National DARE speaker shares life lessons

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May 8, 2009

By Andrea Hirsch/For The Lebanon Reporter The Lebanon Reporter Fri May 08, 2009, 09:05 AM EDT

Whitestown — Perry Worth Elementary School fifth-grader Samantha Collier learned that she shouldn’t put people down. Fifth-grader Charlie Myers learned how to be nice to others and to treat people right.

Collier and Myers were two out of 1,600 students in Boone County that learned important life lessons from a presentation given by a National DARE Safety speaker on Thursday.

Bill Russ, more commonly known as Retro Bill, traveled from Hollywood, Calif., to visit three Boone County elementary schools and one Zionsville church group to speak about self-esteem, bullying, safety, drug awareness and making good choices ... and “that is so cool,” Retro Bill repeated to get a laugh out of the students. He visited Thorntown Elementary, Granville Wells Elementary School, Perry Worth Elementary School and the Zionsville United Methodist Church’s R.O.C.K. after school group.

Under Retro Bill’s humor, sound effects and Elvis-like hair — which he says is real — is a man who loves his country and knows what it was like to be bullied as a child. Retro Bill takes his knowledge all over the country to work with the hearts and minds of kids to make sure they make good choices and have good habits as they grow.

“I believe that one of the most effective ways to get kids to make good choices is by providing a technique on how to protect themselves against bullying, drugs and violence,” Retro Bill said. abadger 5/7/09 who says the following?“I think Retro Bill is a great reinforcement because he gives them positive ways to react to a bad situation. Retro Bill inspires them with humor and because of that, when kids hear what he has to say, they listen.”

During Retro Bill’s presentation, he shared personal stories of life lessons he learned. Some important life lessons were that children should seek out advice from an adult if something is bothering them, that “no” means “no,” how to stay on the “positive channel,” to follow rules and always tell the truth, not to bully people, never quit, to do the right thing and treat people right.

Sgt. Deb Martin, Boone County Sheriff’s DARE officer, said she uses Retro Bill’s videos in her DARE classes and when her students found out that the “real” Retro Bill was going to make an appearance, they were excited.

“Retro Bill takes all of the lessons we teach our students and gives them ideas on how to handle them,” she said. “Hopefully they will learn how to handle things and that it is OK to talk to someone.”

Retro Bill also travels to middle and high schools to teach students to stay away from drugs, alcohol and violence.

“I hope kids gravitate to my message and I believe I can make a difference,” he said.

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VIDEO: Meet the 2012 Primary Election Candidates
Each year before the election, The Lebanon Reporter introduces readers to the candidates in opposed races. Republican candidates in the May 8 primary are vying for their party's nomination for Boone County Council, Auditor and Coroner. Scroll down to see each candidate's education, experience and community activities, as well as a short video interview.

The candidates were asked these three questions:
- What do you want voters to know about you?
- What do you hope to accomplish if elected?
- What separates you from your opponents?
Here is a brief description of the duties for each office:

Auditor:
- Fiscal officer of the county
- Keeps accounts and issues warrants for the payment of claims.
- Responsible for all documents, books, records, maps and papers deposited in the office
- Provides clerks with estimates of assessed valuations and estimates of taxes
- Distributes funds collected to appropriate governmental agencies
Coroner:
- Determine the manner of death in cases involving violence or casualty, or when someone is found dead in unexplained circumstances
- Obtain police assistance for investigation
- Employ a qualified physician to direct the autopsy
- May act as sheriff if the sheriff is incapacitated or disqualified; has authority to arrest the sheriff when a warrant is issued
County Council
- Holds financial powers of the county
- Sets the county's tax rate
- Imposes the tax levy
- Makes appropriations from the county treasury
- Adopt the annual budget
- Sets salaries for county employees
SOURCE: Here is your Indiana Government

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