Page 16 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • September 19, 2012 The Midland Park Borough Council and the board of education have agreed to allow clothing recycling bins on their property to benefit the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) program. The containers, two at the recycling center on Greenwood Avenue, and two behind Midland Park High School, should be in place within the next week or two, according to police Sgt. Greg Kasbarian, who spearheaded the effort. Kasbarian, one of the two D.A.R.E. officers in town, said participation in the D.A.R.E. NJ recycling effort has Clothing bins will help enhance DARE program the added advantage of allowing the town to include the recycled textiles in its tonnage report to the state. The town receives recycling grants based on these annul reports. Each bin brings in $350 a year, which Kasbarian said will be used to enhance the D.A.R.E.-sponsored activities for the children. He explained that the $1,000 allocation D.A.R.E. previously received from the Midland Park Community Alliance had been cut in half due to the Alliance’s own reduced funding from the state. Moneys are used to provide students with reduced-price tickets to sporting events, prizes for an essay contest and game nights and for other activities organized to keep young people busy. D.A.R.E. , which Kasbarian has been doing for the past 17 years, is a 10-week substance abuse education program for fifth grade students which culminates in a graduation ceremony and party with entertainment and prizes. All the graduating students receive a licensed t-shirt as well. The location of the recycling bins had been a point of (continued on page 19)