HAVING A BALL

Thousands Of Program Grads Join The Chiefs For Some Hard-Hitting Fun

A procession of yellow school buses circled O'Brien Field on Tuesday
morning, trying to find the closest place to park in the rain.

But once they pulled in, thousands of excited central Illinois schoolkids
flew into the stadium, skipping and cartwheeling through the puddles.

They came to celebrate graduating from DARE, arguably the country's most
intense childhood drug prevention program, which teaches kids about
substance abuse and resistance skills, at the 18th annual Peoria Chiefs'
DARE Day.

"I learned the consequences of what drugs can do to your body," said
11-year-old Alan Weisser, a fifth-grader at Norwood Grade School, as he
waited to get his ticket checked at the gate.

More than 5,000 students from nearly 65 schools came to see the Chiefs take
on the West Michigan Whitecaps. The contest was delayed a half-hour because
of rain.

Alan and his classmates completed 17 weeks of Drug Abuse Resistance
Education in December.

"They've been waiting for a long time," said his teacher, Kelly Wroblewski.

Inside the stadium, a roar of little voices filled the concourse as kids
played tag, waved foam fingers and swung the free blow-up bats they got at
the door.

And a dozen kids huddled around Rally, the Chiefs' mascot, for his autograph.

Elizabeth Stufflebeam, an 11-year-old fifth-grader from Cuba, said she was
waiting to get a ball signed just "for the fun of it."

Former Chiefs owner Pete Vonachen comes out every year just to see the kids
having fun.

"The important thing about the whole event is taking a break from the
classroom and coming out here to enjoy a game," Vonachen said. "I love the
kids. They're what it's all about."

Box office manager Ryan Sivori said he's seen the event grow since he
joined the Chiefs in 2000.

"It's to reward the kids in DARE. It's a yearly tradition," he said. The
crowd of kids grew by about 500 from last year, he said.

DARE officer and Minier Chief of Police Daryl Weseloh said spending the day
at the park was a good reward for the kids. He has been the officer for
four school districts for 13 years.

"It's another opportunity for them to see a drug-free activity," he said.

Fifth-grade students from Elmwood even wore T-shirts to show they are
committed to staying drug free.

Kristen McFall, Jenna Scotti, Lacey Zaerr and Becca Schreurs are all
friends who said they learned a lot of things that they never knew before
from their DARE officer, Matt Hawkins of the Peoria County Sheriff's
Department.

"I teach them about all the different drugs and a lot of things they're
gonna encounter in life," Hawkins said.

The Chiefs players and coaches also hoped to set a good example.

"Hopefully we can show 'em what it's all about, making good decisions in
life," said Chiefs pitching coach Bryan Eversgerd. "We love playing for the
kids."

The Whitecaps defeated the Chiefs by a final score of 10-4.