Fun Fall fundraising festival for D.A.R.E.
October 3, 2017
Law enforcement and community leaders gearing up for DARESCREAM 2017
By Sheriff Leon Lott
The DRUG ABUSE RESISTANCE EDUCATION (D.A.R.E.) program is arguably one the most effective and mutually beneficent law-enforcement-community initiatives ever conceived. But in 2003, the then-Governor of South Carolina stopped the state support of D.A.R.E. The program was destined to end in S.C. But parents, teachers, and kids wanted the program to continue.
That was nearly 15 years ago.
Today, thanks to a near-herculean effort on the part of the men and women of the Richland County Sheriff’s Dept. (RCSD), other agencies and key stakeholders (including parents, principals, school superintendents, business leaders and others) in this proven program, D.A.R.E. continues to educate young people and build critical rapport between law enforcement and our youth and communities.
WHAT IS D.A.R.E.?
A multi-week education program aimed at deterring youth from drug use, gang activity, and related violence; D.A.R.E. was founded by the Los Angeles Police Dept. in 1983, and it was deemed so successful that other law enforcement agencies began establishing D.A.R.E. programs in schools around the country.
Today the D.A.R.E. curriculum is taught in classrooms by specially trained law-enforcement officers in all 50 states. According to D.A.R.E.’s website, “15,000-plus D.A.R.E. officers and deputies are in over 10,000 communities nationwide educating America’s youth and serving as the first line of defense in America’s schools.” Moreover, D.A.R.E. has been introduced into classrooms in nearly 50 countries around the world.
D.A.R.E. is in most elementary schools throughout Richland County. It is growing in the middle schools, and we have high expectations for the newly released D.A.R.E. high school programs. And RCSD has become the home of the D.A.R.E. Training Center for all of the Palmetto State.
D.A.R.E. is not simply important; It’s essential. I recognized the value of this program early on, and refused to allow it to slip into the oblivion of great ideas unrealized. I knew we couldn’t abandon D.A.R.E. We all know this today, and it continues to exist at no financial cost to our communities.
How do we support this vital effort? DARESCREAM is but one way.
DARESCREAM 2017
A unique Fall festival of sorts in the heart of Forest Acres’ business district (Forest Park Shopping Center to be exact), DARESCREAM is a community-oriented, family friendly fundraiser held annually to support the D.A.R.E. program here in S.C.
DARESCREAM started as joint effort between the superintendents from Richland County’s three school districts – Richland One’s Dr. Craig Witherspoon, Richland Two’s Dr. Baron Davis, Lexington/Richland District Five’s Dr. Stephen Hefner – many principals, Spears Westbrook of Baskin Robbin’s on Forest Drive in Columbia, and myself.
Last year, Groucho’s Deli and the Forest Acres Restaurant and Merchant Association joined us. Parents, children, law enforcement, school personnel, and the business sector have all since come together in an environment conducive to true community bridge-building.
Last year’s DARESCREAM was a huge success. This year’s DARESCREAM – to be held Oct. 5 from 2:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. – will be no exception.
FOREST ACRES FALL FESTIVAL FOR D.A.R.E.
Allow me to share a few of the fun activities DARESCREAM offers.
First, our friends at Baskin Robbins will sell ice cream cones for $1.50, and area school principals will participate in an ice cream “clown cone” contest with Baskin Robbins staff members and surprise celebrities serving as judges.
What else? We will have a bounce house and obstacle course from Little Party People. There will be lots of great food vendors, face painting, a bicycle safety course, D.A.R.E. poster contests for 5th grade and 7th grade D.A.R.E. students, a kids’ identification program, Capital Karate demonstrations and other surprises. There will be static displays of police vehicles, a D.A.R.E. truck, and an RCSD helicopter. The RCSD mounted horse patrol also will be on hand as will celebrity deputies seen on A&E’s hit television series, LIVE PD, and others.
That’s not all. The rock band, “Thunder Pigs,” will perform as will the Capital City Shag Club, which will also offer dance lessons. And Tripp Miller of Soccer Plus – an official with S.C. United Football – will clock participants on how fast they can kick a soccer ball (speed detected by radar).
We don’t want you to miss it, and we don’t want to miss seeing you. So I urge everyone – students, families, and friends of all – to join Spears Westbrook of Baskin Robbins, Drew Hampton of Groucho’s, the Forest Acres Police Dept., School Resource Officers and D.A.R.E. instructors from the City of Columbia Police Dept., the Chester County Sheriff’s Dept., RCSD and me at DARESCREAM 2017.
This will be a truly fun way to support our communities’ vital D.A.R.E. programs, ensuring a brighter future for all.
– For more information about the Richland County Sheriff’s Dept., please visit http://rcsd.net.
