United South Hosts Great Big Community Action Day
Jul 19th, 2010
The United South Action Day on Saturday, July 17th at Lafollette School on North 9th Street and West Ring was a huge success during a busy weekend in MPD district 5. The Action Day featured a clean-up event and resource fair. Even competing with Garfield Days and Afro Fest, both held the same day, the United South event still drew more than 250 people.
Community Partner Al Hegwood organized a group of volunteers to pick up garbage and remove graffiti around Lafollette School. Lafollette is a brand new Safe & Sound Safe Place and much needed resource in the community. Safe & Sound Community Prosecution Unit Coordinator Kati Tillema staffed a resource table highlighting the many community resources Safe & Sound and the Community Prosecution Units offer.
Among the many other community resources featured at the event were MADACC, Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Center, who offered free immunizations for dogs. Community Partners conducted outreach to promote the event and the free immunization services. The turnout was fantastic; over 100 animals received updates on their immunizations on Saturday.
As a reward for youth who volunteered for the clean-up, Safe & Sound and MPD auctioned off five bikes. The bikes were donated from the MPD’s reclaimed bikes storage facility. The used bikes had been lost, stolen or kept as evidence. Fortunately, once the bikes holding time expired they could be donated to a non-profit. They were not all in great condition and each bike was in need of minor repairs and a safety inspection before the event. Safe & Sound Community Partner’s Supervisor Tim Schermetzler and a local community volunteer David Barth donated their bike mechanic skills to make sure the bikes were clicking and spinning properly before awarding them to the youth. Another 10 bikes were donated and repaired and will be used as volunteer rewards for the final Action Day during the National Night Out Event which will be held in Century City on August 7th at St. James Church 3438 N 24th Street. It is looking like it will be a great community-police event and one we can all look forward to.
