STUDENTS CHEER OFFICERS AT "JUST SAY NO" RALLY

Usually, Terry Gabbert isn't hounded by wide-eyed autograph seekers, but
the Owensboro Police Department sergeant found himself signing at least 100
autographs Thursday at the "Just Say No" rally.

The event attracted about 2,000 fourth- and fifth-graders from Owensboro,
Daviess County and Owensboro Catholic schools who participated in a parade,
then gathered at the Sportscenter to watch the drug-free motivational band
"Street Heat" from Louisville.

The students wore T-shirts made especially for the event and were
encouraged to have them signed by friends and others in attendance in order
to commemorate the day.

Gabbert found himself at the front of a line signing students' shirts.

"Usually the people who get my autograph don't like it," Gabbert said.

Philpot Elementary School fifth-grader Tamara Hughes said the highlight of
the day would probably be the performance of the Louisville rock band,
which is composed of police officers and prosecutors.

Tamara said she enjoyed riding in a decorated school bus north on Frederica
Street with a police escort during the parade from Towne Square Mall.

Students were encouraged to yell out the window, a rare treat for any
fifth-grader, she said.

"We got to wave and yell for people to be drug-free," she said.

Tamara said she enjoys the Drug and Alcohol Resistance Education program
taught at school by Daviess County Sheriff's Deputy Scott Wedding.

The program included the use of "drunk goggles" intended to simulate the
effects of alcohol on vision, she said. Students tried to perform a mock
sobriety test with the goggles on and understood how difficult it is to
have hand-eye coordination with the goggles, she said.

"We have a lot of fun with him(Wedding)," she said.

Newton Parrish Elementary fourth-grader Ben Quesinberry had a front row
seat for the concert and rally. Earlier he had his picture taken with
members of Mark Ballard Racing and with police officers.

"It's really fun," Ben said. "You get to see a lot of people and you send a
message out to a whole lot of people."

Joey Newton, a fourth-grader at Newton Parrish, enjoyed some crackers
before the rally and gathered signatures on his shirt from high school
cheerleaders who attended the rally. The cheerleaders performed acrobatic
drills for the crowd.

"I like the Owensboro High School cheerleaders," Joey said.

Just Say No focuses on a support system which helps children stand together
against the use of drugs and reinforces a healthy lifestyle.