that statistic could be four times greater, if all
unreported cases were documented.

"Children are victimized sexually, psychologically, emotionally and
physically," Williams said. "Everyone here is a parent and a leader and we
need to strengthen your voice as a community."

Through shared leadership, a community can bring about a pervasive change,
Willams said.

Williams encouraged the citizens at the meeting to take a stance and to
begin working together to rid their community of child abuse.

"Communities are diverse," Williams said. "People have different religions,
different sexual orientations and different races. It is natural to be
uncomfortable at times - people don't have to love one another. But, this
diversity will bring about different ideas and ways to unite the community
and fight against child abuse."

The Parents Anonymous program was sponsored by the Port Arthur Chamber of
Commerce in conjunction with their Community Partnership project.

"Community Partnership is a program through the chamber and the state,"
Verna Rutherford, president of the Port Arthur Chamber of Commerce, said.
"We are trying to help reduce child abuse and strengthen family relations."

Anyone interested in getting involved with the battle against child abuse
should call the chamber, Rutherford said.

"Meetings are open to anyone - parent, grass-roots citizen or business
man," Rutherford said.

The end of August will signal the one year marker for the community
program, Ruthorford said. The grant, provided by the state, will keep the
program funded for the next two years, she said.

Rutherford added that another meeting will be scheduled in the near future.

For more information, call 963-1107.