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When reality hits the fan
program for parents and their children and many attended the November 14 event in Vankleek Hill. Kids were most impressed by the reenactment with its fake jail cell and emergency room. Before their eyes, the tragic story of a drug dealing teenage boy unfolded, culminating with a gut-wrenching hospital scene. “I witnessed the effects of drugs on someone inmy family and I want the others to know that it’s no joke,” said VCI student NoahMcRae, who portrayed the overdosed teenager in the reenactment. “Sometimes, I see people do drugs and I learned to walk away from it simply because I don’t find that interesting or worth trying.” After the reenactment funeral, the audience met with drug addicts who are trying to get back on track in rehab. Their stories of burnt bridges and relapse were eye- opening, giving insight on how recreation becomes addiction. “By 15, I was using Oxycontin and Percoset that I stole frommymom,” said one of the rehab patients. “I ended up in jail for robbery because of my drug addiction and it’s my third time in rehab. At first, I didn’t put thoughts into it because I thought it was the same as alcohol and cigarettes. At 14, I was already smoking weed withmy dad, so I stopped questioning it.” “All the other kids were doing it and I thought it was the cool thing to do,” said another rehab patient. “I was really young when I started doing drugs and it went
STÉPHANE LAJOIE
stephane.lajoie@eap.on.ca
They say life is a hell of a drug, but addiction to other drugs is no joke and the Reality Tour event at Pleasant Corners Public School in Vankleek Hill, on November 14, hammered that pretty hard with a tragic reenactment, rehab stories and facts that just don’t lie. In Prescott-Russell, about 30% of grade 6 students already tried some kinds of drugs and the Ontario Provincial Police, along with other community organizations and volunteers, were at the Reality Tour event to promote a clean and smart lifestyle. “Getting the point across isn’t always easy and teenagers will often say weed isn’t dangerous since it might be legal one day,” said OPP community officer Mario Gratton. “But street drug is another animal and that’s where addiction starts. At the beginning, it’s just fun and games but you can get stuck in a vicious cycle. In the region, weed is a problem and prescription drugs abuse and pills are also on the rise. That’s why events like the Reality Tour and the Race against drugs are important. They are eye-opening for the youth and give them a reality check about drugs and the disastrous effects they have on lives.” The Reality Tour is a consequence- driven drug awareness and prevention
VCI student Noah McRae spent some time in jail at the Reality Tour event to raise awareness for drugs abuse.
downhill from there.” With the Reality Tour, the volunteers want to bring awareness to the community and bring families together for discussion and help. From peer pressure to the medicine cabinet, drugs latch to people like a bad habit. It brings out the worst in people,
fueling dependencies and can easily lead to crime, violence, suicide, mental illness and life-threatening situations. At the event, a dose of reality helped shining light on a taboo subject that always only affects “others”. The Reality Tour will be back with twomore events on February 20 and April 23.
Moustaches de la mi-novembre
Sous les PROJECTEURS
Les moustaches des pompiers de la caserne de Hawkesbury commencent à avoir du panache et leur collecte de fonds dans le cadre de la campagne mondial Movember, a permis jusqu’à date d’amasser 350 $. Une douzaine de pompiers de Hawkesbury se laissent pousser la moustache depuis le 1 er novembre pour sensibiliser la population auxmaladiesmasculines, dont le cancer de la prostate, et pour souligner l’importance de la recherche médicales et du soutien. Il est possible de faire un don au nom de l’équipe des pompiers de Hawkesbury sur le site officiel de la campagne, à l’adresse ca.movember.com/team/2000361. Au moment de mettre sous presse, l’équipe avait déjà amassé 130 $. Ci-dessus, les pompiers Julien Boisvenue, Marc Bellefeuille, Chris Lewis, Pat Denis, Stéphane Bastien, Marc Lacelle, Pat Mayer, Ben Dicaire et Maxime Roy. (SL)
Félicitations à l’équipe pour son nouvel emplacement. Venez les rencontrer au 295 Main St. W, suite A, Hawkesbury, ON. Ils se feront un plaisir de vous conseiller lors de votre prochain voyage.
613-632-4155
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