DRUG COALITION PLANS FOR NEXT YEAR

The Fairview and Area Drug Coalition is working on a number of
projects for next year it hopes will help the families of those who
are addicted to drugs and alcohol.

The Coalition is responsible for bringing drug expert Steve Walton to
Fairview last spring as well as 'Dare to Care' motivational speaker
Duane Peace to FHS last fall, but are currently looking to act in an
even more direct way by offering its own programs and educational
resources to those who seek it out in Fairview.

The group is entirely funded through grant money and is looking for
new members to help find ways to spend its minimal budget wisely and
effectively. The Coalition met last Tuesday in the NAIT boardroom for
their monthly meeting.

Facilitator training in Valleyview

Coalition members discussed upcoming facilitator training on 'how to
drug-proof your kids' in Valleyview. It was previously decided that
coalition members Mary Bracken, Jasmine Adams and Ingrid Hillyard
would be attending the training seminar. Much of the coalition's
remaining administration budget will be used to send the three members
for the training. The three will then be able to help train more
people spot the signs of addiction locally.

Coffee House

Coalition members have been batting around the idea of an addictions
awareness coffee house for a while now, and should have it up and
running for at least a night a week sometime next year. Hillyard, who
is also the LINK Youth Centre's coordinator offered the youth centre
as a location for the coffee house. Coalition members discussed
possible advertising for the venture which would be open to anyone who
is either dealing with addiction in their family, or is just looking
for some information.

The coalition formed a sub committee to further explore the
possibilities of such a venue.

High School partnership in the works

Mary Bracken gave coalition members an update on the youth focus group
that was formed at FHS after a presentation and workshop by Duane
Peace, of the 'Dare to Care' program in October. "It's going amazingly
well," said Bracken.

The student group has chosen a name and a number of priorities to
focus on in the coming year. The group will be called 'Cobras Leading
Together' and would like to address the issues of bullying, respect
for peers and teachers, drugs and alcohol, and school spirit inside
school walls. Bracken said there might be an opportunity for the Drug
Coalition to mentor the student group, and have a student
representative sit in on meetings.

Coalition members also decided to try to bring Duane Peace back to
Fairview for another session with the students as well as a parents'
evening to help bridge the communication gap between parents and teenagers.

The Fairview and Area Drug Coalition meets every month in the
boardroom at NAIT and is actively seeking new members. The next
meeting will be Jan. 8 at 2 pm.