PROGRAM TO HELP PARENTS FIGHT HEROIN

Even though her three children are under 5 and haven't started school, Darla
Livermore is worried about drug addiction among Butler County's teenagers
and young adults.

Livermore, who lives in Butler, plans to volunteer at "Love Is a Test," a
program that will introduce oral fluid drug-testing kits to the community.

"I am amazed with the amount of heroin use in Butler County," Livermore
said. "It touches everyone's life somehow or another. In the future, to make
it better for my kids, I want to be aware of the problem and help out anyway
I can."

Sponsored by the Butler Area School District and Butler County Against
Heroin Inc., a nonprofit organization that educates the community on heroin
addiction, "Love Is a Test" will be at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in the auditorium
at Butler Senior High School, Butler Township.

After the overwhelming public response to a Pennsylvania Attorney General's
Drug Task Force presentation last month at Butler Intermediate High School,
"Love Is a Test" will feature discussion panels, educational literature on
drugs and demonstrations on how to administer the drug test.

"About 600 people attended the 'Sex, Drugs and Rock 'N' Roll Forum,' which
showed us the concern is there," said John Walchesky, a spokesman for Butler
County Against Heroin.

Parents, teachers, students, clergy, medical professionals -- "just about
everyone who is concerned about drugs" -- are encouraged to attend the
program, Walchesky said.

The "Love is a Test" concept is designed to get parents and teens to see
that use of the tests is a way parents can show they love their children.

A brief fund-raising auction, featuring professional sports memorabilia,
sporting event tickets, gift certificates and one of the Bob's Big Boy
Restaurant statues, will take place before the program. Retired Pittsburgh
Steelers linebacker Jack Ham will be a special guest. Speakers will include
education, medical and law enforcement professionals, including Detective
Pat Cannon of the Butler County District Attorney's Drug Task Force,
Kimberly Clark, director of the Butler County Drug and Alcohol Program and
Edward Fink, superintendent of the Butler Area School District.

Instructions and certification on how to administer the oral fluid drug test
will be given. Walchesky explained that the test consists of taking a brush,
similar in appearance to a toothbrush but with a specially treated cotton
swab instead of bristles, and placing it between the cheeks and gums for two
to five minutes. A limited number of the test kits will be available on a
first come, first served basis at a discounted price of $15.

"Wednesday's turnout will give an indication of the degree of interest and
where to go next," said Fink, a board member of Butler County Against
Heroin.

"Based on January's turnout, parents are certainly supportive of the idea of
getting as much knowledge as they can about drugs and where to go to get
help."

The heroin problem in Butler County has risen dramatically in the past few
years, Fink said. He noted that in the spring of 2000, a meeting was
conducted and only 60 people showed up, most of them district employees. The
level of concern about heroin certainly has risen since then, he said.

Elaine Surma, a senior supervisory narcotics agent for the attorney
general's office, agreed.

"The heroin crisis going on in Butler County is very, very high," said
Surma, who helped implement a similar program in Erie two years ago.

Addicts will do anything to get money to buy heroin, Surma said. "You don't
have to be a parent of a child who is addicted. This crisis impacts everyone
in the community. Anyone can be a victim."

If You Go

What: "Love Is a Test," a public informational program on heroin addiction,
featuring a demonstration on how to administer the oral fluid drug testing
kits.

When: 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Where: Auditorium at Butler Senior High School, 120 Campus Lane, Butler
Township.

Details: Drug-testing kits can be purchased at a discounted price of $15 on
a first-come, first-served basis at the program. The kits are also available
for $26 at various supermarkets in Butler. For more information, call John
Walchesky at (724) 287-5778.