Pubdate: Sun, 8 Jun 2003 Source: West Hawaii Today (HI) Contact: 2003 West Hawaii Today Website: http://westhawaiitoday.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/644 Author: Colleen Marshall, West Hawaii Today Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) Note: To read more about the "ice epidemic" in Hawaii, go to http://www.mapinc.org/areas/Hawaii YOUNG ADULTS VOW TO BATTLE DRUG PROBLEM When Leivallyn Kaupu returns to her hometown after college graduation, she wants to see Milolii returned to the way of her childhood memories. The 20 - year - old Creighton University student, in Nebraska, wants to see kids swimming, playing and enjoying their lives in the South Kona village. She wants to see families hosting picnics and inviting neighbors to join them. She wants to see the drug ice (crystal methamphetamine) gone from the community. "I want to see this place changed," Kaupu said. "I want to have the drugs out of here and the kids all in school. I want them to plan their future - and I want to watch them succeed." Kaupu has joined forces with other young adults in the hopes of fulfilling those dreams. Working as part of the Push Aloha (Pray Until Something Happens, Always Love Others With His Aloha), the youth group aims to keep the community drug - free. "Ice has always been a real problem down here, but before we were so close, it was a real ohana. Now things have changed and it's not good. Kids used to be out playing sports. I want to see that again. I want families back together. I want to see smiles - not grouchy faces they have now," said Melissa Hua, 23, who serves as a youth leader. Hua said she also wants to clear up a statistic stated by U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye that 50 percent of the teen-agers in Milolii are addicted to ice. Inouye first cited the statistic at a Hawaii Island Ice Summit last August, although at the time he refused to identify the town or the source of the statistic. Staff members could not provide the origin when contacted in the fall and Inouye's press secretary did not return telephone calls Friday. "That's not true," Hua said of the statistic. "It's a fact that it's not the teen-age group - I'd say it's more of the adults, ages 18 and up. When I heard that it got me really upset. It's all wrong." However, Hua said most of those youngsters have been directly affected by ice, whether it's their families or friends' use. "I'm just happy I didn't go that route," she said. "I've seen its effects on my friends and it's not a good thing. They have totally changed, their priorities have changed and their entire lives have changed." The Push Aloha group was created two months ago and since has provided activities for kids ranging in age from 5 to 15, including movie nights, camping trips and youth nights. The organization also connects them to the kids, allowing them a safe place to have fun without worrying about what might be happening at home, she added. "Some of the kids are very troubled and we want to help them turn around," she said. "We've got to inspire them. We've got to help them. We need to provide different opportunities. We want to be here to listen because it takes a lot of courage for them to come forward. We let them know they can talk to us about their problems. They also should talk to any of the youth leaders, their teachers or counselors at school." Push Aloha hosted its first Drug Task Force meeting Saturday, where some 40 members of the community turned out to listen to Gary Shimabukuro, who operates Honolulu's Laulima Pacific, discuss ice use in the state and its affects on the body. During the session, community members also gave emotional and often tearful testimonies of how the drug has affected their lives. "I know there is a way (to get ice out of the community). I don't know yet what it is, but I just pray that everything in the end will work out," Hua said. "It's time to get over it. It's time to clean it up and get out there and push our kids to do good in the community." - --- MAP posted-by: Doc-Hawk