BUSINESSES DONATE PICKUP FOR DARE PROGRAM

For over a year now, School Resource Officer Joann Padia with the
Lamar Police Department has been looking for a pickup truck that could
be used for the many activities held for the D.A.R.E. (Drug, Abuse,
Resistance, Education) Program, Project Alert in the Lamar Schools and
the community resource programs that she heads.

Throughout that time she has gone to local car dealerships in the
community looking for such a vehicle. She learned just recently that
Jeff Travis, of Tri-County Ford had found her a pickup that he would
donate to the program. A 1985 Ford F-150.

According to Padia now that she has the pickup when the 2004-2005
school year starts again in August she will present the high school
and middle school students with a competition to design the paint
scheme for the truck. The Lamar Police Department officers will judge
the schemes and the final winner(s) will be chosen by Chief Hall and
Paul's Body Shop, who has donated a paint job for the pickup.

Pictured, Lamar Police Department School Resource Officer JoAnn Padia,
Jeff Travis of Tri-County, Don Woller of Woller Auto Parts and Chief
John Hall of the LPD stand by the truck which Travis donated to the
LPD to be used for D.A.R.E., Project Acquire and community programs
which Officer Padia heads. Photo by Verna McDowell

In addition several other businesses have also donated items and other
things to get the pickup truck including NAPA who will donate the
paint, Cliff Warren the interior and upholstery, Deloach's Tires will
donated tires and rims, Woller Auto Parts will donate parts and
mechanic work, Central Alignment will donate alignments, JR's Country
Store will donate $75, and Checkers Auto Parts, J&S Graphic Designs
will donate whatever else is needed.

According to Padia, those who donated items, the winner(s) of the
paint scheme and what they donated will be listed on the tailgate of
the pickup.

Padia hopes to have the pickup ready by the end of the year if not
sooner.

The D.A.R.E. Program was started in Lamar Schools in 1993 and Project
Alert in 2001. The programs teach students about the importance of
remaining drug free, and how to resist drugs or other substances among
other things.

Anyone interested in donating to the project can call Officer Padia at
the Lamar Police Department.