see also: in April 2002:   Congressmen Honor U.S. Customs Employees   U.S. Customs Inspectors in Hidalgo Seize $390,000 in Methamphetamine   U.S. Customs Inspectors in Laredo Arrest Iraqi Fugitive Wanted by FBI in Michigan   U.S. Customs Inspectors, Del Rio, Seize 2,591 Pounds of Cocaine - Largest U.S.-Mexico Border Coke Seizure in FY 2002 To Date   U.S. Customs Service Patrol Officers Seize 1,678 Pounds of Marijuana on Monday   Maryland Woman Arrested for Transporting Over 30,000 Pills ...more

contacts for this news release

El Paso, Texas - The U.S. Customs Service has taken a good idea and made it better. When many organizations around the country will celebrate the popular "Bring your daughter to work day" event, Customs is going one step further to include the sons of Customs employees in the celebration. The children of employees of the other Federal Inspection Service (FIS) agencies that work at the international bridges with Customs, including the USDA, the National Guard, and the Fish and Wildlife Service, are also participating in this fully inclusive event. Approximately 80 children are expected to attend.

The U.S. Customs Service's "Bring your child to work day" is scheduled to run from 8:30-11:30 a.m. Thursday, April 25 at the Bridge of the Americas commercial cargo lot. The media is encouraged to attend.

The program will include a variety of activities which showcase the diversity of Customs jobs mom and dad perform on a daily basis. Children will watch a Customs drug sniffing dog demonstration and tour a Customs helicopter and talk to the pilot. They will also observe handcuffing, take down, and search techniques from the Customs firearms staff. The children will find out how to spot phonies during an intellectual property right presentation and learn about the dangers of drug use and gang membership. In addition, they will be hearing about operational changes that have been put into place since September 11. The program will also includes visits with other FIS agency officers who spend the workday with mom and dad, including USDA officials, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife officers.

The theme chose of this year's event is "What a Difference a Child Makes." This special event will strengthen the foundation, on which children build and model their skills, character, and talents. We believe the program will also help the children see connections between schoolwork and working in the real world and broaden their thinking about their goals and aspirations in reference to work. The program is being sponsored by the U.S. Customs Service Federal Women's Program.