Children often have dreams of what they want to become when they grow up. Very young kids play with police cars and fire engines because they want to grow up to be a police officer or a fire fighter. The older the kids become the bigger the dreams become.
    The Charlestown Volunteer Fire Department (CVFD) has a program that allows young students to become involved and take the steps to capture their childhood dream of becoming a fire fighter.
    The Junior Cadet program offered by the CVFD is open to any child ages 12 to 15 with a family member on the department. The program builds a foundation for the Cadet program. The program has been educating Junior Cadets for approximately 45 years.
    The Cadet program began in 1999 and currently boasts 13 members.
    "Actually there are no qualifications besides having to be 15 to be a Cadet," Gary Woods stated when asked the qualifications to be a Cadet. "The Cadets have to pass the same mandatory training that all the fire fighters have to complete."
    He continued, "It’s usually six to eight months of training before they can even get on the truck."
    Woods explained how the last couple of Cadets became a part of the CVFD family.
    "The last couple were with the Boy Scouts. They got to talking to us during their walk through of the fire house," Woods stated. "And three or four months later, they entered the Cadet program."
    The Cadets and Junior Cadets of the CVFD include: Chief Kadie Coyne, 16; Assistant Chief Bradlee Oleany, 13; President Logan Walden, 16; Secretary Chris Hayes, 16; Ethan Barton, 17; Kelsey Slaughter, 12; Shelby Goodlett, 12; Levi Smith, 12; Wes Sexton, 12; Jaclyn Carroll, 16; Jordan Wistman, 15; Darren Taylor, 12 and Shane James, 17.
    According to Woods, Coyne is the first person of the age of 18 to become a First Responder.
    Woods stated, "In order to be a First Responder, they must pass all the mandatory training, plus be State Certified."
    If you would like more information about the CVFD Cadet or Junior Cadet program please contact Woods at 256-4693 for an application. Applications must be returned during a Cadet meeting. The Cadets will vote on all applications with majority ruling. Cadet meetings are held every Wednesday at 7 p.m. at CVFD Station 1 located at 800 Park Street in Charlestown.

by JANNA ROSS
Managing Editor
Green Banner Publications

    A candlelight vigil to remember and honor loved ones lost or injured to drinking and driving will be held later this month.
    Two sisters who are actively involved in the Louisville Metro/Southern Indiana Chapter of MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) are planing the candlelight vigil with help from community supporters.
    Patricia McCollum and Patty Clark know to well how it feels to lose a loved one to a drunk driver.
    Their brother, Lester Clark, was killed by a drunk driver on February 1, 1992 in a two vehicle head on collision on Highway 111 at the Warrick/Harrison County Line. Clark was 33 when he was killed. He left behind a wife, eight year old daughter and a 22-month old son.
    The sisters have worked diligently to organize the candlelight vigil to help honor and remember their brother and the many other victims in Southern Indiana.
    The vigil will be held Friday, June 15 beginning at 5:30 p.m. at Hauss Square at the New Albany City/County Building.
    "The reason we are having this vigil is to honor the loved ones of Southern Indiana residents who have been killed or injured by a drunk driver," Clark stated. "We have not had a MADD Chapter in Southern Indiana for many years and we want the residents to know that we are here for them."
    The vigil will have many community leaders who will be speaking during the event. Besides McCollum and Clark, New Albany Mayor James Garner, Floyd County Prosecutor Keith Henderson, Floyd County Sheriff Daryl Mills and New Albany Police Department’s Todd Bailey.
    The vigil will feature the reading of the names of loved ones while songs are performed and the lighting of the candles, which will be provided by MADD.
    MADD will also have a table where you may sign up for contact information and submit the names they will be reading during the vigil.
    Pictures of loved ones lost to drunk driving may also be given to MADD during the vigil. The pictures will be turned into a board for Indiana and will be used throughout the area for MADD functions and presentations.
    "They must sign a release for us to be able to use their picture, but that is all that needs to be done," McCollum stated.
    She added, "We encouraged everyone to come out to the vigil who has felt the pain of losing a loved one. Anyone who has known someone who was killed or just to show your support of the MADD mission, everyone is invited and encouraged to attend."
    Clark agreed. "They don’t have to be family members who have lost anyone, it can be someone who has just been affected by it or anyone who wants to show their support of the tragedy that affects this country," she concluded.
    The vigil will be a simple program that will last approximately 30 to 60 minutes.
    For more information about the vigil or about the Southern Indiana MADD Chapter please call 812-725-3006.

