European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - October 9, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday october 9, 1986 the stars and stripes Page 9 couple tells students of horrors that come with drugs and crime by Joseph Owen Stuttgart Bureau Stuttgart she was a prostitute who robbed a store to support her heroin habit Ihen spent nearly seven years in prison paying for the crime. He was a pot smoking drifter who befriended peo ple in order to steal from them. I m off drugs but it s messed up my glands and i m still paying the Price Iris Urray Blue 36, told Patch High school students Friday. I always though i would do a Little bit and never Loo much. I thought i could Han dle  i thought i was get tin Freedom but i was q sucker. The Guys who were Sel Ling dope weren t even using it Iris Urrey Blue her husband Duane Blue said that by age 21, he was into drugs. Into stealing. I was Inlo living a  the two renounced those lifestyles for christianity and they became missionaries to steer Young people away from such mistakes. They make Only passing reference to their Faith at Public schools unless Stu dents ask about it. Instead Iris said we be dedicated our lives to being kind of like a wet paint1  a Case history from which younger people can draw a lesson. They re still talking about her from the first time assistant Princi pal David a. Young said of lick visit to Patch in 1984, she was saying things that parents and Counselor said Over and Over again but somehow when she says it. Kids  Iris is big even for a woman who is6 feel 3 inches All. She makes frequent sarcastic remarks about her weight but it haunted her during childhood in Texas especially when she tried to at tract boys. I would pose try to look cute. I clean up against a locker and it would Cave in she joked. She said she ran away from Home at 13 with a Man who seemed like or. Wonderful but who led her to prostitution and drugs. I went Inlo it with my eyes wide open because i wanted to fit in. She said. I got on heroin real fast and by the Lime iwas 14,1 was  often stealing to obtain drug Money she was arrested at 17 for the armed robbery of a grocery store was convicted at 18, and spent seven years in prison. Matrons would say Good morning and i d hit them for lying. It was t Good to me Iris Sij containing a total of three years in solitary confinement. She said the  of drugs first Gav her pain Ful withdrawal sickness but because or Cah i improved later prison probably saved my life. I m thankful for that now but at the time 1 probably was  her parents welcomed her wit seven years won of birthday presents when she was released in 1973, but that changed Little. She quit ,1 Telephone com Pany Job and opened topless dancer night clubs where teen agers could buy drugs or have sex in rooms in the Back. And she began using Speed and heroin regularly. I thought i was getting Freedom but i was a sucker Iris said. The Guys who were Selling dope weren Teven using  later a Street evangelist introduced her to christianity she said. She left drugs and Llic nightclubs behind keeping scars Rotten Teeth and various physiological disorders As souvenirs. You Don t have to sell yourself cheap because you be got something Only you can offer she told Patch students. Iris met Duane in 1983 when her brother invited him Home for Christmas dinner. Duane Blue never knew his father while growing up in Kalamazoo mich., and his Stepfather had left Home by the Lime Duane was a teen Ager. Duane said he quit school As a illiterate 16-year-old and moved into a garage Wilh a stereo and a motorcycle returning Home sometimes to fight with his Mother. He said she often threatened suicide before he found her one Day in the bathroom dead from an overdose of More than 200 pills. I had to keep telling the Guys i was or. Cool but inside i was scared he said. Duane said he converted a school bus Inlo a shabby Mobile apartment and lived in it nine years working when he had to and stealing when he could. He s15 photo by j Duane Blue and Iris Urrey Blue Hope thai by telling about Isdr pasta they can help others avoid inc kinds of problems and the bitter torment hey went through. Met Iris brother while painting at Houston area construction Job. Duane had Long wild unkempt hair and a Beard then but he accepted the dinner offer despite inc likelihood of culture clash. " went because i did t want to spend another Christmas alone. I d spent the last nine christmases in that school bus he said. Iris asked him to go to Church with her later. He went just to Embarrass her be cause he did t think she was serious. He pulled out a marijuana pipe for Shock value while Riding in the car but when Iris told him about her background it shacked him instead. He look that thing and threw it out the window she recalled. He said if you Don t need it then i Don t either " they were married in december 1984.now Duane takes Par in his wife s speaking Tours and missionary work sponsored by the Southern Baptist convention s Home Mission Board. A hand Ful of churches and several individuals support them financially. Iris also has rounded three Homes for runaway Chil Dren in the United Stales the blues have lived in Brussels during 10 months of work in Europe and they will return to Texas in a few weeks. While in Europe they spoke at . Schools in  Brussels Madrid and Rota Spain. Teen drug alcohol abuse counselling to expand by Dave Walczak education writer Heidelberg Usa eur expects to hire additional personnel next Spring to combat drug and Alco hol abuse among adolescents. The help will come from 28 Counselor and 11 supervisors who will be contracted by the department of the army for one year. The Counselor will be assigned to 28 Community counselling centers throughout Usa eur and will Deal specifically with drug and alcohol abuse by teen agers. De Herpel of Usa eur s resources division leadership and wellness Branch said the contract stems from a perception that there Are not any resources available at Usa eur to adequately assist in treat ment of drug problems with  he said most Community counselling centers focus drug and alcohol rehabilitation and prevention pro Grams on military personnel. Military communities in the United slates often refer patients to civilian treatment centers but the language Barrier closes that option for military families in Germany Herpel said. Usa eur requested additional funds for inc pro Gram after a three Community Survey conducted last Spring. The Survey indicated somewhere Between 4 and 8 percent of the adolescent population in usar eur would be in need of substance abuse or drug abuse treatment Herpel said. The Survey did not indicate what substances were be ing used. Herpel declined to name the communities but he said each contained a Community counselling Center and a High school because that s where you have ado  Herpel said the Money has been allocated for the contract which will place one substance abuse counsel or in every Usa eur Community where there is a High school. The specialists will not be army or de part Mem of defense dependents schools employees but will work with schools and the Community in Deal a alcohol abuse. Program will continue Brand he added that changes Are expected. It s easy to say we have 28 people and 28 High schools. One s going to be real Busy one is going to be less Busy. In fact whal we re hoping for in the second year is to realign. There s a Good possibility that funds will increase and we can go Back for additional  Safe handles adolescent drug and alcohol abuse counselling and treatment through base social actions offices a Safe spokesman said social actions has circulated a questionnaire in an attempt to determine needs. He said Safe officials will meet oct. 29 and May request additional help from he department of the air Force  teen age drug and alcohol abuse