COMMUNITY RALLIES IN SUPPORT OF GROVER DARE VEHICLE

17 Local Businesses Offer Donations For Anti-Drug Program

"Wow," 12-year-old Robert Dumdie said Thursday after the Grover Heights
Elementary student got his first close-up look at the new Grover Beach
Police DARE vehicle.

With red upholstery and lettering and shiny black exterior paint, "it
really stands out. It really says 'DARE,'" he said about the 1985 Chevy S10
Blazer that city businesses donated and restored.

Tommy Fondren, 11, was impressed by the Drug Abuse Resistance Education
lion painted on the side of the Blazer.

"It looks like he's mad at drugs," Tommy said, pointing to the look and
posture of the lion symbol for the anti-drug education program the police
offer city schools.

Grover Police Officer Cheryl Locarnini, who led the drive for the vehicle,
said 17 businesses, mostly from the South County, contributed to the project.

Locarnini, who has been a Grover policewoman for 21/2 years and the DARE
officer since January, wasn't sure of the value of all the donations.

Jody Faulkner, who donated the Blazer through his Coastal Breeze
Enterprises business, said the vehicle's value was $3,000 to $4,000.

"But that's not really the important part," he said. "All the merchants
chipped in. That is what is really nice."

Mike Fielder, co-owner of Sierra Body Shop, said his firm provided body
work and the spiffy paint job because "it was a public service."

Derril Pilkington of the Arroyo Grande Valley Car Club said he got involved
in the project for another city because he was asked and saw a need.

"Citizenship has no boundaries. Friendship has no boundaries. When someone
needs help, we should give them a hand," the Arroyo Grande resident said.

Locarnini, who lives in Orcutt, said, "Each and every business did a
fantastic job."

Driving the Blazer will make her weekly arrivals at Grover Heights, Grover
Elementary and North Oceano Elementary schools even more noticeable, she said.

Sixth-graders already run up to hug her when she arrives to teach a 17-week
class on self-esteem, resisting peer pressure, giving compliments, saying
no and dealing with stress.

"She's the bomb. She is really cool," sixth-grader Robert Dumdie said of
Locarnini, who worked for Wells Fargo as a teller, loan officer and
supervisor, but had wanted to be a policewoman for 17 years.

When her branch closed, she discussed the career shift with her husband and
entered the Allan Hancock College Police Academy.

Locarnini, whose two teen-age daughters graduated from a DARE class, jumped
at the job when it opened in Grover. "I love to be around the kids" and
really believe in DARE, she said.

Grover never had a DARE vehicle, she said, explaining that a former Fire
Department Jeep had been donated but never fixed up since it would have
been a huge project.

When Police Commander Oscar Campbell authorized acquiring a DARE vehicle,
Locarnini started the project in August.

"We got a lot done in a few months thanks to all the businesses," she said,
noting it will give the city's DARE program a visible presence at community
events.

She was particularly pleased with an offer from Sierra Body Shop to detail
the car, making it look all shiny and new, whenever it was going to be on
display.

On Saturday, the DARE Blazer will lead Grover Beach's 33rd annual Christmas
parade down Grand Avenue starting at 10 a.m.

After the parade, the Blazer will be on display at the Ramona Garden Park.
Barbecued tri-tip sandwiches will be provided to the businesses sponsoring
the Blazer.

The public can buy sandwiches for $4 with the proceeds going to the Grover
Beach Elementary School sixth-grade science class.

For more details about the DARE program, call 473-4511.

Jerry Bunin covers the South County for The Tribune. Story ideas and news
tips can be e-mailed to him at jbunin@thetribunenews.com or phoned to
781-7935.