Busy Weekend

My weekend has been consumed with preparations and plans for bath crashers weekend. Buying materials, organizing tools and refining my plan.

Mom wimped out on me and went to the lake to see her sister's house that was struck by the Branson tornado. Tornados Get Personal

On Friday I spoke to students at Shawnee Mission West High School. Plus, the local news interviewed me for the evening news. I'm not much of a television personality. The most important thing that day was the students.

The students were fantastic. From my point of view they were very intent on my story. Everyone was paying attention and many shared stories and ask questions. I put business cards on the counter near the door. The students are free to take them if they want. It is very emotional for me when I see students purposely go over there to take a card with them. The cards have the blog address, my e-mail, and my personal phone number. The hardest part of these talks are between classes. Students come up to me to tell me about their own family experiences, it breaks my heart but I see so much strength in these students. It takes guts and heart to talk to a stranger about addiction.

I guess it is impossible to know for sure if I have any impact on these young people but for myself I believe.

The news anchor interviewed me in the hallway before one class then they shot video of me speaking to the students. Of course I was not happy with what I said or how but I'm hard to please. They posted on the station website an article written by Mark Clegg, KSHB about our experience and my talks. Father Blogs About His Son's Drug Addiction To Help Others Avoid His Family's Pain