News In Brief : ‘Just Say No’ Campaign

More than 100 educators, students, business and civic leaders packed the top floor of the First Interstate Bank building in downtown Los Angeles Tuesday to kick off the “Just Say No” program designed to establish a drug awareness club in every elementary school in the county.

Barbara Mouron, president of the Los Angeles County “Just Say No” Foundation, said the organization, which already has 1,000 clubs around the county, also hopes to establish more of them in libraries, housing projects and park recreation centers.

First Interstate has donated $100,000 to the organization, which depends on donations for the clubs, which provide activities and counseling to steer children away from drugs, alcohol and tobacco.