Syracuse St. Patrick's Day Parade Tomorrow

Tomorrow, Saturday, 14th March, is the Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade. The Parade begins at noon with the route starting at S. Salina St. and Erie Blvd West, ending on S. Salina St. and W. Onondaga St.

Looks like tomorrow will be a nice day (sunny 43-46 degrees), not bad when compared to some of the past years. So, get your families out for a fun time and enjoy the parade.

The Syracuse Police Department will be towards the very front of the parade. I plan to march in the parade tomorrow. If you are on the west side of S. Salina St. be sure to give a shout out if you see me pass. 

More importantly, give a loud shout out to all the police and fire fighters as they march past. We are fortunate to live in a community with some truly dedicated public servants. Be sure to let them all know you appreciate them by giving a loud shout out as they pass. 

Hope to see you there.

Officer Clarke

Thanks for the Dough

Thank you to those who turned out for the "Dough Raiser" on Tuesday. We're waiting to hear from Uno's regarding the amount that was raised. Your support is appreciated.

Dough Raiser for the Police Center

Hey Folks,

Please, remember the UNO CHICAGO GRILL Dough Raiser at Carousel Mall. On Tuesday February 24th, up to 20% of your check may be donated to the Police Center Fund. Invite family and friends to join you for dinner at the UNO CHICAGO GRILL in Carousel Mall. Use the coupon from our mailing or inform your server, you are there to RAISE DOUGH for the Northside Community Police Center. I am planning to eat lunch at the Uno Grill and will also be there from 5:00PM-10:00PM. Ask your server where I am in the restaurant and be sure to visit our table. If you have any questions, call our office during the day at 471-3257.

See you there,

Officer Clarke

Ice-Fishing Trip 2008

The children pose for photos on the snowmobiles. They are not riding them cuz they would not be driving and they would be wearing helmets.

A couple of the older boys man the tip-ups outside the Ice shanty.

Twenty one of us spent the weekend together on our Ice-fishing Trip. We all had a great time enjoying winter activities together. This year was especially meaningful for me because several of our older kids who came on the trip, have not been in a number of years. It was fun reminiscing about how much they enjoyed the trip when they were younger and to be there at their current age along with the other younger children. It's was such a joy to have them there to help out with all the hole drilling and setting out the tip-ups.

The weather was beautiful. We had blue, skies and warm temperatures (just above freezing). The wind chill made it a little cold when we were out on the lake but the fishing holes didn't ice over because of the temperature. Not having to chip out the holes every few minutes is a big plus when ice-fishing. We didn't catch any pike on our tip-ups but the children caught plenty of pan fish on their hand-lines. Many of our children won prizes in the Youth Division of the Fishing Derby. Some of the prizes we won were $50 cash, $25 Walmart gift certificate, case of soda and others.

The younger children spent a lot of time sledding and playing in the snow. The older kids rode the snowmobiles almost non-stop. They put over 300 miles on each of my four snowmobiles over the weekend. Many of the miles were done by taking turns riding out to the island and back 1/2 mile out in front of camp. They also took turns riding on a longer trips with us adults, five miles down the lake to the store, to gas up the snowmobiles. In the evening we made popcorn and put a movie in the DVD player for the younger ones. For the older kids it was more snowmobile riding. It would get a little tight at night when we set up the cots and rolled out the beds. Five of the older boys slept in the camper so, we managed to work it out. First thing in the mornings we had to break down the cots and roll outs so we had enough room to eat breakfast. These youngsters sure could pack away a big breakfast (eggs, bacon, waffles, home fries, juice). Then it was outside to play. We had a fun filled weekend. Thanks to all you folks who made our trip possible. To view more photos of our trip go to flickr.

Please, remember, our Chicago Uno Dough Raiser at Carousel Mall on Tuesday February 24. If you don't have a coupon, advise the server you are participating in the Police Center Dough raiser.

Thank you,

Officer Clarke

A Winter Weekend

I just came back from a few days at my camp. I haven’t been up in a while, and I figured I better check things out before I bring the kids up for our Annual Ice-fishing Weekend.

This has been a hard winter. The snow is a little deeper, and it’s been a lot colder. The temperature went down to -25 degrees Monday night. I hadn’t planned on lying on the ground under my camp for over an hour, but I had to crawl under there with my portable propane heater to thaw out my pipes. They froze overnight while I was there. My lab would crawl under every few minutes and lick my ear. It was irritating and at the same time comforting to know she was checking in on me. I am just thankful none of the pipes broke.

Last year we drove my four-wheeler and a snowmobile out to our tip-ups and ice shanty. With all this snow, I am not sure the four-wheeler will work this year. Recently, a friend sold me his two older snowmobiles and a trailer for $3,000. My son and daughter tested them out for a few miles, so I think they will work out well for our fishing trip. I already towed the snowmobiles up to camp and pulled the ice shanty across the lake to the place we will be fishing. 

