THIS PARTY DARES TO BE DIFFERENT

Families First Provides Peorians With An Alcohol-Free Celebration To Close
Out 2003, Ring In The New

PEORIA - Before bar patrons began filing into local establishments and most
champagne bottles were uncorked, area children and their parents were
playing games and counting down 2003 early Wednesday night.

Dozens of small children ran throughout one of the exhibit halls at the
Peoria Civic Center, playing basketball, jumping in an inflated playpen and
winning prizes, among other things.

Gevante Bailey, 9, of Peoria was busy trying to wrench his 4-foot frame
onto a Twister mat.

"I liked it until I got all twisted up," he said.

After that experience, Bailey's mom walked with him and wheeled his
siblings in a stroller as the family enjoyed the Families First
Celebration, sponsored by the Civic Center and Heartland Drug Abuse
Resistance Education.

The aim of Families First is to offer an alternative to the party
atmosphere associated with New Year's Eve.

Bailey tried nearly all of the games before deciding the football toss was
his favorite.

"I tried basketball, but I wasn't very good at that," he said.

That was OK. Professionals came to help him and other children.

Halfway through the evening, two members of the Harlem Globetrotters showed
up and performed some of their tricks for the crowd.

Team members Anthony Blakes and Otis Key gave attendees a chance to try as
well.

Such family fun is exactly what organizers want.

"This way, the families can come and have fun, then the parents can go out
later," said Heartland DARE board member Georgia Solls.

Fifth-year Peoria County DARE officer Ed Jatkowski supervised children as
they threw large whiffle balls into a makeshift toilet while his wife ran a
similar ring-toss booth nearby.

The prize for both contests: candy.

"It's good to steer kids the right way," he said of the non-alcoholic
event. Lines of children formed for the toss games, making it hard for
Jatkowski to pull away.

Jatkowski said the event fits the DARE goals. He even saw some of his DARE
students that he didn't previously tell about Families First.

"They must have come out on their own," he said. "It made me feel very good."

One grandparent watched from the sidelines.

"I'm just going to relax," said Karen Wyman of Mackinaw, seated outside the
concession stand. "They're big enough to take care of themselves."

Afterwards, Wyman and her family went to the Peoria Rivermen hockey game,
but that's where the partying stopped for Wyman.

"(The children) party, and grandma goes to bed," she said.

Nevertheless, her attendance helped the greater goal of Families First.

The event has supported Heartland DARE as a fund-raiser starting in 1991.
Things haven't changed much since then, Heartland DARE Vice President Rick
Simkins said.

"Over the years we just have interactive games kids can play," he added.