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February 20, 2009

Campaign enters second phase

Many paths will help overcome meth

John Walker

DUNCAN — Numbers may have been few, but the communication among citizens that was being sought occurred Thursday night at the Duncan High School auditorium.

Fewer than 100 people showed up for rebroadcast of the Oklahoma Crystal Darkness documentary and community forum.

After the forum ended, however, groups of three to four people stood around talking about how to help loved ones overcome the problem of methamphetamine, or “meth” for short.

“This is really what it’s all about,” said Dave Narducci, who is the organizer behind the Stephens County Crystal Darkness campaign. “What I loved seeing is that there are multiple paths one can take to overcome the problem.”

Narducci feels that the fight against meth, even in Duncan, is a war for the community that brings real consequences.

“Ours is a desperate situation,” Narducci said. “There is no pat answer to the problem. But we need a unified approach.”

Part of the approach that Narducci outlined Thursday was the beginning of a community action plan going forward.

Everyone has a role in fighting this war on meth, including businesses, city government, education, the Legislature and families, he said.

The plan is not yet completed, but over the course of the next few weeks, Narducci plans to release more details to the public.

In the meantime, people can volunteer to help Narducci and others fight the drug.

During the question-and-answer period of the forum, some said that turning one’s heart to Jesus Christ allowed them to leave the dark despair of meth.

“We can’t change ourselves,” said one recovering meth addict. “We have to turn to something greater. What has your heart has you. This is a spiritual war.”

Paul Polk shared with the community some of his darkest days and how he was able to overcome his problems.

“I was high and living it up,” Polk said.

But one day, while he was living the life of a drug addict, he heard a voice within himself telling him to confess to a loved one and change. Polk did so and found strength from Jesus Christ.

“I want you to experience the love that Jesus has for you,” Polk said. “There’s a danger in putting off that voice. My new-found life is awesome.”

Others attributed their ability to overcome meth to community programs, such as Celebrate Recovery.

One man, who recently retired to the area, said that while he was working in a public school system, they implemented a program called “Hooked on fishing, not on drugs.”

This program was started by a 14-year-old boy in Florida who was concerned about his friends, Mike Schwartz said.

Teenagers raised money and sought donations and sponsorships from local businesses and then went on a major fishing trip with local law enforcement and other adults.

Children need quality time and mentorship from good adults, Schwartz said.

“Many kids don’t have that opportunity,” he said.

The fishing trip, however, can provide the opportunity for a teenager to receive quality time and mentorship from an adult, Schwartz said.

“Meth is pretty rough stuff,” he said. “The only way I can describe its effects is if you take a pure-looking child and put makeup on him so he looks like he’s in a horror film.”

Call Narducci at 580-656-2510 for more information on meth or opportunities to volunteer.

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