Pubdate: Sun, 28 Jul 2002
Source: West Prince Graphic (CN PI)
Copyright: 2002 Island Publishing Limited
Contact:  http://www.peicanada.com/pages/westprince/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2352
Author: Jean Kenny

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HOSTING RACE AGAINST DRUGS PROGRAM

More that 600 school children are expected to take part in the RCMP Racing 
Against Drugs program when it visits West Prince later this month.

West Prince RCMP Const Carlo Bernard said Tignish Elementary School will 
host the event this year, with students from Alberton, Bloomfield, O'Leary 
and St Louis Elementary schools bussed in to the event.

Racing Against Drugs 'RAD,' is a drug and alcohol awareness program 
developed in partnership by the RCMP and various other organizations. 
Designed to provide police officers, education and addiction counsellors 
with an exciting alternative teaching aid, RAD has become a popular program 
across the country.

The community-based drug and alcohol program that has been developed to 
help promote a healthy drug-free lifestyle explained Const Bernard. 'Kids 
need to learn how to say no to drug and alcohol use at an early age.'

The program is part of the RCMP community based policing concept and was 
started in Ontario in 1993.

Its objectives include promoting healthy, drug free lifestyles in 
communities and reminding parents and children that drug and alcohol abuse 
is a growing family concern.

The RCMP drug awareness co-ordinator for the West Prince detachment, Const 
Bernard said the main focus of this program is children aged five to 13 
years old.

The primary objective, of this drug education is to utilize the sport of 
car racing to capture the attention of young people and expose them to an 
exciting and high profile sport - one with no tolerance for substance abuse.
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MAP posted-by: Beth