D.A.R.E.

Today was DARE graduation for Rebekah and her classmates at Covenant Christian School. The 5th & 6th graders went through the program with Officer Tim Williams this year. Each of our children have gone through this great program with Officer Williams. It's a little sad to think that we're hitting a milestone with our youngest child now having graduated from DARE.

Each year an award is given to a student from each school. It is the essay award. This year Bekah won this really cool award! The essay is to be about the DARE program, what she learned and how she will apply it to her life. She did a great job.

Mayer Dave Wood, DARE Officer Tim Williams, Chief of Police Kenneth Witkowski, Jr. with Rebekah

Let me tell you a little about Officer Williams. He is a man of great integrity and wisdom. He is a great man of God. I've had a few conversations with him over the past few years that have been healing for me.

You see, Officer Williams was an investigator of our family accident 8 1/2 years ago. It's been so good to have conversations with him about the accident and to hear his perspective as a Police Officer. I respect and appreciate this man and his fellow officers beyond words. I will not share much from our conversations even though I know that he hasn't said anything to me that shouldn't be said.

In a conversation with him today, he expressed that he remembers when he first met Rebekah and how pleased he is to know how well her and my other kids are doing despite what they've gone through. It's been good for him to see my kids over the past few years. It's been so healing for me to have conversations with this man ... even when he stopped me for speeding last year! :) It was even then that a chat with him was good. lol. We still laugh about that.

Please show appreciation and respect to the police officers in your community! They sacrifice so much to protect us and keep us safe. They save lives, change lives and protect lives.