Darlene Crider, State DARE Coordinator

For the first time ever, the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program, or D.A.R.E., as it is commonly known, held its state conference in Lyons this year. Officers from municipal and county law enforcement agencies convened their meeting at the Durden Cabin in Partin Park Monday afternoon and will conclude on Thursday.

Darlene Crider is the State Coordinator of DARE and shares why the annual meeting is so important to those who teach it in the classroom settings.Crider says the conference not only rejuvenates the officers, but also allows them a resource to meet their required hours for teaching, learn about new and cur5rent trends, and brush up on any juvenile law changes that may have occurred during the previous year.

DARE was first begun in 1983, and has a proven record of teaching children how to make wise life decision, according to the Coordinator.

"We call these conferences a 'family reunion,"" Crider said. "We encourage them to get their families involved in them. Not only that, through these conference, our offices build a camaraderie and become lifelong friends."

Crider goes on to express her appreciation to the City of Lyons for hosting this year's conference, and notes the hard work that the Lyons Police Department and the City of Lyons put into making it a success.