YOUNG ADULTS VOW TO BATTLE DRUG PROBLEM

When Leivallyn Kaupu returns to her hometown after college graduation, she
wants to see Milolii returned to the way of her childhood memories.

The 20 - year - old Creighton University student, in Nebraska, wants to see
kids swimming, playing and enjoying their lives in the South Kona village.
She wants to see families hosting picnics and inviting neighbors to join
them.

She wants to see the drug ice (crystal methamphetamine) gone from the
community.

"I want to see this place changed," Kaupu said. "I want to have the drugs
out of here and the kids all in school. I want them to plan their future -
and I want to watch them succeed."

Kaupu has joined forces with other young adults in the hopes of fulfilling
those dreams. Working as part of the Push Aloha (Pray Until Something
Happens, Always Love Others With His Aloha), the youth group aims to keep
the community drug - free.

"Ice has always been a real problem down here, but before we were so close,
it was a real ohana. Now things have changed and it's not good. Kids used to
be out playing sports. I want to see that again. I want families back
together. I want to see smiles - not grouchy faces they have now," said
Melissa Hua, 23, who serves as a youth leader.

Hua said she also wants to clear up a statistic stated by U.S. Sen. Daniel
Inouye that 50 percent of the teen-agers in Milolii are addicted to ice.
Inouye first cited the statistic at a Hawaii Island Ice Summit last August,
although at the time he refused to identify the town or the source of the
statistic.

Staff members could not provide the origin when contacted in the fall and
Inouye's press secretary did not return telephone calls Friday.

"That's not true," Hua said of the statistic. "It's a fact that it's not the
teen-age group - I'd say it's more of the adults, ages 18 and up. When I
heard that it got me really upset. It's all wrong."

However, Hua said most of those youngsters have been directly affected by
ice, whether it's their families or friends' use.

"I'm just happy I didn't go that route," she said. "I've seen its effects on
my friends and it's not a good thing. They have totally changed, their
priorities have changed and their entire lives have changed."

The Push Aloha group was created two months ago and since has provided
activities for kids ranging in age from 5 to 15, including movie nights,
camping trips and youth nights. The organization also connects them to the
kids, allowing them a safe place to have fun without worrying about what
might be happening at home, she added.

"Some of the kids are very troubled and we want to help them turn around,"
she said. "We've got to inspire them. We've got to help them. We need to
provide different opportunities. We want to be here to listen because it
takes a lot of courage for them to come forward. We let them know they can
talk to us about their problems. They also should talk to any of the youth
leaders, their teachers or counselors at school."

Push Aloha hosted its first Drug Task Force meeting Saturday, where some 40
members of the community turned out to listen to Gary Shimabukuro, who
operates Honolulu's Laulima Pacific, discuss ice use in the state and its
affects on the body. During the session, community members also gave
emotional and often tearful testimonies of how the drug has affected their
lives.

"I know there is a way (to get ice out of the community). I don't know yet
what it is, but I just pray that everything in the end will work out," Hua
said. "It's time to get over it. It's time to clean it up and get out there
and push our kids to do good in the community."