We're thrilled to report that Columbus Division of Police Chief Thomas Quinlan approved a program we proposed called Books and Badges. It will enable officers to read a book of their choosing to children in elementary school classrooms, and then every child in that class will receive a copy of that book to take home. We couldn't be more excited about it, and all of the officers we've spoken to about it are also very enthusiastic about it. This will help strengthen the bond between officers and children in their patrol areas while encouraging literacy. For some children, this might be the only book they own.
We will be seeking corporate sponsors to sustain the program for the long term, but on Wednesday we received a $10,000 donation from the group 100 Men Who Give a Damn. We're honored that this group selected us as their charity this quarter, and we're thankful to be able to use that donation to get Books and Badges established immediately.
In addition to all of this great news, Ofc Pete Casuccio, Starfish board member, and one of the four CPD police officers who helped establish Starfish Assignment, received two awards this week for his work with our Macro Assignment Cops and Barbers, sponsored by AEP Ohio. One was the Civitan Award presented by CME Federal Credit Union. The other was the STAR award presented by Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin. Congratulations, Ofc Casuccio!
