D.A.R.E.

DARE Officer Thanks Community

For several years the Fulton Police Department has provided the DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program to fifth graders in Fulton's elementary schools. DARE is a national drug awareness program. The implementation of this program would not be possible without the assistance and support of many people. Special thanks to the Fulton School District and particularly, the fifth grade teachers for fitting DARE into their day. The lessons that I teach in these classes address the dangers of drugs, alcohol and tobacco and also give students strategies to resist peer pressure and other challenges.

At the end of this ten week program we celebrate the students achievement with a graduation ceremony at each elementary school. I would like to thanks Mimi's Drive In for providing beverages and Price Chopper for providing the cakes for these ceremonies.

This past weekend we held a DARE Dance where fifth grade graduates from each of the elementary schools came together and celebrated with a disc jockey from Whirlin' Disc DJ's, and food, drinks, door prizes and more! I am grateful to all of the chaperones who helped that evening - you made the dance safe and enjoyable for all! I did not have an opportunity to thank many of you that night, but I very much appreciate your help. I would also like to thank the Fulton Rotary Club which donated brand new bicycles which were given out as door prizes - Pizza Hut provided gift certificates as door prizes, too. Special thanks also to the Fulton Police Benevolent Association and Fulton Professional Firefighter's Association for their kind donations which provided food and refreshments for this special celebration, and to Jerry Schremp and his staff at the War Memorial for the arrangements and setup at the War Memorial. I look forward to teaching the DARE program in years to come and to working with the fine teachers and staff of the Fulton City School District.

Officer Lennet C. Whitmore
DARE Officer
Fulton Police Department

LANIGAN ELEM. SCHOOL
FROM LEFT: AMELIA COAKLEY (GRAND PRIZE), ANGEL HERNANDEZ, RACHEAL EVANS

ABOVE: JULIA LUDINGTON, SHIANE COOK
BELOW: KARI HOLBROOK (GRAND PRIZE WINNER),SERENA FROST

ABOVE: TIEYERRAH CONLEY (GRAND PRIZE WINNER), JESSICA ABELGORE
BELOW: ABIGAIL SHATRAU, KEISHA PIERCE

Fulton Police have been providing the D.A.R.E program in Fulton City Schools for several years now with the assistance and cooperation of Fulton City Schools, the Oswego City-County Youth Bureau, New York State Office of Child and Family Services, and tremendous assistance from a number of civic groups and individuals throughout our community. D.A.R.E. not only provides lessons in the areas noted above, it also provides the police an opportunity to interact with our youth. Students get to know a police officer and how they do their job. The D.A.R.E. program consists of a 10 week program. Each week, a police officer meets with a class where they review a weekly lesson and usually a homework assignment. At the end of the year, Fulton Police host a D.A.R.E. Dance at the War Memorial in Fulton. This has turned in to a huge event with a disc jockey, food, prizes and more!