Stop The Abuse Before It Happens

Mon., Aug. 12, 1996

Elana Jefferson Staff writer

This week Linda Thompson marks a chilling anniversary.

It was Aug. 16, 1982. Thompson’s son Trevor, then 3 years old, was riding in a horse-drawn cart with his grandfather when a drunken driver smacked into the side of it. The young boy died instantly. “Maybe it was my Sunday school training, but I had a vision of Trevor sitting on a cloud with a man with long brown hair,” Thompson says. “I thought to myself, ‘He’s safe. So what can I do to keep this from happening to other families?”’

Not long after, Thompson’s boss asked her to speak to a group of co-workers about the effects of drunken driving. She was later asked to talk about the issue with convicted criminals at a nearby prison. She’s been working to prevent drug and alcohol abuse ever since.

Currently Thompson is the executive director of the Greater Spokane Substance Abuse Council. She coordinates a DUI victims panel and leads an effort to mobilize the community against substance abuse.

The Prevention Center, a store-front office in the Spokane Valley where Thompson works, is home to a variety of groups that deal with substance abuse prevention. Thompson emphasizes that cooperation between people who share her conviction has led to a surge of prevention programs in the area. “The strength of a coalition is the passion people bring to our work,” Thompson says. “We all really think that prevention works.”

The Prevention Center is located at 7202 E. Sprague. It houses a library of brochures and resource materials. Thompson and her co-workers created a puppet show to educate children on the issue, and they have a teen council working on programs targeting that age group. They also refer people needing substance abuse counseling to services in the community. Numerous organizations collaborate with The Prevention Center. “We do our planning as a community,” Thompson says. “We work together. We don’t want to duplicate services.”

To find out more about The Prevention Center, bring one of their programs to your school or community or start working on drug and alcohol prevention, call 922-8383.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color photo

MEMO: Created in support of the Spokane County Health Improvement Partnership (HIP), Discoveries highlights people working to improve community health and well-being. If you have a discovery that deserves recognition, call Elana Jefferson at 459-5419. To get involved with HIP, call 482-2557.

Created in support of the Spokane County Health Improvement Partnership (HIP), Discoveries highlights people working to improve community health and well-being. If you have a discovery that deserves recognition, call Elana Jefferson at 459-5419. To get involved with HIP, call 482-2557.

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