DRUG-ABUSE PROGRAM HONORS 3 PETALUMANS

Three Petaluma residents were honored by Narconon of Mountain View, an

anti-drug abuse program based on the principles of L. Ron Hubbard. Narconon

has 30 drug prevention and rehabilitation centers in 14 countries. The awards

honored efforts to combat the spread of alcohol and drug abuse and were given

at a dinner in Burlingame.

Marcus Bouligny and Toby McLean were honored for their work with Stop

Tobacco Access for Minors Project, a Petaluma youth coalition that attempts to

reduce through education the illegal sale of tobacco to juveniles.

Bill McNearney was honored for his work on the Neighborhood Association of

Walnut and Wiskershim, an active neighborhood watch group that drove drug

dealers from a park. Also honored was Victor Carillo, pastor of Victory

Outreach Church in Santa Rosa, which for five years has been encouraging

teen-agers to lead drug-free lives and founded an alcohol and drug

rehabilitation center for adults.

Narconon was founded by William Benitez, a drug addict and inmate at

Arizona State Prison who was influenced by Hubbard's writings. He started a

drug-abuse program at the prison with 20 inmates, soon involved 100 inmates

and spread to other prisons.