Caption: Eastland HoldsBY JUDITH FRUTIGFree Press Staff WriterThey're out at Eastland Shopping Center every day, 3,000 with little to do but roam around, exchange drugs occasionally, and sometimes shoplift.For the merchants, these drifters can be an expensive nuisance, and this week the Eastland Center promotion office decided to do something about them.THE RESULT: "Great Guys Week," a first-of-a-kind promotion intended not to attract throngs of shoppers, but to entertain the young people who are already there.The promotion was planned to run five days, Monday through Friday, with offerings like basketball clinics and career booths for consultation, arts and crafts shows for browsing and buying, and music to pack the Grand Court by."We want the kids around here to have something to do," said Eastland Promotion Director Fran Zale earlier this week, "To get involved and interested instead of wasting time and getting into trouble."Besides, it keeps them off the streets."To make everybody happy, Eastland has spent approximately $5,000, but it hasn't worked out as well as expected.MONDAY AND Tuesday it rained, forcing a cancellation of basketball clinics and free concerts, scheduled for an outdoor area.And the information booths planned for the mall didn't all materialize."We invited groups like Synanon and NARCO," said a disappointed Fran Zale. "They're always saying they want to help people avoid drug problems."We offered them free space where they could get out of the..Please turn to Page 5A, Col. 3.
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