    The Clark County Commissioners including Ed Meyer, Ralph Guthrie and Mike Moore have been working with County Attorney Dan Moore to draft and pass an ordinance permitting "off-road vehicles" to drive on county roads.
    The measure passed and will become effective this Friday, June 15.
    According to the ordinance the board wants to allow the use of the vehicle under certain terms.
    "It is the desire of the board to adopt this enabling ordinance to allow the owners of "off-road vehicles" to use Clark County roads under certain terms and conditions," the ordinance states.
    According to the ordinance, this is a pilot program to "measure that feasibility and study safety matters and issues pertaining to usage of off-road vehicles of Clark County."
    The only exception is that the vehicles will not be permitted to be driven on roads in Jeff Township. The townships the pilot program will be launched in include: Wood, Carr, Silver Creek, Union, Monroe, Charlestown, Bethlehem, Oregon, Owen, Utica and Washington.
    The definition of an "off-road vehicle" for the ordinance is "means a motor vehicle capable of cross country travel: without benefit of a road and on or immediately over land, water, snow, ice, marsh, swampland or other natural terrain."
    In the ordinance multi-wheel drive or low pressure tire vehicles, amphibious machines and ground effect air cushion vehicles are all defined as off-road vehicles. The ordinance also states vehicles that are not appropriate including golf carts and farm vehicles being used for farming, to name a couple.
    The ordinance requires those seeking the permit to first register the vehicle at the BMV. After registering the vehicle you must take the proof of registration to the Clark County Sheriff’s Office to pick up the permit. Citizens will be given a complete copy of the ordinance and will be asked to sign that they have received a copy of the ordinance.
    "This is just a pilot program that is just getting started," stated Clark County Sheriff Danny Rodden. "It’s for off road vehicles driven on County roads in all townships except Jeff Township."
    He continued, "In the farming communities it will allow the farmers to move between their fields and things like that."
    The permit will have a $25 fee that Rodden will waive until 2008.
    "Since this is a pilot program, I want to waive the fee for the permit until January. I would hate to collect the $25 permit fee and then something happen in a couple of months and the program not be continued," Rodden explained.
    One of the parts of the ordinance Rodden wanted to explain is that the driver of the off-road vehicle must be a licensed driver.
    For more information regarding obtaining a permit please contact the Clark County Sheriff’s Office at 283-4471.

 by JANNA ROSS
Managing Editor
Green Banner Publications

    The local K-9 training group met Monday afternoon at the Charlestown Police Department. Usually when the group meets they come together for hard, intense training to help certify a dog or fine tune their K-9 skills.
   This meeting was a little different.
   The group including Jeffersonville’s Glenn Jackson, Denver Leverett and Ricky Ashabranner; Clark County Sheriff’s Marc Meyer; Charlestown’s Keith McDonald and Sellersburg’s Matt Crump, all hoped into their vehicles and headed straight to the Tunnel Mill Boy Scout Camp.
   Upon arriving, a group of 150 scouts ranging in age from first graders, Tigers, to fifth graders, Webelos, welcomed the group. The officers set up an obstacle course for the younger scouts as the Cub Scouts were spilt into two groups. The older group was treated to a demonstration of search and apprehension techniques.
   The demonstration was on the opening day of the Cub Scouts Day Camp. The camp began on Monday and will conclude on Friday. The gates open at 7 a.m. Once the gates are open the Scouts begin swarming the camp as activities never stop. Everywhere one looks there are Scouts engrossed in an activity.
   Once the police caravan began coming around the corner on the gravel road, the scouts became overly excited. The excitement would not have been possible without Program Director Darrell Johnson.
   Johnson, a resident of Charlestown, contacted Sgt. Keith McDonald of the Charlestown Police K-9 Division.
   "I contacted Sgt. McDonald and he ran with it. I didn’t expect what he did with it," Johnson stated. "I figured he may come with one, possibly two dogs. I sure did not expect that. They set up two fields for two age groups. When he called me back and told me who was coming I was amazed."
   The group of Scouts loved the demonstration and had many questions for the officers.
   If they Scouts stay with the program after Cub Scouts they will cross over to a Boy Scout troop. Boy Scout Troops range from 10 and a half year olds to 18 year olds. Also offered is a Co-Ed Program, Venturing, for 14 to 20 year olds.
   "This is a high adventure program," stated Johnson.
   Johnson became involved in Scouts with his son, Cody.
   "My son joined as a Tiger. It inspired me when we came here to Resident Camp. It poured, I mean poured. We got wet through the tents. It was all muddy and you know what he said to me? He asked me when we were going fishing. Then I knew I had to get involved for his sake. He was so determined," Johnson added. "I became involved initially for him but as time drug on I learned it was cool to help all the kids out."
   Johnson is totally amazed by the number of people who give back.
   "What astonished me about Boy Scouts is how the people are always giving back. When I was going to do this, I had to become CPR Certified. The guy taught me for the price of materials. He used to be a Scout and that was his way of giving back to the program. It’s just amazing, real amazing."
   Also on hand during the first day of camp to witness the K-9 demonstration was Matt Sills. He is the District Executive for Scott, Washington and Clark Counties. The district’s name is Chief Old Ox and is a part of the Lincoln Heritage Council. This council comprises 25 counties.
   "We have a huge council. I mean absolutely huge. I went to the council and one had just three counties," Johnson explained.
   Sills took a couple of moments to collect his thoughts when asked what he thought of the local K-9 groups demonstration.
   "The dogs were just unbelievable. It was a wonderful presentation. The kids got to see how police work and they got to see how the dogs work. It was just great," Sills stated.
   Johnson was quick to point out that the Scouts is all about age appropriate programs. The K-9 group agreed, as they split the group into two smaller groups according to age.
   "It’s all age appropriate for the group. Cub Scouting is a family centered program. I have kids here that are in the Little Buddy program all the way to Webelos.
   The Little Buddy program is for the younger siblings of boys participating in the day camp.
   "It’s all age appropriate. They (Little Buddies) will be doing crafts and stuff that is age appropriate for them," Sills concluded.