Page 40 - August 2018

Chicago Lodge 7 was the picnic host with the most, from members (from left) Joseph Gentile and Phil Tenerelli handling some grilling to President Kevin Graham icing down cold drinks to offering up great raffle prizes.
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The microcosm of FOP picnickers might have been the group with 9th District Field Training Officer Fernando Jacin- to. He has worked in five districts during his 13 years on, and his party included fellow members and their families from across the Department.
Jacinto and his brother Tony worked a 5-foot long grill filled with jalapeno burgers, skirt steaks, ribs, Bacardi and pineap- ples and shish kebab with poblano lime sauce. His mother, Vir- ginia, who recently hit mandatory retirement age after many years on the job, opted for the simple hot dog and reveled in her sons, who have helped take care of the City.
One of those was Fernando’s older brother Juan, who lost his right eye three days out of the Academy. He had to take a dis- ability retirement and now lives in South Carolina. Fernando put out this spread as a tribute to Juan and all coppers.
“Cops like to host and treat people, so I invite everybody I
know and everybody from my district,” he explained. Sandoval, an Academy instructor who has been on for 12 years, promoted the passion members put into this day. He ar- rived at 8:30 a.m. and teamed with longtime friends Sanchez and Beluso to begin cooking at 10 a.m. By noon, they had a half dozen chickens spinning on a rotisserie. They have set up on the same spot at Gaelic Park for the past 12 years to stage a
celebration.
“It’s about the family, it’s about the kids, it’s about the FOP
and it’s about the Chicago Police Officers,” Sandoval exclaimed. Sanchez expounded on what makes this day memorable. “Pretty much hanging out with your partners,” he detailed.
“And it’s not on the job.”
Joe Rodriguez, who works in 010, and Tom Durtell, who
works as a detective in Area Central, go beyond partners. They are neighbors in the Clearing section on the southwest side, and their schedules leave maybe one day a year to hang out
40 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ AUGUST 2018