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Cyclist on mission stops in Sudbury

By Danette Dooley Sixty-year-old Stan Wawzonek has set out on a million-dollar mission. The father of four and grandfather of eight, left St. John?s, Nfld., April 30 on a cross-Canada tour to raise $1 million for DARE Canada.
By Danette Dooley

Sixty-year-old Stan Wawzonek has set out on a million-dollar mission. The father of four and grandfather of eight, left St. John?s, Nfld., April 30 on a cross-Canada tour to raise $1 million for DARE Canada.
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Stan Wawzonek and Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Chief Rick Deering

DARE, or Drug Abuse Resistance Education, is a worldwide program aimed primarily at Grade 5 and 6 students by uniformed police officers. During the 17-week course, officers discuss with the students the effects of drugs and violence.

The money raised will be used to train police officers across the country how to teach the DARE program.

DARE sarted in the United States two decades ago. More than 50,000 law enforcement officers around the globe are certified DARE instructors. The program is taught in 51 countries in 26 different languages.

Wawzonek, who stopped by the Sudbury police station Thursday, is affectionately referred to in his hometown of Brantford as The Chip Man. His french fry truck has been a local favourite since his father started the business in 1950.

Harry Lawrenson was in St. John?s to help Wawzonek kick-start his tour. A member of the Ontario Provincial Police, Lawrenson is one of two DARE training facilitators in the country.

In addition to teaching officers how to deliver the program, Lawrenson teaches DARE to more than 1,000 students each year. While he admits there are many programs introduced by police departments that go by the wayside, Lawrenson is convinced the DARE program works.

?DARE is about a lot more than Drug Abuse Resistance Education. It deals with life skills such as consequences, how to deal with pressures and stress, ways to say no, how to build your self esteem, and how to be assertive.?

Wawzonek?s friends, George and Mildred Markle, are accompanying him on this adventure on wheels by following behind in their modest-sized motor home. Both George and Mildred will turn 69 while they?re on the road.

Wawzonek laughs that he likes to keep some distance between his bike and the mobile home.

?I don?t have an alarm clock. I start about 7 or 7:30 in the morning. I tell them when I?m leaving and I give them a couple of hours to catch up to me. The vehicle doesn?t stay behind me all day. That would be nerve-wracking to me,? he laughs.

Wawzonek admits his children worry when he?s on the road. However, he says he?s cautious when cycling and doesn?t take any chances with his safety.

?I ride a mountain bike because I can get off the road. I have a mirror on it and I watch and I listen and if there?s danger coming up behind me, I get off the road onto the gravel.?

During his DARE cause, Wawzonek plans to travel about 100 kilometres a day with stops in more than 90 towns and cities where he?ll meet with volunteer groups and dignitaries.

His target date to reach Victoria, BC, is July 31. In all, he plans to cycle 8,934 kilometres.

?When I became involved with DARE, I spoke with the teachers and they?re telling me that if they had to teach the program, it wouldn?t be half as effective as it is.?

Having the uniformed officers come to the schools to deliver the DARE program also builds bridges in the form of long-term relationship between students and police.

Wawzonek has printed 10,000 business cards with ?Where?s Stan?? and Dare Canada?s website address (www.dare-canada.com). He plans on giving out the cards during his tour so that people can turn to the website to track his progress.

For more information, contact DARE Canada at 1-877-617-DARE (3273).

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