Rebecca Burk / L’Observateur / April 27, 1998

LAPLACE – Sheriff Wayne L. Jones sponsored a luncheon at the Knights ofColumbus Home on Fir Street in LaPlace Wednesday to honor the sponsors of the PASSED (Parish Area Students Systematically Eliminating Drugs) program.

Three businesses were honored for their continued support of the program.

They are Blazer Financial Services, District Attorney John Crum and LaPlace Frostop/Tri-Parish Office and School Supplies.

Also, students from local high schools spoke and expressed their appreciation of the program to the sponsors.

“I’ve enjoyed all of the discounts that I have gotten, but its much more than that,” Melanie Punch, St. Charles Catholic student, said. “It givesstudents the opportunity to be drug-free.””The PASSED program provides a popular vehicle for students to abstain from drugs,” Aaron Grant, Reserve Christian student, said.

“I feel it’s a big asset to my school as well as other schools in the parish,” Tiffany Veal, East St. John High student, said. “I feel a drug-freeenvironment is a safe environment. I would like to thank the manybusinesses who help with the program.”PASSED is a program run by the St. John Sheriff’s Office to encouragestudents to be drug-free by offering them a discount card, upon testing, that can be used at area businesses.

A program established under Lloyd B. Johnson’s tenure, Jones liked it whenhe came aboard and wanted to keep it going. “I didn’t want a lot ofprograms that would be inconsistent and fall off and fail in the end,” he said.

And statistics show that the program is going strong. At RiversideAcademy, 59 percent of the students are members, 100 percent are members at Reserve Christian, 41 percent are members at East St. JohnHigh, 37 percent are members at West St. John High and 80 percent aremembers at St. Charles Catholic.”To the students – I applaud you for your efforts to remain drug-free,” Jones said. “The sheriff’s office and the business community has alwayshad a good relationship and that continues today. We thank you foreverything.”Those who participate by offering discounts or other services are ABA Rentals, Allstate Refrigeration, BE&K Construction, Bank of LaPlace, Belle Terre Civic Association, Blazer Financial, Bully’s Halfway House, Charlie’s Bicycle, Ched and Tina Edler, Dave Millet Insurance, Delta Beverage, Designer Tee’s, Diamond Cleaners, Donnelly’s Jewelry Store, Duck’s Ice, Dupont, East St. John High, East St. John PTA, First NBC Bank, FormalConnection, Fred DeFrancesch, Hair Studio, Hibernia National Bank, Hill- Behan Lumber Company, Hit Video, Hymel’s Florist, Industrial Safety Supply, District Attorney John Crum, Jules A. Carville III, Kentucky FriedChicken, Knights of Columbus, L’Observateur, Landry’s Painting and Sheetrock, LaPlace Feed and Supply Company, LaPlace Frostop, LaPlace Glass, Mabile’s Meat Market, Magnolia Holding Inc., McDonald’s, MichaelJewelers, Mike Dale Jewelry, Milton’s Insurance, Murphy-Graham Ford, Naturally Yours Health Food, P.J.’s Army Surplus, Pat Furini/PrudentialProperties, Popeye’s Fried Chicken, Renter’s Choice, Reserve Christian High School, River Parish Travel, River Parishes Hospital, River Bend Lanes, Riverside Academy, Attorney Rodney Brignac, Romaguera Studio, Rotary International, Saints Board of Realtors, Saints Optical, San Francisco Plantation, Shannon’s Health and Fitness, Shell Oil Company, Sicily’s Pizza, Smoothie King, Sonic, Southwestern Title Inc., St. CharlesCatholic High, St. John Crime Fighters, TJ’s Hair, Taco Bell, TatjeFinancial Services, Tony’s Tinting, Tri-Parish Trophies, Triangle Fleeting Inc., WADU, Wal-Mart, Wendy’s, West St. John High and Winn-Dixie.

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