Camden Courier-Post - July 11, 2004

East Camden Block Party Focuses on Street Dangers
Ex-drug addict arranges event to educate children about safety and drugs
By
TOM LOUNSBERRY

The 400 block of Pfeiffer Street in East. Camden was awash Saturday with the sounds of children's laughter as they jumped up and down on air cushions, tossed balls in an at­tempt  to dunk the clown ' in water and whisked around on their bicycles. The smaller children, 6 and under, thought only of having fun, eating hamburgers and hot dogs, and sipping on soda.

However, the older children were keenly aware of why a local resident decided to coordinate all the fun stuff for them.

"It's to keep us safe," said Khalir Toney, 7, whose aunt, Karen Jack­son, a former drug addict, organized the Summer Safe Drug Awareness Par­ty for them.

Jackson, who says she has been clean since June 2001, wanted to hold the block party to make the neighborhood children aware of the dangers of the street.

"I don't want them to go through the horror and hell that I had to endure," said Jackson, 39,who admitted that she had abused crack cocaine, alco­hol,   and marijuana. She also arranged for Camden fire and safety officials to talk to the kids about fire and personal safety.

Becky Batista, 10, who will be a sixth-grader this September, said the party emphasized to the kids that they can have fun and be safe at the same time.

"We should always be leery of strangers and never accept anything from someone we don't know," she said.

Camden Courier-Post - July 11, 2004

Tyrek Jackson gives a hug to his mother, Karen Jackson, at the Summer Safe Drug Awareness Party Saturday in East Camden. Karen, a former drug addict, says she organized the block party to make neighborhood children aware of the dangers of the street. Jasheem Ferguson (bottom left), 1, beats the heat by playing with friends in an inflatable pool. Tyrek (botttom right) takes a photo of EImo and other kids during the festivities.