tonight's telethon fighting substance abuse in Bermuda.

The telethon will air from 8 p.m. to midnight on ZBM and will feature live interviews, mini-documentaries, story-telling and entertainment.

The Council Partners Charitable Trust (CPCT) and the six agencies they fund -- including the Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse (CADA) and Parent Resource Institute for Drug Addiction (PRIDE) -- battle substance abuse on Island.

The telethon is meant to build awareness of the alcohol and drug abuse services available in Bermuda and get the public involved.

Premier Pamela Gordon will open the programme with the presentation of the Jerry Griffiths Memorial Award -- honouring a member of the community for making an outstanding contribution to the war on drugs.

Opposition Leader Jennifer Smith, NLP Chairman Charles Jeffers and Deputy Premier Jerome Dill are expected to participate in a ten-minute panel discussion at the programme's halfway mark.

And the entertainment line-up includes Shine Hayward, Patricia Pogson's PRIDE performance team, the Island Steel Band and magician Mr. Slick.

Artist Jason Jones will create a painting during the course of the telethon to be auctioned off later in the evening.

And two cedar sculptures donated by inmates from the Prison Farm and Westgate will also be auctioned off.

CPCT Executive Director Gordon Johnson stated: "We know the stories being told tonight will touch people's lives...we want to invite people to be part of the solution to substance abuse -- to invite them to give.'' DRUGS DGS