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Monday's Internet Edition, January 05, 2009.
Sheriff’s land drug awareness at Dillard Elementary
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Photo by Montana Hodges
Students wave as the Sacramento Sheriff’s Department helicopter lands in the field at C.W. Dillard Elementary School during the annual drug awareness Red Ribbon Week on Wednesday, Oct. 22.
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By Montana Hodges
River Valley Times Staff
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The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department landed a helicopter for students at C.W. Dillard Elementary School to promote drug awareness during the annual Red Ribbon Week on Wednesday, Oct. 22. Red Ribbon Week is a national public school event that has promoted drug awareness for over 20 years.
Students clad in red tie-dye shirts patiently edged the soccer field and waited for the aerial arrival. After circling overhead and sounding the sirens, the helicopter landed and presented the biggest surprise of the day when Dillard Elementary School Principal Clark Burke exited the helicopter’s back seat.
Burke, who is also an active captain in the Army Reserves, wore his military uniform. “We are here to show you that you can be anything you want,” Burke said. “As long as you’re drug free, you can be a principal - or you can fly a helicopter."
Parent volunteer and Sacramento Sheriff’s Department dispatcher Gina Simonsma was the driving force behind the unique helicopter landing and the tie dying of 500 tee shirts. Simonsma worked closely with SSD Crime Prevention Specialist Laura Grossman to organize the event.
“The helicopter is great,” Grossman said. “The students get to see what resources are available in the department, and they also get to see law enforcement in a positive aspect.”
Also on display were sheriff patrol cars, a patrol boat and a fire engine from the Wilton Fire Department. Children were also given time to talk with the deputies, firefighters and volunteers. One interactive display included “drunk goggles” - a set of glasses designed to simulate alcohol impairment. Students wore the goggles and attempted to walk in a straight line.
Sixth-grader Adrian Carpenter said the goggles were a weird experience. “It shows what it is like to be drunk,” Carpenter said. “There is no way you could drive a car like that. It was hard to tell my left from right.”
Sheriff Deputy Mike Cravens opened his patrol car. “Hopefully they realize the back of a police car is not where they want to be. They will see they can’t open the doors from the inside, and it is not made for comfort,” Cravens said.
Other Red Ribbon Week activities were centered in the classroom. Students designed anti-drug posters and discussed the impact of drug use. Sixth-graders Katelyn Kirkevold and Nicole Howell said the helicopter and boats were cool, but they enjoyed making the posters the most.
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Online publication, Copyright 2005, The River Valley Times.
Web page design,
Copyright 2005, EZ Edit Web Publishing.
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