HOPEFUL CITY ADDRESSES DRUG ISSUE

Officials with Hopeful City have released statistics on illegal drug
activities in an effort to inform members of both the community and Hopeful
City participants of the reason for the "holy ground action" scheduled to
begin at 8 p.m. Thursday.

Illegal drug activity costs each Wheeling resident an average of $325 per
year, Hopeful City claims. "Those who don't mind spending this money can
sit back and do nothing. Those who do can join Hopeful City members in
their effort to let drug traffickers know they are no longer willing to
foot the bill for the fallout of such illegal activity," a release from
Hopeful City stated.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the total cost of drug
abuse for the United States is $97.7 billion per year, including health
costs, productivity costs, and economic loss.

More than 50 percent of that total comes from crime related to illegal drug
use. Wheeling's share of the national cost is approximately $10.4 million
per year.

These statistics, shared at Hopeful City's August board meeting, are one
reason that more than 300 Hopeful City members of congregations throughout
the city have committed to attend Thursday's event.

"Our members recognize the magnitude of the economic impact drug
trafficking has on the Wheeling area," said Rev. Mark Seitz, Hopeful City's
president. "They are no longer willing to sit idly by while drug
traffickers from Detroit, Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Columbus, Ohio come to
our neighborhoods and damage our economy and our community."

Statistics show that nationwide, about $ 57.3 billion - roughly equal to
the amount of money the federal government spends on the Department of
Education - goes to purchase illegal drugs. That translates to a $6.1
million drug trade in the Wheeling area.

A team of Hopeful City leaders have been meeting with law enforcement and
other officials to discuss how a coordinated effort could provide more
impact in stemming the drug trade.

Another reason Hopeful City members are concerned about illegal drug use is
because of the devastating effect it is having on children. According to
the University of Michigan Monitoring of the Future Annual Report for 2002,
youth are particularly prone to drug use and abuse. The report states that:

53 percent of youth have tried an illicit drug by the end of high school.

32 percent of youth have tried an illicit drug by the end of 81h grade.

30 percent have tried a drug other than marijuana by the end of high school.

Drug use is no longer concentrated in highly urban areas; if recent rends
continue, use in non-urban areas will actually be higher by proportion.

There are no statistically significant differences in drug use among
socioeconomic classes - rates of specific drug use may vary, but overall
use is level across the board.

The rate of drug use for white Americans is higher than it is for
African-Americans and Hispanic Americans.