Yesterday, Columbus Division of Police Community Liaison Officer Tony Rogers (7 Pct, East Side) and Adams Community Center Manager Mario Dovell were honored as Hometown Heroes by CME Federal Credit Union and Sunny 95 - Columbus, OH. These gentlemen are tireless advocates for their community, constantly searching for ways to improve the lives of those they come in contact with. We love the fact that Ofc Rogers has been a police officer for as long as Mario has been alive, "Twenty-nine fantastic years!" as Tony told us when he came to speak at our meeting earlier this year.
We met Mario through Ofc Rogers when we were searching for locations for Cops and Barbers 2019, and we've been lucky to partner with both of them on many other projects, most recently the Harvest Party at Adams in October. Mario has agreed to play a lead role in Cops and Barbers 2020, so great was his impact on the project.
We're currently working with them on an Angel Tree Event at East Columbus Elementary School next month, where 100 kids will receive gifts from Santa. It will also be the kick off of our Books and Badges program, where Columbus police officers read a book to elementary students and the kids get to take a copy of that book home with them.
Ofc Rogers will read The Night Before Christmas to those kids, and each of them will go home that day with a copy. A sticker inside the book will give the children a place to write their names and remind them that it was a gift from their friends at Columbus Division of Police.
