DARE

Plans to bring D.A.R.E. to Le Mars began in the summer of 1995. Then Chief of Police, Casey Stengel, was looking for a program that would help Law Enforcement get involved with the kids of our community in an educational and friendly way instead of in a court room when one of the children would be in trouble. Chief Stengel retired before the program started but the present Chief of Police, Stuart Dekkenga, saw the potential for the D.A.R.E. program. Working with the schools, a plan was made for the implementation of the program and Senior Officer Jay King was sent to D.A.R.E. Officer Training held by D.A.R.E. Iowa. Officer King has said that the training provided turned out to be the best training he has ever received in his 20 years in Law Enforcement.

The D.A.R.E. core program first entered the schools in the fall of 1996 with 230 5th grade students participating. The program was well received by the children and teachers alike. The teachers and counselors in the schools provide the D.A.R.E. Officer with advice and techniques for reaching the children and reinforce the lessons that the D.A.R.E. Officer teaches.

The D.A.R.E. program is now set to begin its third year in Le Mars. It has expanded from just classroom lessons to include many positive alternative activities for the children. The children can participate in swimming parties, rallys, poster contests, pizza parties and a chance to take a trip to Adventureland in the summer. D.A.R.E. Le Mars also hopes to expand its programs by introducing a D.A.R.E. Parent Class in the future.

D.A.R.E. Le Mars would not be possible if not for the people of Le Mars. Every year businesses and citizens reach into their pockets and donate to the program. Without their generosity there would be no program.

A special thanks needs to go to Shari Sitzmann. Shari is a one woman army who during the year takes care of the fund raising and the bill paying. Shari has been involved in D.A.R.E. Le Mars since it was created. She works non stop to help make sure that the program has what it needs to help reach the children of our community to help stop the Abuse of Tobacco, Alcohol, Marijuana and other drugs.


	Drug Abuse Resistance Education
	Plans to bring D.A.R.E. to Le Mars began in the summer of 1995. Then Chief of Police, Casey Stengel, was looking for a program that would help Law Enforcement get involved with the kids of our community in an educational and friendly way instead of in a court room when one of the children would be in trouble. Chief Stengel retired before the program started but the present Chief of Police, Stuart Dekkenga, saw the potential for the D.A.R.E. program. Working with the schools, a plan was made for the implementation of the program and Senior Officer Jay King was sent to D.A.R.E. Officer Training held by D.A.R.E. Iowa. Officer King has said that the training provided turned out to be the best training he has ever received in his 20 years in Law Enforcement. The D.A.R.E. core program first entered the schools in the fall of 1996 with 230 5th grade students participating. The program was well received by the children and teachers alike. The teachers and counselors in the schools provide the D.A.R.E. Officer with advice and techniques for reaching the children and reinforce the lessons that the D.A.R.E. Officer teaches. The D.A.R.E. program is now set to begin its third year in Le Mars. It has expanded from just classroom lessons to include many positive alternative activities for the children. The children can participate in swimming parties, rallys, poster contests, pizza parties and a chance to take a trip to Adventureland in the summer. D.A.R.E. Le Mars also hopes to expand its programs by introducing a D.A.R.E. Parent Class in the future. D.A.R.E. Le Mars would not be possible if not for the people of Le Mars. Every year businesses and citizens reach into their pockets and donate to the program. Without their generosity there would be no program. A special thanks needs to go to Shari Sitzmann. Shari is a one woman army who during the year takes care of the fund raising and the bill paying. Shari has been involved in D.A.R.E. Le Mars since it was created. She works non stop to help make sure that the program has what it needs to help reach the children of our community to help stop the Abuse of Tobacco, Alcohol, Marijuana and other drugs.