Farmington Police Department Auxilairy
Commitment is an understatement when describing the loyalty of the proud members of the Farmington Police Department Auxiliary of Illinois. Sound police presence can undoubtedly add to the community’s sense of security, support, and well-being, but often times the initiatives of their affiliates may be forgotten in their shadows. While they assist on duty officers with any special needs or request for assistance, the continued community engaged efforts of Farmington’s Auxiliary unit has earned them the recognition of the Daily Point of Light Award.
Their assistance during major events or crises that arise in the city and surrounding communities, have not only produced large savings on man hours, but their fundraisers have also cut extraneous police departmental costs. With an awe-inspiring average of 7.5 years of service, the auxiliary department’s active support of the Farmington Police has become a tradition in the proud state. Whether it is administering the Neighborhood Watch, or patroling during basketball and football games, this inspiring group has an established presence in Farmington.
Leading by example, the auxilary’s efforts to mobilize volunteerism at home in Farmington has generated thousands of volunteer offerings to the department and its community. The auxuliary’s involvement in such outreach programs and projects are often described as tiresome, thankless jobs, yet the selfless dedication of this unit to the mission of the Farmington PD continues with diligence and pride of service. The members of the Farmington PD Auxiliary wear their uniforms proudly and their eagerness to go above and beyond the call of duty is a shining image to the students, families, and community groups of Farmington.
Megan Rosker
Today’s post is written by Megan Rosker and reposted from her blog Let Children Play. The original post was published on July 21, 2011 called “Many Thanks.”
“Nine months ago I did something every parent does when their child is five years old. I enrolled my son in kindergarten. He was excited. I was bittersweet. For the first few days he was giddy with the newness of school. Then reality set in. The reality was that these kindergarteners were receiving no recess time. In fact no child in the school was receiving recess.
My son came home burdened from school. He complained of sitting still for a long time, feeling rushed all the time and never getting a break. He was five! How could this be right?
I volunteered in the classroom. I saw the hours and hours of sitting, the coaxing of the teachers to manipulate the students into sitting still for lesson after lesson. Not only was it hard on the kids, it was almost impossible for the teachers to keep pushing and pushing at this pace. It was unnatural and unkind for both student and teacher.
How could I let my five year old be introduced so early to such a burden? To me, he was still barely out of toddler hood. He was ripe with creativity and wild with childhood imaginings. Not to have time to play or run around on the playground was not a good education.
I sat in front of my computer one fall evening and wrote Lenore Skenazy of Free Range Kids about my problem. She was the only advocate I knew at that time who voiced concern about the lack of play time kids receive these days. In the email I asked her,
Who can I write, email, talk to? What picket line do I need to stand in? What petition do I need to sign? Where is the place or the organization that I can go to be heard as an infuriated parent?
She responded saying,
I don’t know about a picket line…yet!
and then she went on to introduce me to the playful, dedicated play advocates at KaBoom!. She felt they would be able to guide me towards taking action. She was right.
One email quickly formed into a net of supportive play and education advocates from across the country. I was introduced to moms, dads, teachers, those working in the nonprofit sector and those working in social media, all of whom wanted something better for our nation’s children. We all cared that our children were not only failing in school, they were suffering through childhood.
As was the suggestion from my new friends at KaBoom, I approached the Academic Planning Committee at our school with a smile on my face and research on play in my hand, but instead of being met by a group of open minded educators, I was repeatedly rejected. I was even met with hostility. I even had a parent walk out of the meeting!
Visions of picket lines began to dance in my head. I wanted people to hear the concerns of parents (and many teachers) who believed in play. After all, I wasn’t the only person frustrated with the lack of unstructured free time in school. There were many, many more like me and our concerns needed to be heard.
With this in mind, I went to every television station and newspaper across St. Petersburg. I believed then, as I do now, that all parents need to hear this important message about their children. Kids need to play. It may sound simple, but it is a profound message given the turn we have taken culturally toward standardizing our educational system. In this standardization we have lost track of the fundamental needs of our kids. In the spinning, whirl of concern over the academic success of our children, we have lost track of how to raise them.
My message was met with acceptance every time and on every station. We were featured in the New York Times and I soon founded two successful blogs, Let Children Play and Let Children Achieve.
A month ago I was nominated by Amy Dickinson of KaBoom! for the Daily Point of Light Award and last week I was honored to receive it. This award honors individuals who are creating meaningful change in communities across America. Thank you Amy for thinking of me.
I am incredibly honored to receive this award, but it isn’t just mine.It represents the commitment every parent makes when they desire something better for their child. It represents the struggle to be heard that many parents have and overcome. I started this work because I believed my three children deserved more play, but this is true for all our kids. What was initially a personal battle, has ignited in me a fire for change in our educational system. Without the voice of moms and dads change that benefits our kids will be impossible.
What I write, what I share with others and what I do for my community and country I understand as simply part of my job as a mother, friend and writer. I passionately believe our children deserve what is best for them. Sometimes what is best for them doesn’t mesh with our adult agenda, but in the end the only thing that matters is the well being of our kids.
I look forward to continuing to write, speak, listen and connect with millions of parents and advocates who believe as I do that nothing is more important than our children.
I look forward to seeing you on the picket line.”
Albert Guevara
“I sense the ability to inspire others and create enthusiasm and excitement…and what better challenge than teaching adults as an amateur teacher? I have this willingness to take risks, especially risks involving dialogue, even if I don’t know where it will take me.”
Albert Guevara, 72, has been a volunteer tutor with Literacy Connection since 2004. He is dedicated to assisting English-speaking, low-literate adults and non-English speaking adults become functional members of our community by teaching them how to read, write and speak English. Because of his own personal experience, Albert understands the value of a good education.
The son of a laborer and seamstress, Albert was born in Dallas, Texas in 1935. He developed his work ethic in childhood when, in 1947, he and his two siblings joined their mother picking crops from farm to farm. Arriving in Chicago in late 1949, the family decided to stay in the city. There, Albert attended vocational school for two years. He left school to help his mother with the family finances and to ensure the education of his two younger brothers. Albert finally earned his GED in the late 1950?s while serving in the U.S. Army. Besides his stint as a soldier, Albert’s varied career has also included stints as an upholsterer, and – for many years – as a builder and welder. Now retired, Albert has applied his considerable energy to tutoring.
Since being matched with his first student in 2004, Albert has tutored a total of 22 students. He donates an average of 45.7 hours each month preparing for and giving tutoring lessons. He presently has nine students whom he tutors on a one-on-one basis and also teaches a two-hour evening intermediate English conversation group of five students for a Family Literacy Program.
Albert is an inspiring example to all who love learning.
