THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, May 25, 1995 TAG: 9505230096
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JOAN C. STANUS, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 70 lines
As Norfolk Deputy H.J. Caldwell clicked the handcuffs shut around a pair of anxiously waiting wrists, 11-year-old Zachrey Lienau let out a gleeful howl.
``Oh, no, I've been cuffed,'' Lienau, an Ocean View Elementary School fifth-grader, deadpanned to his friend, Jose Lopez, standing nearby. ``My mama's not going to like this. Boy, this is fun.''
After a minute, Caldwell stopped their playfulness by pointing to a mock jail cell set up behind him on the field at Northside Park.
``Now, I know you don't want to give your mama and daddy any problems,'' the sheriff's deputy said. ``If you get into any trouble with the law, this is where you might end up.''
Dumbstruck, the boys stared at the tiny cell.
A few feet away, Fairlawn Elementary School students Casie Reilly and Christine Pearson stood in line, waiting to check out an exhibit by the Hampton Roads Naval Museum. Both girls carried placards.
Casie's read, ``Pick up your school's trash.'' Christine's read, ``Put trash in its place.''
``Last year, when all the fifth-graders came to DARE Day they left this place so trashed out,'' Casie explained. ``It gives us a bad name. We wanted to make sure everyone picked up their trash this year. We want to keep the Earth and our park clean.''
The girls admitted that would be some feat, since at least 3,000 excited fifth-graders from throughout the city had descended on the park grounds Thursday for the Norfolk Police Department's second annual DARE Day. With dozens of displays, exhibits and sources of entertainment to check out, few seemed concerned about their mess.
As far as organizers were concerned, however, DARE Day was a chance for the Norfolk students to forget about being in the classroom and have some good, healthy fun.
``This is really a celebration for all the Norfolk fifth-graders who have completed the DARE program,'' said Beverly Hubbard, the Norfolk crime prevention officer who coordinated the event. ``The idea is to show them there are alternatives to drug abuse and give them some positive activities to pursue.''
All sorts of community groups and government agencies joined in the celebration. The Marines sent over an amphibious assault vehicle and a couple of helicopters for the kids to tour. The Portsmouth Police Department displayed its Crimebuster-mobile. The Virginia State Police brought an armored car, and the Norfolk Police Department exhibited its ``Bass Tracker'' boat.
Members of the Tidewater Beekeepers Association showed off a honeycomb full of bees, and Virginia Power officials gave tours of their Hazard Hamlet, a home equipped with an electrical hazard simulator. Other exhibitors included the Virginia Zoological Park, Nauticus and the Norfolk SPCA.
The Spectrum Puppets presented skits for the kids, and the Booker T. Washington High School Band set everyone to dancing with its musical numbers. One of the biggest attractions, however, was the Karaoke by George Booth. Dozens of kids lined up for their turns to belt out Top 40 songs to their classmates.
Not far away, five ``King's Jesters'' from First Christian Fellowship Church in Ocean View teased the kids into figuring out the message buried in a collection of mixed-up signs. Eventually, a group of girls from Mary Calcott got the signs in the right order. Together the girls read it: ``Say no 2 drugs and yes to God.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by RICHARD L. DUNSTON
Norfolk Deputy H.J. Caldwell warns students that a jail cell awaits
lawbreakers.
by CNB