One of the problems Weed and Seed communities often have in developing community revitalization programs is attracting members of the targeted communities to share their thoughts.

Tom Hyson, deputy director of Pennsylvania Weed and Seed, said at a recent meeting of the anti-drug coalition ERASE that food was an excellent enticement in Lancaster, where he is from.

With pizza and cookies aplenty -- and raffle prizes such as a compact disc player and a digital video disc player -- Farrell/Sharon Weed and Seed and its main sponsoring agency, Endorse Resistance of All Substance Abuse Everywhere, hosted a meeting Monday that likely will be one of many as Weed and Seed develops programs to improve parts of the cities.

With the meeting's dual purpose of drumming up support and ideas for Weed and Seed and ERASE, officials from each side were given an opportunity to speak, but their goals often were similar.

Jacqueline Glenn, ERASE block captain for the 900 block of Hamilton Avenue, Farrell, said she is making sure her ideas are incorporated in Weed and Seed by stating them at every opportunity.

"I have wonderful ideas for the 900 block of Hamilton," she said. "I'm at every meeting telling them. They're not going to forget the 900 block of Hamilton."

Assistant District Attorney Robert Kochems, law enforcement coordinator for Weed and Seed, said public input at meetings of the public safety committee have been eye-opening.

He said one simple suggestion someone had about a troublesome block was to install a street light at the corner, which would deter drug dealers from congregating there.

"It's not something I would think of because it's not my orientation," Kochems said. "I come from arresting people."

Kochems added that although Weed and Seed pays for special police details, undercover drug investigations and other law enforcement efforts that local departments could not do on their own, the idea is to start programs that lessen the burden on police to deal with a community's problems.

"My part of the program we want to go away," he said.

ERASE block captains talked about their visions for their streets, and often their hopes were very simple, such as planting trees and cleaning up garbage.

"We can clean up Farrell block by block," Ms. Glenn said.

Surveys that attendees were asked to fill out gauged respondents' willingness to participate in ERASE and Weed and Seed and asked questions about their health and health-care needs, available modes of transportation, use of community services, opinions of public officials and police, and what community programs they would like for themselves or their children.

Adrienne Gordon, who will write the community revitalization plan, said that although Weed and Seed is a state program, "The state is not going to come in and make something wonderful for you."

"It's up to you build it up like we want it," said ERASE coordinator Yolanda Cooper.