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EL TORO : Marines Use Hangar for Anti-Drug Fair

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There may have been more Marines on hand than children, but that didn’t detract from the spirit of a daylong “Drug Abuse Is Life Abuse” event Wednesday inside a hangar at El Toro Marine Corps Air Base.

About 100 youngsters from Marine families and local schools attended the event sponsored by a squadron of El Toro Marines and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.

“The message we’re trying to get across is that drug abuse is wrong and dangerous,” said Lt. Col. Robert Price, who helped plan the event. “We want to use every vehicle available to get that message across.”

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In between helpings of spaghetti, children and their parents tried their luck at winning goldfish and other prizes by playing such carnival games as ring toss and tick-tack-toe.

“I think it’s a great idea,” said Denise McGuirk, who was there with her sons, Chris, 7, and Danny, 4. “The activities get the kids out here, and you get the anti-drug message across while you have their attention. If you reinforce these ideas at an early enough age, they won’t think twice about it later.”

Former Dodgers great Maury Wills was the event’s star attraction. Wills played on three world champion Dodgers teams in 1959-72. Now 57, the former shortstop described himself as a “recovering alcoholic and addict” who is encouraging others to stay off drugs.

“If I can help to save a life, my presence here is more than worthwhile,” Wills said. “Drugs and alcohol is a disease that has no prejudices. It attacks men, women, adults, children, blacks and whites and everything in between. It’s a dreadful epidemic.”

Wills spent two hours autographing photos and baseballs and posed for photos with fans who remembered him from his days as one of baseball biggest stars.

“See that man,” a Marine said to his young son, “he’s as good a ballplayer as there ever was.”

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Also present was Chauncey Veatch, chairman of the Governor’s Policy Council on Drug and Alcohol Abuse.

“This is a family event, and that’s how we’re going to win this battle against drugs,” Veatch said. “We need to focus on the kinds of family values for which there is no substitute.”

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