Pubdate: Wed, 30 Nov 2005
Source: Taber Times, The (CN AB)
Copyright: 2005 The Taber Times
Contact:  http://www.mysouthernalberta.com/ttimes/home/index.php
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2262
Author: Jennifer Elves, staff writer

CONFERENCE A SUCCESS; ORGANIZER

The Hooked on Hope conference held in town on Thursday and Friday was
just the start of what the Taber Community Against Drugs group plans
to do.

The event saw a turnout of roughly 170 people, which is encouraging to
Taber Community Against Drugs (TCAD) members.

Kerry Milder, who heads the education and prevention subcommittee of
TCAD and organized the conference, said a conference she was involved
in on Attention Deficit Disorder in Lethbridge in 2002 received a
turnout of 183 people.

"I'm sure we got around 170 people - that is really great, so I am not
disappointed at all," said Milder.

Dr. David Cook, a guest speaker at the drug awareness conference, said
when visiting communities with slightly larger populations than what
Taber has, he has seen only roughly 25 people in attendance at similar
functions.

Some of the many places people traveled from to attend the event
included Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Airdrie, Calgary, Drumheller,
Strathmore and Vauxhall.

Representatives from a community bigger than Taber mentioned they
tried to host similar events, but did not received enough interest.

They asked if the Taber drug task force faced obstacles when getting
established and what suggestions Milder could offer.

"Gather around with people who share your concern. With a few people,
you would be amazed at what you can do. As you can see with the name
of this conference, hope is an essential part of what we are doing, so
don't give that up." said Milder.

She added Taber's group had the advantage of having the Taber Police
Service behind it from the start, with other agencies following soon
after.

"I don't know if that is unique to Taber, but it certainly was an
advantage. Taber seems to be a community that really pulls together
well," she said.

To enable community members to attend more TCAD gatherings in the
future, the group will look at holding some evening sessions.

Organizers have not reviewed evaluation forms from the conference yet,
but received nothing but positive feedback from those they spoke with.

Milder told those who took in the conference their support gives TCAD
encouragement to continue developing initiatives.

The group's next meeting takes place Jan.6.

Members are discussing having a seminar for family members of addicts
in the future.

Milder said they are considering arranging such an event because
family members sometimes enable the person to keep using instead of
trying to get them help because they have never faced the situation
before and do not know what to do.

TCAD is also considering having a session on how young females can
protect themselves from predators who may try to slip something in
their drink or get them to take a drug, so they can take advantage of
them.

Milder added she would be looking at having Steve Walton, who spoke at
the event and worked as an undercover cop in the drug unit with the
Calgary Police Service, to head a seminar on predators.

Currently in the schools, education on drugs begins at Grade 5.

TCAD however, will look at having older youth provide education to
kids at an earlier age.

Milder added TCAD would get input from teachers, parents and the local
school board before going ahead with providing the education.

"They (kids) are going to get offered it. It is going to happen. If we
don't acknowledge that we are asking for trouble," said Milder, who
added the group would need to obtain resources from AADAC to ensure
age-appropriate information would be delivered.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin