|
. 
|
|
Sponsored
by The City of Salem for the future of
Our Youth and Our Community
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| In January, 1991, seeking to broaden the community's
support for its youth, Assistant City Manager Forest G. Jones and Chief of
Police Harry T. Haskins, Jr. formed a committee composed of
representatives from the administration of the City of Salem Schools,
departments of City government, citizens at large, and the Virginia
Baptist Children's Home and Family Services. The Committee created a new
concept for the delivery of DARE principles through a weeklong summer camp
program using the Children's Home facility known as Camp on Craig. |
|
| The
program was designed to promote fun and fellowship with positive role
models and improve communications skills and self-image. The approach
allows the children to interact with police officers, fire personnel and
other public employees in a relaxed environment, hopefully promoting more
positive perceptions. This creation was named "Salem Camp DARE". |
|
|
Salem Camp DARE opened with its first ten students on
June 17, 1991. During the summer of 1991, sixty-seven middle school boys
and girls completed this first-in-the-nation community project supported
totally by the City Administration and Council in partnership with the
Virginia Baptist Children's Home and Family Services. Since the initial
startup of the Camp in 1991, it has continued to grow in numbers of
enthusiastic participants. |
| The response from the sixth graders to the opportunity
to attend the 1992 Salem Camp DARE was enormous. One hundred and forty
(140) students attended requiring the addition of one more week and
doubling each week's allocation to twenty. The number of counselors was
doubled to four. In addition to DARE lessons, the Sixth Graders enjoyed a
challenging "high ropes" course, trout fishing, softball,
basketball, horseback riding, volleyball, fire safety, DARE Olympics,
water safety, canoeing and campfire activities. |
|
| In 1993 one hundred and
ninety-seven (197) sixth graders signed up to attend, requiring the hiring
of six counselors. One hundred and ninety-one (191) children attended
Salem Camp DARE in 1994, one hundred and ninety-nine (199) students
attended in 1995, two hundred and twenty-six (226) attended in 1996, two
hundred and twenty-two (222) attended in 1997, and one hundred and
ninety-nine (199) attended in 1998. The feedback from the past seven years
has been very positive. We believe Salem Camp DARE is a resounding success
for insuring the future of Salem's youth. |
|
|
With the growth in Salem Camp DARE and expansion of the
Virginia Baptist Children’s Home Program, Salem found it necessary to
look for an alternative location for Salem Camp DARE. In January 1995 an
agreement was reached with the Presbyterian Church for the use of the
facilities at Camp Fincastle in Botetourt County.
|
 |
Camp Bethel was chosen as the new location for Salem Camp DARE in February
2003. Camp Bethel is the outdoor ministry of the Virlina District of
the Church of the Brethren. Also located in Botetourt County,
Camp Bethel afforded modern facilities that would provide campers with an
excellent adventure. Camp Bethel borders the Jefferson National
Forest and has 470 acres available for activities. Camp Bethel is
accredited by the American Camping Association.
|
|
Salem Camp DARE became recognized on an international
level as a result of being named one of ten finalists for the 1994 Webber-Seavey
Award for Quality in Law Enforcement. The Webber-Seavey Award is sponsored
by the International Association Chiefs of Police (IACP) and Motorola,
Inc. and attracts entries from around the world, including countries such
as Israel, Guam, Canada, Belgium, the Netherlands, and across the United
States. Salem's entry in the competition was a plastic-bound booklet
containing 70 pages. The entry gave an overview of the creation of Camp
DARE and listed its expectations. The booklet also contained clippings of
newspaper articles about the camp and letters from students who had
attended the camp. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Back
to D.A.R.E. Officers Page |
|
Back to Top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|