Pubdate: Thu, 28 Feb 2002
Source: Surrey Now (CN BC)
Copyright: 2002 Lower Mainland Publishing Group Inc., A Canwest Company
Contact:  http://www.thenownewspaper.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1462
Author: Matthew Burrows

LUI ON THE BALL AT DRUG FORUM

Former B.C. Lions punter Lui Passaglia, who kicked the local CFL team to 
its last Grey Cup victory in 2000 before retiring as a player, will be 
giving a "motivational" keynote speech at tomorrow night's Drugs in Delta 
forum at Burnsview junior secondary school in North Delta.

Passaglia, now director of community relations for the franchise, was 
invited to speak on drugs and alcohol from a professional athlete's 
perspective by Douglas College sports institute instructor and event 
mediator Chris Johnson.

"A few of us were speaking to parents on different issues and then I was 
asked if I wanted to talk to parents and kids," said Passaglia Monday. 
"I'll be talking in terms of individuals having a positive attitude and 
learning from mistakes. We're all in this together, so let's see what we 
can do to help each other."

Though Passaglia has had no brush with drugs himself, he did lose a friend 
to a drunk-driving accident while he was at college, so is acutely aware of 
how both informed and foolish decisions can have huge ramifications.

Firth Bateman is a parent and a member of the Parent Advisory Committee at 
Burnsview. Last spring he was looking into the social climate in the 
schools, with the help of staff members at the school, and the research 
culminated in his organizing the forum. He said his main desire was to 
introduce a "broader scope" to the meeting and make it as "unbiased" as 
possible.

Some of the questions to be used to frame discussion are; "Is there a drug 
problem in Delta?" and "Whose problem is it and what's being done about it?"

"The main thing is we're not pointing fingers at kids and we're not 
pointing fingers at the issue of drugs," he said. "All the people speaking 
are well-informed and aren't afraid to express an opinion and debate, but 
they don't come from the same background."

Aside from Passaglia, the audience will also hear from former North Delta 
students Jeff Francis and Candace Murray, a collegiate baseball player and 
national women's fastball player, respectively.

Neil Boyd and Bruce Alexander, from the criminology and psychology 
departments of Simon Fraser University, will offer their perspectives from 
an academic background, while Delta police Chief Jim Cessford speaks from a 
law and order standpoint.

Overall, said Bateman, the emphasis will be on the positive and not on "bad 
stuff."

"We want to talk about how kids can become successful, have fun and lead 
inquiring lives," he said.

Passaglia agrees with that assessment.

"These are everyday issues for kids out there, basically everybody 
actually," he said. "If we can shed some light on it and somebody can take 
something positive out of these discussions, we've accomplished something 
good."

The forum runs from 7 to 10:30 p.m. and costs $5 per family. Revenue from 
the event is used strictly to cover costs and families can register up to 
tomorrow night. Call 604-594-0491.
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart