Guests and members were enthusiastically greeted by KARL CORPRON and treated to RUSS ROBERTS’ invocation skills. Evelyn Kohler came as husband DON’s guest and an attempted Apple Valley interclub of Brock Remy, Dennis Hunt (who were actually in attendance), Amy Remy (who arrived a bit later) and Gay Warner (who I don’t remember seeing) were the only non-members in the audience.

SPENCER HATTON educated us all on the upcoming SongFest XX. It will be held at the Capitol Theatre on Saturday March 5th. Kiwanians are asked to sign up for duties, both electronically and via the tried and true pass-around list, from 5:45 - 10:00. So far ten choirs have agreed to sing, included the Yakima Valley Community College choir. Spencer stated that since its inception, SongFest has returned over $14,000 to area choirs.

THERESA VITELLO reminded everyone that the annual Campfire Dinner will be held February 28th. Let her know if you want to attend, as there will be a Kiwanis table.

PAT DANIELSON reported on her attendance, along with other Kiwanians, at the joint Rotary/Kiwanis/Lions Meeting that morning to discuss signage on the new ballfields at the Gateway Sports Complex. Discussion will continue, with DR. MIKE WILSON serving as the Kiwanis representative.

Sergeant Karl stumped all but one table with his “famous couples” photo quiz. CHRIS CHRISTMAN called a lengthy game of Bingo, won by Pat Danielson. LYNN BUCHANAN conducted the 50/50 Raffle (for $48), but winning ticket holder Don Kohler drew an 8.

BETH KLINGELE introduced the day’s program, Jamie Crawford – accompanied by her mom Jackie - a reformed Meth addict, who gave a riveting talk on her Meth experiences.

Jamie was a mostly happy, well adjusted 15-year old West Valley student when she started. She was active in sports, a good student, with a busy social life. That all changed the first time she tried Meth at a party. “I was hooked immediately,” she would tell us. She began a pattern of running away from home until the police tracked her down. Because she was a juvenile, she was quickly released and the cycle started over again. She was finally arrested on a federal fraud charge, which caused her to reevaluate her life and commit to changing her situation. It took her four tries, but she has now been sober for almost four years. She is presently serving a 5-year federal probation and hopes to receive a presidential pardon in 2010 in order to regain her right to vote, among other lost privileges which most of us take for granted.

She told of the many horrors she personally experienced, such as seeing a man’s finger chopped off over a pack of cigarettes. She spoke of the things she missed in high school, like the prom and graduation. She talked of making a difference by talking to kids about the dangers of Meth and how easy it is to get hooked. “It only takes one time.” She explained that she has paid over $10,000 in restitution to the families she helped defraud, but said nothing can really repay the damage done to their lives.

Jamie ticked off the warning signs of Meth use for the many worried parents in the audience:
Distinctive chemical smell
Constant movement
Repetitive behavior
Lip licking
“Sucked up” look
Paranoia
Dramatic change in habits or personality

Jamie is one of the few how have managed to turn her life around. She is no longer hooked on Meth. She is enrolled in Heritage University’s nursing program. She is able to speak to kids across the state about the dangers of Meth and hopefully make one person realize how easy it is to become addicted to “the cheapest drug” available and some of the consequences that may come from that addiction.

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