RED RIBBON WEEK

The Beaver Dam Police Department and Beaver Dam Elks Lodge 1540 have
joined together to inform area children about the dangers of drugs as
part of Red Ribbon Week.

Red Ribbon Week was implemented in 1985 by the National Federation of
Parents for Drug Free Youth and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
It is celebrated every year from Oct. 23 to 31. Since next week is
shortened for Beaver Dam students, the drug awareness event began
Tuesday with a visit to Prairie View Elementary School.

Beaver Dam Police officer Ryan Klavekoske spoke to the fourth-and
fifth-grade students before they went out to the Wisconsin Elk's drug
trailer to choose from pamphlets about the dangers of drugs, pencils
and other items. Members of the Elks manned the trailer while officer
Richard Dahl showed one of the department's squad cars.

Klavekoske asked the students how many of them have heard of drugs in
the past and what affect drugs would have on a person using them. The
students responded that they could make someone dizzy, feel sick,
burn brain cells or even make them die.

Klavekoske asked them if they can have fun with their friends without
using drugs or alcohol. The kids responded that they do have fun
without alcohol.

He warned the students that they may be faced with a friend who may
offer them drugs in the future. "What kind of friend would make
someone do something that they don't want to do," Klavekoske said.
"You can have fun without doing drugs."

Klavekoske asked the students what they could do in such a situation.
Some of the students responded that they could say that their parents
do not want them to do drugs or tell a police officer about the
friend offering the drugs.

It's not only illegal drugs that the students have to look out for,
Klavekoske said. At their age, both cigarettes and alcohol are
illegal as well. "Cigarettes can kill you," Klavekoske said. "They
may not kill you right away but they can kill you." In addition,
cigarettes can make it harder to breathe and move around and
eventually cause cancer, Klavekoske said.

Illegal drugs and drugs that are legal for adults all have addictive
properties, Klavekoske said. Someone who does cocaine the first time
may become addicted to it.

"We want to be ourselves," Klavekoske said.

Drugs and alcohol make it hard to make decisions that parents,
friends or the individuals can be proud of, he said.

"There is nothing wrong with saying no," Klavekoske said. "Something
feels good about making a good decision."

Klavekoske will be talking to students to upper grade school students
at Jefferson and Trenton elementary schools on Friday and Washington
Elementary School on Tuesday. He will be talking to the student body
at Beaver Dam Middle School on Oct. 25. The drug trailer will not be
available at Jefferson Elementary School.