ANAHEIM : ‘Just Say No’ Club Greets Its Founder

Former first lady Nancy Reagan brought her anti-drug campaign to Danbrook Elementary School on Tuesday, telling a room full of youngsters that spurning drugs “is now a way of living.”

Reagan was joined by actress Alley Mills of television’s “The Wonder Years” at an assembly on the Anaheim campus. Reagan is the honorary chairperson of “Just Say No” International.

In a speech, Reagan told the children that they can succeed only if they avoid drugs.

“You can fly as high as your wings can take you . . . even though life will throw up all kinds of hurdles,” she said. “But if you believe in yourself, you can make it.”

Mills also gave a pep talk, telling the students: “Follow your dreams no matter what. Really stick to your beliefs. . . . Continue being proud of yourselves for being in the gang that just says no.”

After their speeches, the former first lady and Mills held a question-and-answer session with Danbrook’s “Just Say No” club members and reporters. Asked if she and former President Ronald Reagan had ever smoked marijuana, as alleged in Kitty Kelley’s recently released unauthorized biography, Reagan said no and the session was ended.

The anti-drug rally was partly in honor of Danbrook’s “Just Say No” Club, which will be recognized by the County Board of Supervisors as the 1991 Exemplary “Just Say No” support peer group in the county.

Danbrook’s club was started three years ago, said Leroy Green, principal of the school. The after-school club meets every other week and has about 150 members, he said, with almost half of the youngsters maintaining perfect attendance.

About 500 youngsters in the first through sixth grades attended the afternoon assembly, along with Supervisor Gaddi H. Vasquez, who translated for Latino students.

The now familiar “Just Say No” slogan so closely associated with Nancy Reagan caught on nearly 11 years ago as a fluke, she said. It was during a speech in Oakland that a little girl asked what to do when offered drugs.

“I said, ‘Well, you just say no,’ ” she told the audience. “I was just answering a question.”

Deberal Cooley, whose son Marlin served as one of two ambassadors who got to sit next to Reagan during the assembly, said the experience is not one he will soon forget.

“He was very happy to meet Nancy Reagan,” she said. “He stayed in the mirror for about 30 minutes getting ready this morning.”

Carol Edmonston, coordinator of the Orange County “Just Say No” program, awarded the club a $250 check for its efforts, along with an anti-drug board game and cassette.