SIMI VALLEY : 1,000 Rally to Boo Drugs, Cheer Police

Highlighting a week of anti-drug events, Simi Valley parents and students crammed into a football stadium Wednesday night to honor the city’s firefighters and police officers, including slain Officer Michael F. Clark.

As many as 1,000 people turned out at Simi Valley High School’s Bob Jacob Memorial Stadium for the sixth annual Red Ribbon Rally.

Clark’s widow Jenifer received flowers and other gifts from attendees. She said her husband would have considered the event a dream come true. “Michael would say to me, ‘If I could keep one child out of a gang, one child off drugs, or save one child’s life, then [my] dream would be fulfilled.’ ”

The program was part DARE class--with Simi Valley Police Chief Randy Adams and others exhorting kids to stay off drugs--part talent show and part pep rally.

Event organizer Melissa Thiesen of the Simi Valley PTA whipped up the crowd early on. “What are you here to say to say no to?” she asked. “Drugs!” the audience roared back.

Groups from 20 Simi-area schools performed. Students from Apollo High School danced to the anti-cocaine song “White Lines.” The leadership class of Royal High sang the theme song to the TV show “Friends” with revised, anti-drug lyrics. Several youths from Royal High said they strongly supported the rally’s anti-drug theme.

“Personally, it’s affected me because a lot of my friends use drugs,” said Olivia Almeida, 15.

Red Ribbon Week, a national anti-drug celebration, was started after the slaying of federal agent Enrique Camarena by drug traffickers in Mexico.

Simi Valley chose the theme “We Care About You” to thank police officers and firefighters for their service to the community.