Pubdate: Wed, 15 May 2002
Source: Lake Country Calendar (CN BC)
Website: http://www.lakecountrynews.net
Address: #3-3370 Beaver lake Rd.,Winfield, B.C., V4V 1S7
Contact:  2002 Lake Country News
Fax: (250) 766-4645
Author: Dan Odenbach
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/dare.htm (D.A.R.E.)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

OYAMA ELEMENTARY CELEBRATES DARE PROGRAM

Despite having less RCMP officials on hand than expected, Oyama 
Elementary's Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) graduation went off 
quite well. Last week's kidnapping in Merritt apparently drew some 
scheduled RCMP members to the Nicola Valley.

Constable Scott West, the local DARE coordinator, says there's usually a 
change in DARE graduate's perception of the program from when they start to 
when they complete it.

"They start warming up to you after they realize I'm not there to tell them 
this or that," said West.

Toni Bailey is one of the 29 recent Oyama DARE grads. "I thought it was a 
good thing for people not to take drugs. At first, I didn't want to but now 
I really don't want to.

"I thought it would be all talking about drugs, but Constable West made it 
fun. We didn't just sit there."

Oyama Principal Doreen Stevenson is pleased with her first DARE program. 
"This was my first experience with the DARE program and I'm really 
impressed by it. And we're all here to celebrate with them," said Stevenson.

To highlight the program, students held four skits, which outlined the 
eight ways to say 'no' to drugs or alcohol.

DARE grads include Bailey, Jesse Andres, Cheyenne Brooks, Sara Chopek, 
Carly Derbyshire, Sony Dhaliwal, Cal Duncan, Jeremy Guenther, Darby Haber, 
Justin Idler, Mike Kauffman, Lindsay Ley, Jessica MacDonnell, Christopher 
Mason, Dylan McCullough, Erik Neuhaus, Angus Powell, Aaron Schmidt, Brad 
Sloan, Brooke Sproule, Chase Sye, Dylan Thomas, Emily Thomason, Elissa 
Thompson, Dyllan Walraven, Delby Ward, Michael Warkentin, Colton Whitesel 
and Mikey Wickstrom.

Supporters of the Oyama DARE program are the Oyama PAC, Coopers, A&W, 
District of Lake Country, Harmony Honda, Kendall Penty & Co., Lake Country 
Chamber of Commerce, Judy Hodson, Okanagan Beverage Corp., Rotary Club of 
Lake Country, Sun Rype, UBR Services, United Carpet, Winfield Flowers, 
Winfield Lion's Club, Gatzke Orchards and the Calendar.

Principal Doreen Stevenson hands out DARE shirts to the graduates who later 
waited patiently at the front of the gymnasium.
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MAP posted-by: Beth