‘This Is Our Future’ : Nancy Reagan Leads Youngsters in Pledge Against Drug Use

Led by Nancy Reagan, more than 20,000 schoolchildren from throughout Los Angeles County joined Thursday in a pledge to lead drug-free lives in a Just Say No to alcohol and drugs rally in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.

Recalling her recent participation in a police raid on a rock cocaine house in South-Central Los Angeles, the former First Lady said she wished that the young people she had seen on that occasion could have been reached by someone earlier in their lives.

“There’s a big, bright world out there waiting for you,” Mrs. Reagan told the cheering students. “Each of you is a special person, and your life is too precious to lose to drugs. We only make this trip once, I think, so let’s make it count.”

The rally, the fourth annual event sponsored by the Just Say No Foundation of Los Angeles County, ended with the singing of “We Are the World” and the release of thousands of green and white balloons.

Costumed Characters

The program included costumed Flintstone characters; the U.S. Marine Band; McGruff, the Take a Bite Out of Crime Dog; drivers from the Mickey Thompson Off-Road Championship Gran Prix, and skits by Just Say No clubs.

KABC-TV Sports Director Jim Hill was master of ceremonies.

“Is cocaine a drug,” McGruff asked.

“Yes,” screamed the children.

“Is alcohol a drug”?

“Yes,” they chorused.

“What should you say”?

“No,” the students shouted.

Encouraged by Hill, the students delighted in crying “no” as loud as they could, while waving little, green Just Say No flags, cheering wildly and finally chanting, “Thank you, Nancy.”

To Bashiri Ferguson, 11, a fifth-grader from Harbor City, the message to say “no” was “great.” But, Bashiri said he also liked “the cars jumping, the singing, the dancing.”

“I loved it because it was so good,” said Bobbie Gough, 12, a sixth-grader from Juniper Intermediate School in Palmdale. “When they let the balloons out, it was neat. She (Mrs. Reagan) was wonderful.”

Victoria Tongish, one of the Pasadena volunteers who helped Barbara Mouron, president of the county Just Say No Foundation, stage the rally, described the event as a “screaming success.” Tongish said she hopes that the long-term effort, designed to support young people to remain drug free, will also be successful.

Investing in Future

“You don’t know until a generation away, but we’re investing in the future,” she said. “That’s all we can do. All those kids standing there singing, ‘We Are the World.’ This is our future.”

Ivy Cohen, executive director of Just Say No International, headquartered in Walnut Creek, Calif., said that throughout the country there are about 15,000 Just Say No clubs, with members ranging in age from 7 to 14.

She announced that Mrs. Reagan has agreed to continue to serve as the group’s honorary chairman.