DRUG INFO. SESSIONS

Two major drug information sessions are being held in Sherwood Park this
month in response to overwhelming requests from parents and others who want
to know more about the dangers of drugs.

Elk Island Public Schools are joining forces with EIPS' Committee of
School Councils (COSC), Elk Island Catholic Schools, AADAC, Parents
Empowering Parents (PEP), McMan Youth Services and the Sherwood Park
RCMP to present the two evening sessions.

"There have been a lot of presentations done on crystal meth alone in
Fort Saskatchewan, Sherwood Park and surrounding areas," explained
Laurie Borle, vice-chair of COSC and coordinator of the event.

"Everybody's been kind of doing their own little thing."

When Borle became the vice-chair of COSC earlier this year, she
decided to use her position to try and raise awareness about the subject.

"I thought I could use that to make it a big community effort, and get
all the schools involved, parents, the church, a few organizations --
and get every angle, putting it all together in a big picture so
people can see everything."

Borle had seen RCMP presentations, AADAC presentations, and PEP
presentations, and decided the event would work best with everyone's
participation.

"Just seeing the RCMP angle is mostly seeing the hard-core drugs, and
mostly the after part, and then the AADAC angle is more of what you
can do proactively. So putting those two together makes it run into
each other."

Borle noted the response so far has been excellent.

"I have been getting phone calls from parents from different schools,
and from organizations, saying this is something we really need."

She added there is a high level of interest in the subject. At PEP's
drug-awareness meeting held in September, the theatre at Festival
Place was packed and there was standing room only.

The first evening session, on Monday, will include opening comments
from Don Kachurowski, principal at Mills Haven elementary school,
followed by an AADAC presentation on prevention given by Martie Murrell.

Borle said the first evening is geared more towards parents of younger
children, though others would benefit as well.

"Parents of the later elementary years would probably get the most out
of the AADAC presentation, because she's going to talk about all the
proactive things you can do when they're young to prepare them," she
explained.

The evening will wrap up with a talk by Const. Gord Canning of the
Sherwood Park RCMP about crossroads drugs.

"Children aren't just clean one day and the next day they're suddenly
into hard drugs. That's the gap I wanted to fill in," said Borle.

The second session, on Thursday, Jan. 20, will start off with a
greeting from Mayor Cathy Olesen, MLA and Minister of Health Iris
Evans, and Frank Belyea, principal of Sherwood Heights junior high.

There will be another AADAC presentation, focusing more on the signs
and symptoms of drug use and where to turn for support. Then leaders
of Sherwood Park's PEP group will present as well, including Audrey
Bjornstad, chairperson of PEP, and a youth representative, followed by
local probation officer Tina Dow and youth worker Maralyn Benay.

Borle stressed these sessions are for everyone, not just those who
know their kids have drug problems.

"It can happen to anyone," she said. "Nobody is isolated. If we can
keep one kid clean, we've been successful."

Both sessions will be held at Bethel Lutheran Church, at 298 Bethel
Dr. There is no fee to attend but they will be collecting food for the
Strathcona Food Bank. There will also be free snacks provided by the
local Sobeys and Tim Hortons. Sessions begin at 7 p.m., and doors will
open at 6:45. It is recommended that interested audience members
arrive early to get a seat.