The lake has a foot and a half of ice on it; I made sure to measure it before venturing out too far. I will be tuning up my power auger before the trip to ensure it is ready for the 200 or so holes we will be drilling.

I am planning to go up again this weekend with another truck full of gear. We need a lot of stuff to supply the 20 of us for a weekend. I am going to tow up another snowmobile and pull another ice shanty out onto the lake. I will definitely need to get the farmer across the street to plow out the road down to the camp. I already spoke to him about it. Right now I am feeling like I am a little ahead of things as far as the trip goes.

On a more somber note, my mother was just diagnosed with liver cancer. I took her in for a procedure where a tube is placed through a vein in her leg right into the cancer area and injected with chemo. She was home the next day, and she stayed up for a late night of playing cards with friends. Last night I visited her, and she said she was feeling weak. 

She has come along to help out on my past few fishing trips. She cooked for 12 of us kids growing up, so 20 orders of waffles is no problem for her. Before yesterday she was still planning to come along on the trip, but it now looks like she will not be joining us. The doctor said that one whole lobe was covered with cancer and the procedure would only slow the effects and help her to be more comfortable. Those of you who pray, I would greatly appreciate your prayers for her and my family during this trying time. Our family’s faith in the Lord is solid—we all know we will meet in Heaven some day, but times like these are still tough. Your prayers and support were an encouragement to me just a little over a year ago when my Dad lost his brief bout with cancer.

The dates for the ice fishing trip are February 6th-8th. The Black Lake Fish and Game Association Fishing Derby is only on Saturday this year. We will be entering everyone in the derby. They have a great youth division and generally many of our children win prizes.

If you are interested in helping us out with the ice fishing trip, you may help in any of the following ways:
· Ice-fishing line, poles, lures, tip-ups, small propane tanks for lantern and heaters, etc.
· Bait, grubs, wax worms, large minnows ($1.25 ea. We generally use 250 pike minnows)
· Food, drinks, snacks, paper plates, bowls, cups, napkins, paper towels
· Clothing (socks, mittens, scarves, mittens, etc) special thanks to a group that helped us get boots for children this year.
· Gas cards – we will be using a lot of gas for vehicles to transport everyone to camp, for the snowmobiles, and the ice auger.
· Monetary donations for Black Lake Derby entry fees, renewal fees for our Adventure Explorer Post (this provides our liability insurance through the Hiawatha Seaway Council for all our trips throughout the year, pizza and wings (Friday night), gas, minnows and any other expenses for the trip. Checks may be made out to Northside Community Police Center Fund.

Another way to support the Police Center is by simply going out to eat. I was recently contacted by a parent of children who attend our events. She works at UNO Chicago Grill in Carousel Mall and has offered to “RAISE DOUGH” for the Police Center on February 24th, 2009. 

All you have to do is go to UNOs on Tuesday, the 24th of February, present them with a RAISE DOUGH coupon, and order your meal. Up to 20% of your check goes to the Police Center. 

I am planning to eat lunch there and then return for dinner from 5:00-10:00pm. It would be a great time to meet some of you folks who support the Police Center. Be sure to ask your hostess where I am so we can visit. You may drop off or mail donations to our office at 255 Wolf St. If you have any questions on the above events, please give me a call at 471-3257.

Officer Clarke

Police Center Christmas Party

First, I would like to thank all of our many donors and volunteers who made the Christmas Party possible. Without you, we would not be able to reach so, many families. Thank you, for your generous support and hard work.

The winter storm arrived early in the morning as predicted the day of our party. Not only did it throw me off schedule (snow removal needs for the party) but I was well aware it would be an added burden to the families who travel to the Police Center by foot. More than half of the 800+ children who arrived here, walked, were carried or pushed in a stroller. Many, making the journey wearing only sneakers or shoes and with out hats or gloves. The snow caused many of the families scheduled in the morning to wait until afternoon before arriving at the party. This caused the party to run a little longer and the last 3 hours to be very crowded.

We anticipated the change from Polaroid Photos to digital photos would be challenging. The convenience of instantly handing a Polaroid to the family vs taking a digital photo, printing the photos and then reuniting the photo with the correct family was truly missed this year. Our newly, donated, A826 printer worked well all day, running non-stop 11am-6pm. However, our other two all in one printers suffered from paper jams and other technical problems through out the day slowing the printing process to a crawl at times. All day long there was a large swarm of people surrounding my printing volunteers awaiting their photos. Many families left planning to return to the Center another day to pick up their photos. Surely, we will have to work on how we manage family photos at our future events. It may require another A826 or two in order to manage our high volume of photos effectively.

