NAALEHU PARENTS GET PROACTIVE IN BATTLE AGAINST ICE

Colleen Gundaker pulls to the side of a road in Naalehu. "Don't come to my
house," she calls out the window to an individual or even a small group.
"Don't come by."

They are respectful, she said. While they no longer are the youngsters who
played at her home, while their addicts' minds may be polluted by ice
(crystal methamphetamine), while some burglarize homes and ruin their
families, they still are able to show at least that amount of respect for
their auntie.

When she tells them, they do not come to her home. Her daughters are free
from that extra temptation for at least another night.

But Gundaker worries about the next day, the next night.

"My oldest daughter started using ice when she was 27," she said. "I never
believed my kids could do that. I was in such denial - for a long time. I
finally went to her house. I saw it. It was a real big problem."

Burdened with the added guilt of knowing her grandchildren's lives were
being irreversibly changed as Child Protective Services removed them from
their parents' homes, Gundaker said she felt alone and didn't know what to
do.

"I was drained. I got sick and that's when I got pissed. I raised five kids
and they were all out of the house. I wanted to spend time traveling with my
husband. I just got mad," she said. "I felt sick and scared for them. I
didn't know what to do, who to talk to. I was just looking for somebody to
help me. I raised my kids the best way I know and then you have to say,
'Here's my kid and they are on drugs.'

"I felt shame," she said, pausing for a moment then crossing her arms on her
chest. "I admit I felt shame. I needed someone to help me, but nobody was
there."

Then she found others living in Naalehu or surrounding communities and
struggling with the same battles.

She met Janet and Chuck Rychener, whose son and daughter - in - law were ice
addicts, and the trio decided to make a change in their community. They
decided to turn their embarrassment and shame into a proactive way to look
at the problem.

The parents joined forces and created "I Care Enough" (ICE), which meets
every Monday evening and serves as a support group for families. The group
first met March 3, and since that time has seen its membership grow to about
20 people.

"We started as a support group, but we've become more proactive. We need to
push the police into doing something. Why do the police say they don't have
the time or the manpower? It's the No. 1 problem on this island and it
should be the No. 1 problem for the police. We just got so disgusted with
it," Chuck Rychener said.

"This drug has so polluted our kids. And our kids have no idea it's so
addictive. They try alcohol and they try cigarettes and it's 'OK,' but they
try ice, just once, and they are addicted," he said.

They are working to increase ice education in the schools and pushing for a
drug treatment facility in the area, because the residents who are willing
to seek treatment must now head to Kona or Hilo for help.

They said they want to create a program for youth affected by ice, as many
of the children are struggling in reaction to their families addictions.

The group also is becoming more visible within the community, planning sign
waving campaigns, including one slated for 2 - 6 p.m. Friday.

"We want people to be aware that something is happening here. We are getting
involved and the dealers are going to know it," Chuck Rychener said. "I want
my community back."

Family photographs line the length of the Rycheners' living room wall, which
also features several colorful and slightly lopsided works of art created by
their grandchildren. The aroma of peanut butter and oatmeal raisin cookies
lingers in their kitchen as they discuss their experiences of the last few
years.

"Everybody knew it," Janet Rychener said of her son's addiction. "I just had
to admit it to begin with. It was hard, but we just had to admit it."

Their eyes tear slightly when they discuss their son's and his wife's
battles - but their voices never waver. They have spent countless hours
crying for them, themselves and their grandchildren. Now they cry less and
show their anger and determination more.

They hope by telling their story, another family will never feel their
anguish.

"Admit it and talk about it," Janet Rychener said. "You have to accept it
and parents need to know that it's the child's choice. They are adults and
they just made the wrong choice."

Their son used ice since 1996 and since that time two of his children were
relocated to live with an aunt on the mainland. Several wrong choices
recently landed him in the federal penitentiary in Honolulu. Although the
now 37 - year - old may be in prison for the next decade, they said he
actually is happy to be there. He is happy to finally be free of ice.

The Rycheners said their daughter - in - law has stopping her drug use.

Gundaker's eldest daughter now has five and one - half months clean and
recently started a Narcotics Anonymous group in town, another just
celebrated a few weeks of sobriety. However, her son's battle continues.

Even as their children slowly work toward improving their lives, the parents
are firm in their dedication to the ICE group and see it only strengthening.

"We need help in Ka'u," Gundaker said. "We are not going to give up. Even if
it's not for my kids, it's my friends, my friend's kids, my neighbor's kids.
They are our community and we want to see good kids, healthy kids in our
community. We refuse to sit back and watch this place go down the drain. Our
kids, they are going to pay for it the rest of their lives. Ice - it's a
puss in our community. Ice is everybody's problem and we are not going to
give up."