DARE PROGRAM IN JEOPARDY

Every year, profits from the Police & Elks Assisted Community
Education (PEACE) 100 go to support the provincial Drug Abuse
Resistance Education (DARE) program.

"It is a 10-lesson program that educates about drug, alcohol, and
tobacco abuse," explains Const. Garnet Waldbauer, a Nipawin DARE officer.

Kids are taught the skills to recognize and resist both peer pressure
and other pressures that might influence them into making bad choices.

This program is taught by trained RCMP officers to all Grade 6
classes in both Nipawin and many other communities throughout the
province. We currently have three DARE officers in Nipawin but since
they get transferred around, there is never a guarantee of how many,
if any, will be here at any given time.

DARE started in 1983 with 10 police officers from Los Angeles, Calif.
They recognized that the best time to deal with drug and alcohol
abuse is before it starts.

"It has caught on in Canada and is getting bigger and bigger all of
the time," said Waldbauer. "It's a very worthwhile program for the
kids, they really seem to enjoy it."

The Elks Clubs sponsor all of the DARE programs in Saskatchewan. This
is necessary to buy books and supplies for the kids. If the PEACE 100
stops running, we might just lose this opportunity to save a child
from the ravages and pain that drug abuse can bring.

"PEACE 100 is the main fundraiser," Waldbauer explains, "if it dies
it is going to be tough to keep the program going unless we find some
other sources of cash."

RCMP Officers get involved with the rally by riding in it, helping to
set up the course, volunteering for such things as helping out at the
cook shack, and promoting it.

The bulk of the work however lies with the Elks Club and if no one
steps up to take over, the program will shut down.

Eugene Rawlyk is the only original founding member left working on
the PEACE 100. He has been looking for someone to take it over for a
few years now.

This was going to be Rawlyk's last year, but Glen Shane a friend of
25 years talked him into changing his mind. Shane is an Elks member
from Coronach, Sask. that has rode in every rally but one, and the
only reason he missed that one is because his son got married that
day. Next year, Shane is going to be the Provincial President of the
Elks."He said to me 'Gene, I've been a loyal rider and the year I'm
going to be the president you guys are not going to have it'. So I
wrote into the Elks magazine and said that I was going to do it for
another year because I hate to see a grown man cry," laughs Rawlyk.

Pete Moisan is the general chairman of the rally. He looks after
things such as the banquet and dance. Although it takes about 12
people to put the rally together, according to Moisan, Rawlyk does
the brunt of the work. "Eugene is the big pusher behind it all,"
claims Moisan.

Rawlyk looks after things like getting the prizes, distributing the
tickets and the draw. There is a lot involved with preparations
starting in August.

"Before you can get a permit from the gaming commission you have to
buy all of the prizes," Rawlyk explains. "Then you have to send in
all of the invoices with your application for the lottery."

The PEACE 100 started 17 years ago after the Elks members found out
that once again, they did not get accepted to sponsor the Sask. 100.
They had been trying for a few years and were always told 'next year'.

"Glen Day, who was Deputy Mayor at the time, said 'why do you need a
Sask. 100, we have snow, trails, and hotels. Why don't you guys have
one,'" tells Rawlyk. "That was the day we decided to do it."

At the time, the RCMP had a Police Assisted Community Education
(PACE) program, so the organization contacted them and an officer
from Regina came to talk about it.

Although they advertised for a rally name for weeks, nothing they
liked was ever submitted. One day while sitting around the club, they
came up with the idea of adding an "E" for Elks to the name the
police already had and the PEACE 100 was born!

"But I'm getting too old for this, its time for someone else to take
over the reins," said Rawlyk. "It will break my heart if it has to
quit."

What are needed are some new Elks members. Someone younger, to step
up and take the plate. Unfortunately, people are busy with raising
families and don't always have time for such things. But it is the
children of those families who will benefit from the program.