COMMUNITY - D.A.R.E. SOCIETY SEEKING COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE

The DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) Works Foothills Society
invites interested members of the public to attend its Annual General
Meeting on Monday, Nov. 22 at 7 pm in the boardroom of the RCMP
detachment in Okotoks.

The DARE Works Society has operated in the Foothills since 1998 and
annually serves students in 14 schools across nine Foothills
communities. It works in partnership with the RCMP detachments in
Turner Valley, Okotoks and High River to deliver the DARE program to
over 1,100 Grade 6 and Grade 8 students in the MD. Through the efforts
of the society, the Foothills School Division is the only school
division in Canada to offer the DARE program to all Grade 6 and 8 students.

The DARE program is a 10-12 lesson prevention and life skills program
aimed at youth in the 11-to-15 year age bracket. It is delivered by
specially trained police officers who provide students with credible
information about the consequences of substance use, violence and
vandalism. DARE officers teach students the skills they need for
resisting peer pressure and they provide information about positive
activities students can engage in as alternatives to vandalism,
abusing alcohol, tobacco or drugs.

Continued delivery of the program is made possible by on-going funding
from the Foothills School Division, six municipalities and
Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School.

The society is the recipient of proceeds from the annual High
River/Okotoks RCMP Charity Golf Tournament and receives donations from
community-minded businesses and individuals as well as grants from
various funding agencies.

"Fundraising is always a challenge," said Wayne Meikle, president of
DARE Works Foothills Society.

He notes that "The generosity of the community and the variety of
donors reflects the society's motto -- `It takes a whole community to
raise a child.'"

The DARE Works Foothills Society welcomes members of the public to
join them and are hoping for a great turn-out at their annual meeting.