Pubdate: Fri, 07 Jun 2002
Source: Connection, The (CN ON)
Website: http://www.simcoe.com/sc/collingwood/
Address: 25 Second Street, Collingwood, Ontario L9Y 1E4
Contact:  2002 The Connection
Fax: (705)444-1876
Author: Bruce Hain
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/dare.htm (D.A.R.E.)

DARE TO BE DIFFERENT

Those words have a special significance for Ray Elsley, owner of Park Motor 
Sales in Wasaga Beach.

Last Friday morning, Elsley presented the Huronia West detachment of the 
Ontario Provincial Police with a nearly new Ford Explorer. The vehicle will 
be used by officers teaching local schoolkids how to "say no" to drugs and 
violence.

"We were in the process of trying to obtain a vehicle for the D.A.R.E. 
(Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program," said Constable Stew Davidson of 
the Huronia West OPP detachment, who teaches the 17-week course in area 
schools.

"Our friend down the road (Elsley) got wind of it, and he was able to 
supply a travelling billboard for D.A.R.E."

The Explorer will be used exclusively for D.A.R.E., and will visit special 
community events in the Wasaga Beach region to help publicize the program.

"We are absolutely overjoyed over the donation," Davidson stated. "It's 
rare when you see such responsible corporate support. I can't think of 
anything better we can do to steer kids away from drugs and violence, and 
this van will help us do it."

For his part, Elsley is pleased to be making a contribution to the 
community he's set up shop in.

"It's sort of two-fold," he said of the donation. "My former partner, 
Walter Dixon, had been a big supporter of the police, and I had worked for 
him for seven years, then moved on.

"I thought opening a car dealership (in Wasaga Beach) was a good idea," 
Elsley said. "But Wasaga Beach, for a business person, is a tough place to 
open up and sell big-ticket items. I've invested a lot in the dealership 
and we're here for the long-term - I just wanted to validate our dealership."

The timing of the gift was very appropriate, too.

"June 1 is our anniversary," he added. "The Explorer is our gift to the 
town. I think the D.A.R.E. program is great - we all know people who got 
messed up (with drugs.)"

Davidson said the vehicle "is an investment not only in kids' futures, but 
Wasaga Beach. The Explorer will see and turn out 1,000 D.A.R.E. graduates a 
year. Literally, hundreds of thousands of people will see the van at 
special events.

"The program is truly a partnership of the community, police and schools," 
he added. "Kids will see it (the Explorer), parents will see it - it's a 
huge assistance and it's the pride of the streets now."
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MAP posted-by: Beth