RACING AGAINST DRUGS ENCOURAGES YOUTH TO "JUST SAY NO" TO DRUGS

Racing Against Drugs (RAD) is a group of men from Saskatoon, who take
time out of their regular jobs and lives to travel throughout Western
Canada, encouraging kids to not use drugs.

That presentation was held here in Wynyard at the Memorial Arena on
Tuesday, May 22.

Don Ewart, the owner of a 1984 GMC S15 and Bill Baker, owner of a
1983 Ford Ranger, race with Agtron Racing in Saskatoon. The two men,
travel with their racing trucks and talk to kids about racing and drugs.

Agtron Racing was developed for Agtron Enterprises to assist and
support the efforts of the Meth Watch program, Crime Stoppers program
and the RCMP's Racing Against Drugs program.

Although the men do attend races during the year, their main focus is
capturing the attention of kids ages eight to 18 to educate them
about drugs and most importantly to encourage them to "Just Say No".

Blair Pope, Principal at Wynyard Composite High School had seen a RAD
presentation elsewhere and felt that it would be good to have the
presentation here in town for all the students to attend. He
contacted the RCMP and soon Cst. Graham and Cst. Hay began organizing
the event.

Racing Against Drugs is a community-based drug/alcohol awareness and
injury prevention program for grade 5/6 students originally developed
in 1994 through a partnership of the London RCMP, the Ford Motor
company and the former London Board of Education.

Each Racing Against Drugs event provides up to 25 different learning
opportunities or "pit stops" from Police, Public Health, Addictions
agencies and many other community partners. These pit stops will help
to demonstrate the link between healthy choices and risk taking
through various sports/activities with zero tolerance for drug use.

Meth Watch supporters encourage law enforcement efforts to stop the
production and trafficking of methamphetamine. That's why we have
introduced the Meth Watch Program to Canada to curtail the theft and
suspicious sale of products containing pseudoephedrine and ephedrine,
as well as other household items that can be used in the illegal
manufacturing of methamphetamine. Industry retailers, law enforcement
agencies, pharmacy organizations and government have come together to
implement an effective national program to prevent diversion of
legitimate products for illegal use.

Saskatoon Crime Stoppers is part of an international organization of
volunteers.

The purpose of Crime Stoppers is to provide a trust worthy and cost
effective method for citizens to easily and anonymously assist the
Police and other authorities in solving and reducing crime in our communities.

Through this unique partnership of police, media, community and you,
we can all help to maintain, and improve the quality of life within Saskatoon.