Pubdate: Tue, 26 Oct 2004 Source: Huntsville Item (TX) Copyright: 2004 Huntsville Item and Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc. Contact: http://www.itemonline.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1126 Author: Kelly Prew Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topic/Red+Ribbon (Red Ribbon Week) DAY OF FUN PLANNED FOR RED RIBBON WEEK For the past four years, a local facility for at-risk teens has been growing to accommodate adolescents in the Walker County area with anger management, drug abuse and life skills issues. In an effort to reach out to as many as possible, New Life Outreach Adolescent Treatment Center will host a special event for Red Ribbon Week on Saturday. "This year, we are taking Red Ribbon Week to the next level," said director Dundra Hollins. "Red Ribbon Week provides the community, youth and their parents to stop and listen and learn something about drugs and alcohol. Many of our children are exposed to drugs and alcohol every day, and the pressure on kids to fit in plays a vital role in that. It is important for our kids to understand they can be the wonderful individuals they are without conforming to negative influences." This week, New Life is distributing 8,000 pieces of literature in schools in four counties on drugs and alcohol appropriate for people of all ages. On Oct. 23, 97.9 the Boxx radio station kicked off the week with a remote show from the Huntsville center, encouraging teens to return Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. for the extravaganza. On Saturday, teens, parents and community members are encouraged to attend and view a 2004-05 fashion show, listen to guest speakers, play games, win prizes and take part in a positive event that might change their lives. "The No. 1 reason a lot of our teens turn to drugs and alcohol is boredom," Hollins explained. "There's a lot of internal peer pressure, and a lot of times, they feel like this is what they have to do to be part of what's going on." By hosting an event for Red Ribbon Week, Hollins said New Life will have the opportunity to educate and entertain, proving to participants that they can spend the large part of a day without the influence of drugs and alcohol. "If nobody else talks about it all year, they will talk about it this week," Hollins said. "The theme this year is, 'I've got better things to do than drugs.'" Planned activities include educational booths sponsored by the U.S. Marine Corps, Job Corps and others; a scavenger hunt for 50 famous people who have died from drug abuse. Their bios and information will be located around the facility grounds to be collected by participants; a free-style contest hosted by Seven-Figure Entertainment in which winners will receive a trophy, CD players or $100 in gift certificates for music; and an essay contest on "why you shouldn't do drugs" for youths of all ages in which the winner will receive a $50 savings bond from First National Bank. Younger children are encouraged to submit an original drawing with the same theme and have a chance to win a family pass from Chuck-e-Cheese, Celebration Station or a number of other prizes. All essays and drawings are due at the New Life center by Thursday, and winners will be announced Saturday. A raffle will also highlight the day, and for $2, anyone can have a chance to win one of 10 prizes such as a color television, gift baskets, gift certificates to local stores and restaurants and the biggest one of all, a week's vacation at Piney Shores Resort. "We are expecting kids from Lufkin, Montgomery County, Crockett, everywhere," Hollins said. "The key to New Life's success is networking with surrounding counties, having a good, strong staff, being grateful for the funding sources we have and utilizing them to the best of our ability. I believe we have a great program, and although we are small in numbers, we cover a lot of territory." New Life is a state licensed program which provides outpatient adolescent treatment counseling, anger management, abstinence education, parenting, individual and group counseling and many other services. The agency is a clinical training institute and provides hours for continuing education to people seeking hours for the clinical dependency program and LPC. - --- MAP posted-by: Derek