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SECTION A I Wednesday Nucinbcr30 ISM The message is clear but is anyone out there listening ByNlCKZUBACS Herald Special I never been a great public or a great writer but eel It is my responsibility to write about a rapidly growing problem in Georgetown It could be into your home or already be there without you knowing Teen is a problem all over North America but think you find we got the same problem to an ever higher degree right here in Georgetown parents and teachers I speak log to you Don I start seeding laughing or shaking your head Just yet Open your eyes and read on because I m quite serious It would be safe to assume that the or tecnaged drinkers In itario has probably doubled In our community There are many kids in our high schools who drink on a regular basis maybe not day but certainly every weekend and you think that doesn t constitute a you re wrong It is a pro em and one that been allowed to Itrow or too long It is hard to say Mind you there are other acton that affect how Ihe teenager eels about alcohol Peer pressure Is one example but there another that might hit home a little stronger and it less obvious if a kid sees his or or dad come home after a whether it has grown to this proper due to lack or information lack awareness or lack of concern but It Is a problem all the same and before you can try to solve It you ve got to find the causes Simply put from a teenage point view Georgetown Is boring Sure it a nice fairly quiet and has that small town appeal Everything you need is nearby without any hassle and it Is still a large enough com muni I to be Interesting on special occasions In general it seems to be the perfect place to raise a family But or someone who 13 IB In high school and not old enough to get into bars to this small town presents a problem Even on weekends there Is very little hap pening thai Involve the average long day and Immediately head or the booie what Is he or she going to think That teenager could that Us all right to grab bottle after a long week school So there are two more Important actors that contribute to the pro blem but the big one Is the lack of teen oriented activities In Georgetown and this leads teens to the most popular alternative alcohol What better way lo orget your problems tor awhile What bet way to celebrate Ihe weekend You can t go out and dance because there is no dance club You can t go hang out on the streets for fear of be ing accused of being a troublemaker Besides cold out side at this time of the year I Perhaps what we need is youth dropIn centre a place for kids to go A place like Open Door Is great but funds can be kind of low and It not open in the evenings when most alcohol consumption takes place School dances dances by Indepen dent deejay services parties while the parents are away all of them in clude enough alcohol to keep a small army drunk or a week There must be a solution and here Is one that 1 like to propose Keep the kids off the streets by opening up a dropIn centre In the evenings Butter yet open the high school doors a couple of nights every week the kids had a place go and something to do ibey might not be so interested In drinking It Is necessary though to provide more funding or programs like these However if people will think about what sort of outcome this could have I don think they mind Furthermore if you suspect that your child Is drinking or you re curious to know If they ever have ask them I But make sure you don t act hostile towards the situation- Ap proach them calmly show your con cern and when you get your answers don I yell and scream and carry on or you may bo giving them another reason to drink of course not all kids are drinking and just because a child has tried drinking before It mean that he or the Keep In mind what 1 ve said there a not much or teenagers to do In this community Believe me 1 17 years old and I know what it like to be bored and tired of Georgetown I ve lived here or almost eight years now and 1 can remember times when I was getting drunk two or three times a week nit I don anymore I spend a lot of my time watching hundreds of kids drinking more and more Perhaps you are the parent of one of them scoffing If so that a un- because got as much a problem as the kids who drink Adults and teens alike cannot go on denying that there is a pro blem any longer It a time to put a stop to this problem not soon not later Caught in the Timescape Members of ihe Kensington Theatre tnsemblr of Si Stephen work through a mm their play entitled Tin during a performance at St Andrew Church recently The Torontobased group leaches young Job rradinms ha ing them write and perform own theatrical Tlmeicape deals with people and how hey cope with he and of me Shown in this scene are cast members Gillian Mali Mark James litem Tom Junior Connor Mil lord Mark Bailey and Herald photo The Brampton and District The date to remember Is Saturday Christina Bake Sale and Bazaar level Our 1989 Calendar Creative Stitchery Showing the work of 1 5 members of Canadian embroiderers from Guelph London Toronto and Brentford his colourful distinctive unusual calendar created by Boehmers is available free of charge at any of our branches Come in for your copy today Attention Boehmer Fuel Oil Customers If you are a Boehmer fuel oil cuitomer you will automatically be receiving your 1 calendar by mall any day now ALWAYS GLAD TO HELP 301 Armstrong Avenue Georgetown 8776931 ITS OUR 10th ANNIVERSARY 9BLAUPUNKT CALGARY SLP 1 MI ASPEN slp SALE PRICE BLAUPUNKT RAW DRIVERS 10 Subwoofers CELLULAR PHONES NIAGARA SALE 11 Ufu 11Q9 TRANSPORTABLE sale TUT- SLP 95 SLPM20OO PRICE Complete Electronic to makes and of Games CBs Computers SALES SERVICE INSTALLATION GEORGETOWN CUSTOM CAR SOUND SINCLAIR AVENUE UNIT 5 GEORGETOWN 8772425