D.A.R.E.'S WEEKLY 'FUN TIME'

EXETER - Fifth-graders in the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program
aren't upset when they're told they have to stay after school - they
volunteer. It's not detention or the principal's office they're going to.
It's usually the gym, and it's simply to have fun.

Last Tuesday, for example, a crowd of students arrived at the Exeter
Bowling Lanes on Columbus Avenue for an afternoon of bowling, thanks to
owner Rob Ficara.

Once a week, students going through the D.A.R.E. program have a chance to
take part in the after-school program. The program has been funded in
recent years through an annual donation from the Exeter New Car Dealer's
Association, according to Exeter Police Detective Frank Winterer, who
teaches D.A.R.E. It costs about $4,000 per year to run D.A.R.E. and the
after-school program, which serves about 200 students annually.

Once a week, on Tuesday afternoons, students can participate in activities
such as ice skating, bowling or even swimming at the pool at Phillips
Exeter Academy. Other times, they play games in the gym at Lincoln Street
School.

In addition to Winterer, several other police officers volunteer to help
out with the program. This year, Officers Ryan Veno and Dan D'Amato have
been frequent visitors to the program in addition to Lt. Chris Fenerty and
Detective Bill Shupe.

While the program is seen as a healthy after-school activity for children,
it also serves a bigger purpose, said Winterer.

"It builds some bonds with the officers," he said. "I've had officers tell
me they've had dealings with the kids' family later where the kids were
involved and it was easier. It wasn't so hard on the kids because they're
familiar with them. That's one of the big things I see: It lets them see us
as real people."

Winterer also has received a lot of help from some of the mothers, which is
important, he said, because right now there are no female officers on the
Exeter force. Louise Benotti, a member of the D.A.R.E. board of directors,
and Loretta Hoadley have been active in the program.

While the after-school program has been funded almost entirely through the
car dealers' annual donation, the D.A.R.E. board of directors is looking to
supplement that funding. In the spring, the members hope to begin a
fund-raiser in conjunction with Pizza Hut in which people can buy "credit
cards" that give them discounts on pizza. A portion of the sale of the
cards will go to the D.A.R.E. program.

Details of the fund-raiser will be announced soon, said Winterer and Benotti.