European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 26, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Jazz excise Marathon dancing to fight drugs m. Jazz excise Leader Christine Charles helped get the Marathon going by saying yes to a just say no. It i fill Lii >1 my i  a to Nick lev Fri my a i it m  a iffy is Wei us 4\ mss  or a Short break helps to revive both body and spirit. Part of the crowd of500 stretches before kicking into four hours of High Energy dancing and exercise in an anti drug fund photos by Gus Schuettler by Jimi Jones education writer some paced some swayed others sat crossed legged in fancy leotards. An anxious crowd of 500, from babies to folks in their 50s, sprawled Over the gymnasium floor in by Bingen near Stuttgart in West Germany. Finally Christine Charles bounced onto the stage followed by 20 clones in Matching pastel jazz excise costumes. Quot How re you doing out there Quot she asked rhythmically rocking from foot to foot. And with Quot your Mamma done to dance and your daddy Don t Rock and Roll blasting from twin speakers she shouted Quot Are you ready Quot a a collective Quot yeah Quot filled the room and they were off stretching running and dancing in the first German american jazz excise Marathon for a drug free world. The rally to raise Money for drug prevention and education Drew participants from throughout Germany who collected pledges for the four hours of dance oriented exercise that followed Charles Kickoff. Quot Over the years jazz excise has been very involved in the Community raising Money against leukaemia cancer or whatever Quot said Charles the area manager for jazz excise in West Germany. Quot it started in Munich Many years ago when we raised Money for scholarship funds. In Stuttgart we be raised Money for special olympics and two years ago the a just say not drug people approached us and we said yes Quot to a Marathon. Kids involved in the Marathon were glad to have the near 500,000-Strong jazz excise organization behind them but they were just As excited about their cause. Twelve year old Laura Johnson from Heidelberg said she a anti drug today so that when she grows up Quot there wont be any More drugs in the world and when our kids grow up they wont have drugs around them and can live  Gina Soffe a fourth Grade student Council member from ludwigs Burg elementary school said her group not Only wants to Quot raise funds to help Stop the population of drugs but we re also trying to Stop  americans heard about the by Bingen Marathon through their local drug abuse resistance education program jazz excise class or Community counselling Center. As an incentive communities were told the Money they raised through pledges would remain in the Community for local drug programs. Quot a lot of the kids Here today never jazz raised before its a first Tor them Quot Charles said. Quot but a lot of them Are involved in the drug programs in Raiser. School. I think they Are Here to support the double  fifty six year old Nina minor of Schwet Zingen heard about the Marathon from her daughter Anka an 11-year-old student in Kim prestipino s Junior jazz excise class in Heidelberg. Quot in a Here to watch my Only child dance in the Marathon Quot minor said As she sat in the stands but when Ankar a group rushed to their places on stage and started their rapid Lively dance workout she climbed Over the rails onto the gym floor. While other colourfully outfitted dancers kept Pace with the Young group she wildly Flung her arms and awkwardly moved her body in an attempt to copy the dance Steps. Soon Defeated she climbed Back into the stands and plopped Down beside her husband John. More than 1,000 spectators passed through the Hall during the Bobingen event and either joined the minors in watching the bodies growing More sweaty on the floor or milled about exhibits set up by groups such As Europe against drugs and the boy scouts of America. A German group from a Bobingen dance studio jazz dance workout Drew Long rounds of applause after its appearance. Quot we Are people who care very much about our bodies physical fitness and physical presence a a studio owner and instructor Marlen Friedrich Hennes said. Quot drugs Are something we cannot support and done to want. This was a Chance to stand up and say we Are against drugs and to show some alternatives to  Tina Chasse the jazz excise area manager for England said the anti drug theme touches everybody. Quot even though we support any Charity the fact that its worldwide Quot made it extra special she said. The Pat for Patch schools in Stuttgart donated oranges and other refreshments for the we s and displays with information about drugs filled the gym lobby. Is Wirtl d dancers. President Judy Marshall said Marathon was the perfect Kickoff for National drug and alcohol awareness week and or Chance to stand up for Quot what seems a far a Ched and impossible fight. It they say if you Tell kids something at seven times it takes effect. So we can t our guard Quot Marshall said. A Well continue Tod everything we can to get kids to say no. J. William g. Eckhardt the chairman of the y focus group at Patch which organized vent said they plan to make the Marathon dual event. I Hen you attend these sort of things you Indi ate you re concerned Quot he said. Quot i suspect that every child in Here when somebody hands ther i a marijuana cigarette and says everybody is Dot ing it they will say a Well no that s not right a Exkhardt s opinion was confirmed by the Marathon kids like Stacy Walter a 9-year-old, who is very Clear on her reasons for attending the mar Ithon Quot to make the dare drug abuse res stance education program better for fun and Lor a drug free  for Stacy a drug free world Means Quot no More people will die or get  the Marathon raised More than $13,200, said David Young assistant principal at Patch High school. Individuals and groups were rewarded for their efforts. Elizabeth Blackman from Heidelberg won an Oriental Rug As the top pledge solicitor. She collected $287.34 for her four hours of dance. Stuttgart s Brandy Jenkins placed second. Heidelberg took the largest amount of Money $2,952, Back to its Community for drug education and prevention efforts. Augsburg and Fulda were second and third with $894 and $838, respectively. Members of Kim or Estimo Al Nazzise class from Heidelberg swing into a Roul be. Page 14 the stars and stripes a Page 15 a a a the stars and stripes monday March 26,1990