Pubdate: Sat, 18 May 2002 Source: Hartford Courant (CT) Copyright: 2002 The Hartford Courant Contact: http://www.ctnow.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/183 Author: David Owens ANTI-DRUGS CAMPAIGN TARGETS A HOT SPOT Traffic detoured from Woodland Street to Sigourney Street provided the Rev. Cornell Lewis and a team of anti-drug and anti-violence crusaders with plenty of exposure Friday night. Passing motorists tooted their horns and flashed thumbs-up to the activists. People watched from their porches as Lewis and his group hung a sign that said, "Stop the Violence/Take Back the Community" in front of a house known in the neighborhood for drug dealing. Kenneth Arnum, who has joined Lewis at several other vigils, was hoping some people from the neighborhood around Sigourney Square Park would join the enthusiastic drivers. "I don't care about the cars," Arnum said. "I want to see the people who live in the neighborhood come out and show support. Then we'll be getting somewhere." And that's been the whole point of ongoing efforts by Lewis and his activists - to maintain a presence in a neighborhoods and discourage drug dealing and gunplay. Lewis said he has contacted several Hartford landlords and he and his team will visit more neighborhoods during a summerlong offensive against drugs, violence and hopelessness. The activists were invited to 156-158 Sargeant St. by the landlord, Carl Milner of Hartford. The vigil at Milner's 10-unit apartment house, which will continue today, is the first time Lewis and his followers have maintained a vigil at a house identified as a center for drug users and dealers. "The dealers come into the building and deal from the apartments of the users," Milner said Friday afternoon. "That's the thing I want to deal with the most ... to stop the drug dealers from coming into the building and setting up shop in the apartments of the users." Milner and the others said they have no illusions of ending problems at the house at Sargeant and Sigourney streets. Still, they said, the effort is worthwhile. "Maybe when we leave they might come back," Lewis said of the dealers. "Maybe they won't. At least it will raise the consciousness of the people [and] show them that some people are willing to do more than run and duck their heads in the sand." Several tenants said they welcomed the effort, although few joined the activists in front of the house. Reaching people and giving them hope is the key, Arnum said. "If we had the people in the neighborhood with us, they could continue what we're doing," he said. - --- MAP posted-by: Josh