OFFICIALS ENLIST CHURCHES FOR WAR ON METH

ALLEGRE -- Before the lights go down, Bob Gregory makes sure to look into
the eyes of every person sitting before him.

After all, he's there to tell them bad news.

But even worse, he's there to show them something that he hopes they will
never forget.

"Tonight, we will talk about your worst nightmare," he told the congregation
at Bellview Baptist Church in the Allegre community. "Tonight, you will see
how methamphetamine destroys the brain and only leaves the body to wither
and die on the vine. It's worse than any cancer."

Gregory, a sheriff's deputy in Logan County, is part of a new program that
partners law enforcement with churches, civic groups and schools in the
fight against what Gregory calls a meth "explosion" in Todd County.

It's not your typical church service.

"This is the greatest war this area has ever known," he tells the crowd.
"And it is a war that can only be won if citizens, like you, become
involved."

Gregory hits a button, and a PowerPoint demonstration throws an image of a
chubby, 11-year-old boy on the screen. His face is red, swollen, and his
eyes were cooked to the point they almost left the child's face.

"Ether explosion" was all Gregory said.

There are more images. Photos of a 5-month-old who had 23 cigarette burns
before he died. A picture of a small toddler burned beyond recognition.

"Just look at these little children," Gregory said. "None of this had to
happen."

After the service, members come by and shake Gregory's hand.

"You hear about it," church member Paul Martin said, "but then you see it
and you realize that it is the people who have to be the ones that have to
stand up against meth."

Jerry Johnson, who is a member of a group of Logan County volunteers who go
with Gregory to speaking events, said the idea for the meth awareness
program actually started as a campaign promise by the current sheriff of
Logan County, Wallace Whittaker.

"We go to a lot of churches, and people will come up to you and say they
can't believe how bad meth is," he said. "You hear about and read about
meth, but until you see something like this, a person really can't
understand."

Johnson said the photos are the real difference that he's seen since the
program started in April.

"We've had people who walk out of this presentation crying from seeing the
pictures," he said. "It's tough to watch, but the message is great."

Gregory said the meth awareness program also has helped with tips.

"People come up to us after the program sobbing, because they realize that
they have family, friends and neighbors either cooking or abusing meth," he
said.