LOCAL KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS PLANS TO HOST A TEEN SUBSTANCE ABUSE PANEL DISCUSSION

On behalf of Creston Valley 's Roman Catholic community, Fr. Joseph Barnes
Knights of Columbus Council # 5299 (Creston) has decided to get more
involved in finding solutions to the teen substance abuse problem.

At a recent informal get-together with Knights and other Roman Catholics,
Grand Knight Dave Manning commented, "For quite some time, we've been aware
that some teens are abusing alcohol and other drugs. Some say the
percentage of these problematic teens is higher in the Creston Valley than
in most other areas. Others say we're about average. Either way, what we
can say for certain is that this is a matter of considerable concern.

"As part of our ongoing commitment to the community in which we live and
work, we Knights have decided to delve more deeply into the situation. To
start with, we'll host a Teen Substance Abuse Panel Discussion, to which
everyone in the community -- and I mean everyone -- will be invited to
attend. Next, we'll hold a private meeting and determine a plan of action.
We could decide to assist a current teen substance abuse program. Or we
could decide to develop our own, complementary program. Or, on the basis of
the extra information we've received, we could simply encourage every
interested member to make an informed choice for himself about what he
wants to do.

"In the end, our action plan will take wings in the late spring or early
fall of 2006."

The Knights' Teen Substance Abuse Panel Discussion will be held on
Thursday, January 26 at 7:00 p.m. , in Holy Cross Roman Catholic Church's
parish hall, 128 -- 16th Avenue North , Creston. Panel members will make
presentations from 7:00 p.m. to 8:40 p.m. , after which refreshments will
be served. From 9:00 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. , panelists will respond to audience
members' questions and concerns and summarize their points of view. From
9:45 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. , panelists will circulate amongst the audience and
talk to people individually.

Panelists, who wish to hand out pamphlets and other information concerning
teen drug abuse, may set up tables at the rear of the parish hall. They are
asked to show up at the parish hall no later than 6:30PM .

Panel members will form a cross-section of the Creston Valley . Hopefully,
the following groups and organizations will be represented: Alcoholics
Anonymous; the business community; community groups currently addressing
the teen substance abuse problem; the elected representatives of the Town
of Creston; the medical community; the Native Canadian community; parents
of teens; the religious community; Royal Canadian Mounted Police; secondary
school students; and secondary school teachers, counsellors, and
administrators.

Grand Knight Dave Manning will chair the meeting. He will ask each panelist
a series of questions:

How serious is the teen substance abuse problem here in the Creston Valley
? What are the chief substances being abused?

What are the chief reasons for teen substance abuse?

Are the community programs, presently in operation, to help teen substance
abusers, operating as well as they should? If not, why not?

Is the growing governmental tolerance of street drugs in Canada helpful? If
so, why? If not, why not?

If you had plenty of financial and other resources and could design an
ideal program to address teen substance abuse, what would you design?

For future reference, the panel discussion will be videotaped. Admission
will be by donation only. Net proceeds will help to support the teen
substance abuse program to be adopted by the Knights of Columbus.

Anyone requiring additional information about the Knights' Teen Substance
Abuse Panel Discussion is asked to contact Dave Manning. Telephone: (250)
428 -- 5777. E-mail: (pilgrim-nine@shaw.ca).