21st Annual Say No To Drugs Holiday Classic Draws 55% More

Tampa Bay Informer

The 21st Annual Say No to Drugs Holiday Classic 5K, 10K and Children's 1 mile fun-run drew an extensive crowd on December 19th, exceeding all expectations with the number of participants running to forward the message – including myself, a first time 5K runner.

I arrived early, the crisp morning air jolting me out of my weekend sleepiness. I knew the event would be popular, but I did not expect the sea of people assembled in front of the Harborview Center. According to an event coordinator's estimate, 1,700 runners participated this year, 600 more than in previous years – an increase of nearly 55%.

With a final turn-out of nearly twice the number that early-registration figures had suggested, it was understandable that I found myself among the few runners still receiving their numbers even as Hana Li Winters sang the Star Spangled Banner and a small army of runners waited for Lt. Dimmer of the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office to blow the starting whistle. Event coordinators Chris Alexander and Sue Minkoff assure me that with this year's experience, they will be fully prepared to handle the enormous crowds next year – including the opportunity to pre-register and receive numbers the day before the race in addition to the morning of.

This being my first race, I paced myself along the course, from the starting line in Coachman Park to the steep incline of the Memorial Causeway leading to Clearwater Beach. Pushing myself up the arch of the Causeway was a challenge; it is no surprise that it features in many other races throughout the year, including both Ironman and Iron Girl. The course doubled back just after the bridge for the 5K runners, while the 10K continued out to the beach.

Participants represented all levels of the running scene: From the professional competitors leading the pack, to amateurs like myself who enjoy running for fun and fitness, to those who chose to walk the course, many coming out just to support the Say No to Drugs theme of the event. I found it to be an excellent race for a first-timer like myself, with a friendly and very supportive field. As the first of the 10K runners overtook some of us just rounding the bend on the 5K, words of encouragement met the athlete: “Finish it man! Finish it!”

Crossing the finish line, we were greeted with an all-you-can-eat breakfast of homemade organic spelt pancakes courtesy of volunteers led by Kitty Magness, and complimentary massages from Sun State Massage Academy and adjustments by Family Life Chiropractic – welcome rewards after the morning's exertion.

As the name implies, the Say No to Drugs Holiday Classic aims to raise awareness and spread a drug-free message. At the post-race breakfast in the Harborview Center, children pledged to live their lives drug-free and were sworn in as Drug-Free Marshals by the Youth for a Drug Free Florida, while runners viewed the DVD “The Truth About Drugs” or read the accompanying educational pamphlets.

Nathan Holden from Jacksonville and Melissa Todd from Kansas City won the men's and women's 10K, respectively. Daniel Geilman and Christa Benton of St. Petersburg took the men and women’s 5K races. Awards were also presented to top finishers in a range of age groups; including 90 year old Jane Bussman of Clearwater, in the 5K.

The Say No to Drugs Holiday Classic was started 21 years ago by world class runner and local resident Sandra Johnson, member of the Dianetics Athletics Association of the Church of Scientology. The idea was to promote an anti-drug message by raising awareness through a road race. From there it has become one of the premier races in the Tampa Bay area.

For more information, including race-times and results, visit www.saynotodrugs.com.

A being is only as valuable as he can serve others.~~~ L. Ron Hubbard; founder of the Scientology religion

Scientology Volunteers Attack Drug Abuse in Sydney

Scientology youth attack drug abuse at 26th annual Glebe Street Fair.

Members of the Church of Scientology of Sydney, Australia, who belong to the Drug-Free Ambassadors were out in force Sunday, November 15, distributing thousands of fliers at the 26th annual Glebe Street Fair. Their purpose: to inform kids about drug abuse and the truth about drugs so they make informed decisions to stay drug free.

Concerned about a new drug called Mephedrone, or “MM-Cat,” that Sydney students and club goers buy over the Internet, the Drug-Free Ambassadors spent the day talking to kids and teens, swearing them in as Drug-Free Ambassadors. New Drug-Free Ambassadors take a pledge to be drug free and to help their family and friends do the same.

“The drug-free message is really important to get out in times like these,” said Drug-Free Ambassadors spokesperson Cyrus Brooks. “People are bombarded with bad news in the media and they look for escape, especially young people. Unfortunately there is a lot of false propaganda around that drugs and alcohol provide that escape. We need to attack these lies as it’s just not true.”

Brooks and his Drug-Free Ambassador team inform youth of the short-term effects of drugs such as Mephedrone and Ecstasy, which include paranoia and depression, and that users risk even more serious long-term effects such as kidney failure and cardiovascular collapse.

Cocaine, another popular “party drug,” has similar effects but can also cause tactile hallucination, with some kids talking about having the sensation of bugs burrowing into their skin. This drug can also cause reproductive damage and infertility. “Drugs like these ruin lives,” says Brooks. “The best solution is to not get caught in the drug trap in the first place.”

At the Glebe Street Fair the Drug-Free Ambassadors distributed a brochure explaining what drugs are, how they destroy creativity and why drugs don’t actually bring happiness, but quite the opposite. Dixon Restaurant in Chinatown and the Church of Scientology of Australia funded the printing of the brochure, which is being translated into Chinese and Korean to get the word out to Sydney’s Asian population too.

Drug-Free Ambassadors, founded by the Church of Scientology in 1993, helps communities all over Australia fight the scourge of drugs. For more information on the Drug-Free Ambassadors of Sydney visit their web site at www.drugfreeambassadors.com.au.

A being is only as valuable as he can serve others.~~~ L. Ron Hubbard; founder of the Scientology religion