The Story County Sheriff’s Department and Hot 105 KCCQ have joined forces to present material from the DARE program to radio listeners. The radio show, DARE on the Air, airs every Wednesday at 4:30 p.m.

DARE, which stands for Drug Abuse Resistance Education, is a nationwide program aimed at helping people make responsible choices in high-risk situations.

Although the DARE core program is aimed at fifth- and sixth-grade children, DARE on the Air is intended to show that the message of the DARE program can be applied to adult situations as well.

Lt. Gary Foster of the Story County sheriff’s office said DARE on the Air, which is in its second season, provides a chance to reach a large number of people with the DARE program.

“We’ve had a very positive response,” Foster said. “We enjoy it; it helps send DARE’s message to people who we may not reach otherwise.”

The entire DARE program is divided into a number of smaller programs, one of which is presented on the show each week. Among the lessons are skills such as assertiveness and resistance techniques.

“The message is that there are consequences to any action,” Foster said. “We want to help anyone regarding drugs, alcohol, tobacco and violence. We’re encouraging people to abstain from drugs and to make informed decisions about alcohol.”

Although DARE originally focused on keeping kids off drugs, the program has been expanded to include issues dealing with violence.

“We include violence prevention into the DARE program,” Foster said. “We’re aware violence occurs in emotionally charged situations, and maybe thinking about that before can lead to more informed decisions.”

Mark Pits, program director for KCCQ, said DARE officers approached the radio station about the possibility of doing a show before the 1997-98 season.

“It’s been done with other radio stations, and they wanted to explore the possibility with us,” Pits said.

The show features a DARE officer and an on-air personality. The DARE officer presents the information included in the DARE program, which is usually aimed at elementary schools.

“[We] talk with the DARE officer,” Pits said. “We also take steps to further the lessons kids learn in the program and apply them to our daily lives as well.”

Pits said a variety of age groups find interest in the show.

“Our audience is probably a little younger to some degree,” Pits said. “I think we’re certain to reach some parents of kids [in fifth and sixth grade], parents trying to learn about their kids growing up and the pressure they face. We have a wide appeal,” he said.

Pits said occasionally on the show a question about the lesson will be posed to the listening audience. Callers with the correct answers receive prizes, which in the past have included T-shirts, CDs and gift certificates.

“The bottom line is that while DARE is designed for fifth- and sixth-graders, lots of the lessons apply to the everyday lives of adults,” Pits said.

Foster said the sheriff’s department has been happy with its relationship with KCCQ.

“It’s been a great relationship with the radio station,” Foster said. “We offer them something with a program for young kids; they offer us a forum to get DARE’s message out to kids who wouldn’t get it otherwise.”