Daytona Beach, Florida, September 6, 2006 -   The Volusia County Sheriff’s Department has a new tool to draw more youthful attention to D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) whose primary mission is to provide children with the information and skills they need to live drug-and-violence-free lives. This past March during the annual Spring Break Nationals Mobile Electronics Consumer/Trade Show, Deputy George Carvajal approached show producer Paul Papadeas, who also owns Daytona Beach based Soundcrafters Mobile and Home Electronics. Carvajal informed Papadeas that the VCSO had just seized a late model Lincoln Aviator from a drug dealer and that they wanted to outfit the vehicle with a sound system in order to attract youth to the D.A.R.E. program at the numerous outings the VCSO would be taking the vehicle to.

Papadeas arranged a display space at SBN20 for the vehicle and suggested that the officer make a sign that would solicit sponsors for equipment for the vehicle build. Within minutes of the posting the sign, Gus Bougdanos and Bill Trentacoste of Audiovox Corporation committed the budget and equipment needed for the build. “Sure this is a great promotional opportunity” said Trentacoste, “but its importance is two fold; it helps keep our name out in front of consumers but more importantly, it supports a very important program focused on the future of our country”.

Soundcrafters custom builder/designer “Zee” with the assistance of several fellow installers let loose, fabricating a futuristic design in the vehicle’s cargo area. Crafted in fiberglass, bondo and MDF, the Jensen brand Subwoofers are mounted in jet engine looking cabinets. The indash Jensen DVD, speakers and amplifiers, and Audiovox video monitors were positioned in factory locations and front seat headrests.   

On Tuesday, September 5, 2006, Soundcrafters and Audiovox Corporation were recognized by Sheriff Ben Johnson for this effort and thanked them for their corporate sponsorship of the D.A.R.E. program. “It was indeed an honor to receive this recognition” said Papadeas, “our car audio business targets youth and the D.A.R.E. program is a great way to steer them away from violence and drugs. Making this promotional tool happen is just one of the ways to give back to our community and I encourage car audio dealers across the country to contribute in similar fashion”. Papadeas, who is also the president of the International Auto Sound Challenge Association (an independent car audio dealer association), is planning to feature D.A.R.E. vehicles “tricked out” by car audio dealers on his company website www.iasca.com. If you are responsible for or associated with a “tricked out” D.A.R.E. vehicle build send your pictures and bio to moe.sab@iasca.com. Include in the subject line the words “DARE VEHICLE”.  For more information about D.A.R.E. visit www.dare.com for info on IASCA visit www.iasca.com.