Now that you have read about the challenges of a stormy day Children's Christmas Party, let me share some of the joyful stories. This year we had more volunteers than ever before. Many of our regular faithful volunteers were there to help along with lots of new folks. Having volunteers contact me in advance allowed me to work out a scheduling system I hope to refine even more for next year. Thank you, volunteers : )

Once families arrived at the Police Center they were placed in a line to see Santa, receive a gift, family photo, stuffed animal and a toothbrush. Then parents would sit in chairs through out the room while their children sat on the floor and opened their gifts. Families were treated to numerous snacks and drinks while visiting the Police Center. The Jackman Brothers preformed a magic show for the children. Child Safety IDs were also available to families who wanted them. A volunteer from Florida who assisted us with the party last year brought bags full of hats and mittens this year. She and another friend from Florida walked around putting hats and mittens on children who needed them. We served over 800 children along with their parents.

During the Christmas Party I was busy with many things to ensure the party was going smoothly (especially, the photo printing) and did not capture all the special moments happening around me. I don't like it much when I get too distracted from the children and miss those moments. I was still printing out the photos with Santa after the party, when everyone else had left. As I sat and viewed those photos I saw many beautiful smiles on so many children's faces. As I sat at my desk looking at each family photo, reminiscing about the day, my heart was warmed by the thoughts of how much joy we brought to each of these families. Thank you to all who make our party a success.

Officer Clarke

Giving Thanks

A volunteer wraps a gift for a needy child.

In spite of the economy I have a lot to be thankful for, especially my time spent with area families, my family and all of you who lend support to what we do.  I am grateful to all those who made it possible for us to hold our Halloween events. It seems like we just packed away those decorations and we’re already bringing our Christmas items up from the basement.

The Christmas Party is planned for Sunday December 21^st, 11:00am-6:00pm.  Already, the phone has been ringing with families wishing to sign up. Sign ups begin the day after Thanksgiving.

I’m a little anxious about finding the resources required to host a party that each year serves 1,000 children.  These tough times cause us to thoughtfully consider where we spend our money. For some, the thought of giving even a small portion of income to assist people outside of their own family is out of the question.  Others feel giving to people in greater need is a commitment which they keep even in difficult times. 

For more than 15 years, I have been able to provide programming for area youth that builds healthier relationships between the community and the Police Department.  A recent survey of families who have attended our programs, conducted by an SU student, testifies to this fact.  I didn’t need data to tell me this. I’ve witnessed it firsthand.  But I am grateful for the data to convince those who need more evidence that what we do makes a difference.

I could never say enough that I could not do this without you.  Some of you have been helping us from the beginning.  Others have joined in along the way. Together we’ve been making a difference in the lives of numerous children and families.  Your support over the years has given me the privilege of joining literally hundreds of families and thousands of children during some of their most joyous times. Not only did you give them wonderful memories, you gave them to me also. Who could ask for more out of life than that?  Each event, each family and each child that has walked through our door has been a treasure to me. Thank you for making this possible.

Over the years we have sometimes added or dropped programs temporally according to our finances. This year is the first time I considered dropping one of our main holiday events, the Pumpkin Carving Party.  Thankfully, some of you stepped up in big ways to ensure we had the things we needed to hold the event. I believe our total of pumpkins carved was 336 pumpkins.  That was not enough.  We ran out.

The Annual Children’s Christmas Party is our biggest event. The number of children who attend during a good economic year is around 1,000. I wonder how many more we may see this year in this difficult economy?

To make it possible, we need donations of funds and goods, as well as volunteer labor.  At the top of the list are gifts for children of various ages, from a few months old to teens.  However, we also need:  Wrapping paper, name tags (self-stick), tape, snacks, drinks, coffee, cups, paper plates, napkins, paper towels, toilet paper, hand soap, trash bags, ink cartridges & photo paper (3 x 5 or 4 x 6). 

Since Polaroid film is no longer being made, we don’t know how we will manage the photos with Santa this year. When you multiply the cost by 1,000, expenses quickly add up.  Digital is much less expensive, but it’s a little more involved.  We have found that a small but quick photo printer would help.  It costs between $90-125.  We may add that to our letter to Santa, since it will meet the demand for quick portable printing of digital photos at this event and others.  Donations of any of these items or monetary donations to help us purchase them will help make this event possible.  

In addition, we need volunteers to help prepare for the party and on the day of the event as follows:   

GIFT WRAPPING:  On two separate evenings during the week before the party, we need help bringing gifts to Senior Centers, and coordinating the wrapping of gifts: 

• One night (TBA) from 6:00pm-9:00pm at Salina School Apartments.
• A second night from 6:00pm-9pm at Franklin Square Apartments

PARTY:  On the day of the party, volunteers are needed to help sign families in, serve food, wrap gifts, take photos with Santa, print the photos, give out gifts, answer the phone, clean up, etc.  If you can help, please call (315)471-3257.  We encourage you to sign up in advance. The length of the party requires us to offer shifts and rotate assignments. Please call me before the party to review your assignment. 

Thank you to all who share in the Christmas spirit by giving of yourselves.  Those who know they’ve been blessed and have things to be thankful for, pay it forward.

Wishing you a happy holiday season,

Officer Clarke