More than $65,000 in pledges was raised on Monday night during the Council Partner's Charitable Trust telethon.

And staffers continue to field pledges from the public who were unable to phone in to the ZBM studios during the four-hour programme.

The highlight of the evening was the naming of Sandra Butterfield as the 1998 Jerry Griffiths Memorial Award in honour of the late co-founder of Focus Counselling services.

The award is given to the person in Bermuda who during the past year had made the most outstanding contribution to the fight against alcohol and other drug abuse.

Premier Pamela Gordon presented the award to Mrs. Butterfield. It has been renamed in honour of her partner Griffiths, who died last October.

Ms Gordon said: "The phrases used by community members to characterise Mrs.

Butterfield include, supportive, diligent, knowledgeable, and sincere.'' "One individual described her as committed to people in recovery -- mind, body, and soul,'' she added.

Ms Gordon also said that Mrs. Butterfield kept Focus going during Mr.

Griffiths illness and has continued to operate it.

Council partners head Gordon Johnson said the telethon was a resounding success and a tribute to the community's generosity.

He said that it would not have been a quality event without the help of numerous volunteers.

Mr. Johnson added: "In a sense, fund raising is an ongoing process. Those people who were not able to make a pledge can call us or drop by our offices this week at 7 Par-la-Ville Road.'' NEW VENUE FOR YOUTH CLB CRI New venue for youth With the help of a local bank, St. George's Cricket Club will add a new venue for neighbourhood youth to have smoke and alcohol-free fun.

The Bank of Bermuda's Charitable Trust announced this week that it had agreed to sponsor the renovation of a recreation room for young people between seven and 18-years old.

The room is expected to be complete in October and it is expected to be popular in the afternoon between 3.30 and 5 p.m. when soccer and cricket practice begins.

The recreation room will have table tennis, board games, and video games and will complement an after school programme which will be introduced in the near future.

Club president Louis (Red) DeSilva said: "We are truly grateful to the Bank of Bermuda for this wonderful opportunity for the youth of St. George's.

Trust manager at the Bank of Bermuda, David Lang said the bank was "delighted'' to support the initiative.

He added: "It is important that young people have a safe and supervised environment in which to play after school.'' HAPPY WITH GUARD VIP Happy with guard US Consul General Robert Farmer has advertised for a new security guard.

But he is not unhappy with his present patrolman -- he just has to re-advertise the contract because of Bermuda laws.

Consulate spokesman Bruce Berton explained the advert, which appeared in The Royal Gazette , had come at the end of a five-year contract with International Security and Investigations, run by Carlton Crockwell.

He added: "The existing company can bid again and in fact we have encouraged it.

"We have taken up all our options on the old contract and now we are obliged to advertise again to re-open the tender.'' The Consul General's advert said his office required guard services to "protect life, maintain order, deter criminal attacks against employees and visitors and to prevent unauthorised access and damage to US government property''.

Interested applicants with advanced security training and experience should call 295 3142 to bid for the contract.