A10 - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, May 28, 1997 Abstinence makes the heart grow fonder Save sex m WAITING TO have sex un- til you get married sounds like an old-fashioned idea to a lot of people, but it’s one that teens should consider. So went the message three young people brought to Thornhill and Skeena junior high schools here recently. Called Challenge 97, the trio was part of a dozen or so volunteer teams talking lo students from grades 7-12 about chastity and sexuality. They're not affiliated with any other groups or reli- gions. The Challenge groups have been organized nation- ally since 1993, and this is the group’s second trip to Terrace. “Nobody ever talks to teens about the idea that we're human beings with self control who should value our scxualily and save it for a permanent rela- tionship, specifically mar- riage,”’ said Jamie Phicffer, age 26, He’s one of the few male volunteers in the orga- nization, Phieffer and two other volunteers Dawn Bobncke, 19, and Loree- Beth McKay, 19 — used skits to present their mes- sage in a fun way kids could understand. “We speak a lot about starting over,”’ said Bohncke. ‘‘Chastity can be essage given SAVE SEX, NOT SAFE SEX is the message Jamie Phieffer brought to students at Skeena and Thornhill Jr. Secondary last week. He was part of a volunteer team called Challenge ‘97 that is speaking at schaols across the country. Stu- dents thought the message was entertaining, but probably impractical. a lifestyle that anyone can start practising.’ The trio said they’re not out to push their ideas on teens, just to present them with an alternalive. Instead of suggesting limits for teens, they draw a line be- tween affection and passion. ‘‘There’s plenty of things we might like to do, but we choose not to,” said McKay. ‘‘(Sex) is not a need,” **There’s nothing written on a grave saying Joey died ‘cause he didn’t get any,’’ quipped Phieffer. The team talked ta grade cight students at Skeena Jr. Fire chief disappears in Thornhill THE THORNHILL Fire Department had to appoint a new fire chief last week after former chief Guy Belanger mysteriously disappeared. Belanger left Terrace two weeks ago and never retumed, “'T guess Guy left town for reasons only be knows,”’ says Les Watmough, regional district director for Thornhill. “Tt was a real shock. He gave very litile notice.’’ 1 Watmough speculates Belanger might have lefi to take icare of family matters, or to look for another job. ‘It’s too bad,’’ he says. ‘‘Guy was a good fellow and he did a good job.’’ Deputy chief Art Hill has been named acting fire chief, until someone can be found to replace Belanger. ‘tArt’s a long time member and an excellent person for the job,’’ Watmough says. “He will probably be offered the job permanently, but we have to vote on that at the next regional district meeting.”’ Hill says things are going well so far at his new job, but he won’t say if he’li take the position permanently, should it be offered. ‘‘It’s too carly to tell about that,’’ he says. Hil] declined to comment on Belanger’s disappearance, Nt you've oot Et electronically. ‘news tips, sparts and carr _ contributions, and feedbac o>) standard@kermode.n Kermode Friendship Society is having their ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING on June 21, 1997 at 12:00 p.m. at 3313 Kalum Street All members new and old are welcome to attend. Business/Luncheon TSIMSHIAN Secondary and the entire schoo] ai Thornhill Jr. Secondary. And what was response from students? Entertaining but un- realistic’ seemed to be the consensus among students interviewed. Skeena student Pam Gay- ronsky said some of the presentation ‘‘made a lot of sense,”’ but there were a gaps in the presentation. She challenged the team about sexually transmitted diseases, saying you can slill get them if you marry someone Who hasn’t waited to have sex. “My friends kind of thought it was a joke,’” she said. ~ “Some of it was a little far-fetched,’ said Renee Jeanson. She’s in grade 10 at Thornbill Jr. and laughed at a suggestion that teens say they’d rather watch a toilet flush than have sex. She thought the discussion about abstinence was good for people who want to wait, ‘but for people who don’t plan on getting married any- time soon, it’s unsealistic.’’ Both Jeanson and ber friend Kara Myhbr = said there’s no peer pressure fo have sex. : “Islike smoking,’’ said Jeanson. ‘Someone says you want a smoke, and if you say no, they say that’s good, ‘cause smoking’s not healthy. If you want to do it, you do it. If you don’t, you don’t.” Jeremy Heynen, also in grade 10, said there’s no pressure on guys to have sex either. ‘‘Me and my friends do whatever the girl wants the to do.”’ Jeanson said plenty of . teens realize that not having sex is an option. But the message about how easy it is to get preg- nant or catch a disease might have gotten through to a few students. “] know people who are waiting for those reasons,” said Jeanson. But Myhr said she knows plenty of girls who are too embarrassed to buy birth control. She suggested that real condoms not just the joke variety, be available in+ & gas station washrooms. But ail three agreed that the biggest problem is that most parents aren’t talking to their children about sex. ‘My mom would rather jump off a bridge than talk about sex,’’ said Heynen. Most teens leam about sex from the friends and from TV shows, he said. And parents also aren’t talking to their children about more complicated is- sues, like homosexuality. There’s a lot of in- tolerance in school, they ad- mit. “1 know if someone here was ta come out and say he was gay. he'd.get his ass’ whipped ;in)itwo, minutes,” : | said Heynen. “‘But adults are bad too,’’ sald Mybr, saying she’s heard plenty of negative conuments from adults. “They’re adults, they should know better,’’ said Jeanson. The tecns don’t think a course to teach tolerance will help much, saying again that type of message has to come from parents. K CORRECTION MAY HAVE CAUSED. In this week's Kmart flyar effective Saturday, May 24, the following error has occurred: Page K24 Due to manufacturer's shipping problems the Venturer Portable Radio will not be available. 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