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Opinion
December 21, 2007 |
Shop with a cop was a gem of a program
By Gail Paparian
For the Record Gazette
With sirens blaring surrounding the precious cargo
they were carrying in stretch limousines, members of the Banning and
Beaumont police departments, Cal Fire departments, the California Highway
Patrol, District Attorney's office and the National Center for Missing and
Exploited Children pulled into the Wal Mart parking lot in a blaze of glory.
When Detective Alex Diaz came to Banning, he brought with him an idea that
was implemented on Saturday, December 15th. The first annual Shop With A Cop
was a reality. Served a pancake breakfast earlier in the morning, 20 worthy
youngsters arrived at Wal Mart; each youngster having been handed a pack of
100 crisp one dollar bills. Each child was accompanied by an officer or a
supervising adult volunteer.
The stipulation was that each child spends the money on his or herself. The
expressions on their faces as they filled their baskets were priceless. I
asked Banning Police Chief Leonard Purvis whether the kids were instructed
to include the sales tax in their figuring (as I have taught my grandsons).
Chief Purvis said that his officers wanted each child to have the full $100
to spend; so they would pick up the tax! Wow, not only did they give of
their own time; they chipped in financially as well.
Money was raised through donations of individuals and local businesses.
Supervisor Marion Ashley matched dollar for dollar so they could reach the
goal of $100 per child. Wal Mart also controbuted $2,000.
I walked with Chief Purvis who said he was thrilled about this first annual
event. “The best part,” he said, “was bringing all of these agencies
together. It truly makes it a regional event.”
Detective Doug Monte said
that not just at-risk kids were chosen. “We rewarded kids for their
community service and excelling at school.” Members of the Recycling
Wranglers (who made their debut separating trash from recyclables at
Stagecoach Days) were included. We also included siblings of the Recycling
Wranglers who helped out.”
Diaz said, “We want to cover as many kids in the
Pass Area as possible.” Monte and Diaz are popular with teachers,
administrators and especially they kids they serve. Their enthusiasm and
demeanor instills values in every child they meet. They offer them positive
alternatives to anger, drug abuse and gangs.
It was interesting to watch the regular shoppers
take note of the well mannered kids and their chaperones. Several people had
cameras with them and insisted on taking pictures of the kids and the
officers to memorialize this most moving community event.
I applaud the organizers and participants and will
only assume that the 2nd annual Shop With A Cop event will be even more
successful next year. I suspect there will be substantially more community
input next year when more folks learn about this worthwhile and wonderful
project. It is no wonder that Alex Diaz and Doug Monte are Banning's Co
Officers of the Year. Well done, gentlemen!
A few years ago, I had lunch with some old friends
I used to work with. One of them, a multi-Emmy award winning writer asked
about Bill and what I was doing. I filled him in on some of the details and
ended with this sentence, “Yes, periodically over the years, I've written a
regular column.” He just looked at me and shook his head.
“What kind of sentence structure was that,” he
queried. I asked him if he had understood what I had said. When he
acknowledged that he had: I told him the case was closed. Because it was a
bit unorthodox didn't mean the explanation was invalid.
When I served as a reporter for several
newspapers, I left my opinion hat in my desk drawer. I was there to
journal/chronicle and event; not opine on it. Some reporters today may
subscribe to the philosophy of, “In my opinionŠ the facts are.” I do not
approve of this form of writing and I do not practice it.
As I remind friends and readers, I DO write an
opinion column that appears on the editorial page. That said-I have prided
myself over the years in doing extensive research and validating facts
before I include them in any piece with my byline. If someone wants to
refute a fact I have statedŠ I am all ears. My opinions are my own and I
will defend myself passionately. Should you want to refute a fact (not an
opinion) I would be happy to hear from you: (info@writing solutions. com).
Now I many not like your opinion but I will defend your right to have it
with equal passion.
A recent letter to the editor stated, “Nearly
every article that Gail Paparian has written about Banning has been
negative.” I was gratified when the author's used the word “nearly” vs.
“every.” Am I negative? Nope. Am I realistic? Absolutely!
My husband used to say, “Nothing happens until
somebody does something about it. Tack that on to another of my favorites:
“Nothing can ever get finished if it never gets started and the dye in the
angiogram leads straight to the reality that little progress has been made
in Banning in years.
Yes, progress appears to be happening, albeit it
on the slow track. The fact that Sun Lakes' golf courses continue to be
watered with drinking water is just plain silly. The longer other sources of
water (including reclaimed water) are not used, the more expensive it will
be if and when it finally arrives here. As I have said previously, putting
all of Banning's eggs in the state water pot is not realistic.
I hope when Jim Earhart, interim director of water
and waste water gets his feet wet (pun intended), he will do all in his
power to insure that Banning has multiple choices about Banning's current
and future sources of water. People may have been working on this for years,
but nothing has happened. Before prices quadruple, it is finally time for
something to happen.
One of the reasons my late husband and I moved to
Charleston, SC was because of its charm and history. Living in Charleston
was like living on an historic movie set. I friend sent me a link to www.
charlestondigitalcorridor.com. Their tagline is, “18th century
architecture. 21st century technology.”
That's what I see Banning Š. Stagecoach Town USA.
A place with small town, historic significance coupled with the best of
today's technology. That's what drew us to Banning in 2002- - - small town
charm and wonderful people not blocks of blighted buildings and homes.
I want to see blight removed and replaced with
something beautiful and productive - not decaying structures, eyesores and
little, if any of tax-dollar producing industries and good pay jobs. This
does not make me negative; it makes me realistic.
IN THE REAL WORD is written for the Record Gazette
by Gail Paparian, a Banning resident who has served on Banning (and
Riverside County) committees. She is currently on these boards: Community
Blood Bank, San Gorgonio Pass Rotary, San Gorgonio Pass Boys and Girls Club
and a member of the Banning Economic Development Committee.
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