A KID AND A BIKE - NO LONGER PARTED

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 24, 1993                   TAG: 9302240020
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: RON BROWN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short
A KID AND A BIKE - NO LONGER PARTED
As a chill wind whipped past Antwon Paige on Tuesday, he was warmed by generosity.
His 11th birthday had brought a surprise.
When he stepped off the school bus near his Northwest Roanoke home, a police officer was there and summoned him to walk across the street.
Behind a patrol car sat a shiny, new bicycle, a gift from the Fraternal Order of Police, a community service organization that represents 265 law enforcement officers. Retired Comdr. Clarence Layman, president of the F.O.P, was on hand for the presentation.
"I wanted one," Antwon said. "I'm going to ride it."
Roanoke police officer Frank Garrett learned about the youngster's birthday wish while working as a Drug Abuse Resistance Education officer at Wasena Elementary School.
"This is just another positive way to show kids that police officers are good guys," Garrett said.
DARE attempts to bolster its anti-drug message by presenting children with examples of how police officers can be friends.
Antwon needed a bike after several of his were stolen.
"It was another opportunity for me to do something positive for kids at my school," Garrett said. "This is a way to show this kid and this neighborhood that the Police Department is trying to help."
The message seemed to be reaching Antwon.
"I always liked police officers," he said.

by Archana Subramaniam by CNB