Santa Monica : Fund-Raiser Talk on Gangs
Gangs will be the topic of discussion at an April 18 fund-raiser luncheon for Teen Line, a hot line that uses trained volunteer teen-agers to listen to the problems of their peers.
“People’s Court” Judge Joseph A. Wapner will introduce a veteran gang member and a gang interventionist who will present an “explicit firsthand look at gangs in our community,” according to Teen Line program coordinator Elaine Leader.
The subject was chosen because an increasing number of calls to the hot line pertain to fears and worries about gangs, Leader said.
The hot line, which has been in operation since 1981, has received more than 80,000 calls involving a whole range of problems facing teens, including drugs, suicide, and physical and sexual abuse, Leader said.
Teen Line is staffed with volunteer teen-agers who are supervised by mental health professionals. It is affiliated with Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
Proceeds of the luncheon, which will be held at the Loews Hotel in Santa Monica, will go to support the toll-free line, (800) TLC-TEEN.
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