CISD WORKING TO REACTIVATE DARE PROGRAM

Fund-raising for Canyon's Drug Abuse Resistance Education program
continues, but the district has reserved enough money to bring the program
back to the Randall County schools.

The program was funded jointly by Canyon Independent School District and
the sheriff's office, but Randall County budget cuts after the rollback
election forced the sheriff's department to remove funding. Since then, the
district and the sheriff's office have been looking for ways to fund the
program.

A preliminary CISD budget report presented Thursday included $48,500 for
the DARE program.

"The district ensured it (DARE) is going to happen by putting it in our
budget," said CISD Superintendent James Veitenheimer.

Last year, funding was split between the district and the sheriff's
department, and Veitenheimer said he expects both to put money into the
program for the upcoming year.

The sheriff's department has raised more than $10,000 for the DARE program
and will continue to take donations for tickets to a Wednesday drawing,
said Capt. Roger Short.

"We had to do something, and we didn't know what else to do," Short said
about the drawing.

For a $1 donation people get a chance to win several prizes including a
John Deere lawn mower, two super beef packs from Edes Meat, a Miami
Dolphins jersey and football signed by Zach Thomas, a one-day fishing trip,
two grills and a one-year membership to Zach's Club 54.

Tickets will be available all day Wednesday at the DARE booth on the Canyon
square. The winning names will be drawn at 8 p.m. at Conner Park.

Short said the community has been supportive of DARE through donations of
money and verbal endorsements of the program.

"I've heard over and over again that people don't want to see it go," he said.

Any money raised will be used to bring the program back, but Short said
funding will be needed for this year and next.

"We're looking at funding the program not just for one year, but two years,
till the county can get back on its feet," he said.

DARE has come under attack for the high cost and lack of proof of its
effectiveness, but Short has no doubts about the program.

"The cost is nothing compared to what it costs if we lost one of those kids
and they'd have to get rehabbed off drugs or if one goes off and commits a
crime and gets arrested," he said.

The $48,500 would cover the full program for CISD schools outside the city
of Canyon.

Schools in the city limits are served by Canyon Police Department.

The district will pay $17,446 to Canyon PD for the DARE program in those
schools.

The CISD Education Foundation is also involved in fund-raising. The group
took up the cause shortly after hearing the program was in jeopardy.

The group has raised about $10,000 and is still seeking larger donations
from local businesses.