Page 50 - November 2018

7th District lls the calendar with community events
nBY NICKSWEDBERG
It was a busy October in the 7th District, as the CAPS office continued its work to promote a healthy relationship with the community — and the fun will continue for the rest of the year.
The events are a part of an ongoing effort to show residents it’s not “us versus them” but that “it’s all of us” working together in the district, said Officer Oneta Sampson from the CAPS office.
“That’s pretty much our goal, to be involved in the different communities,” Sampson said.
For the first time ever, the district station was turned into a haunted house for local children to celebrate Halloween on Oct. 30 and 31, said Sampson, who has been with the department for 15 years. Officers dressed up as monsters, and a maze was erected in the darkened hallways of the station.
Long lines of children and their parents waited for their turn to venture into the scary but safe display. The event was so pop- ular that organizers had to cut off attendance and send some people home, Sampson said.
“The response for the haunted house was exceptionally re- ceived, and the people loved it,” Sampson said.
On Oct. 6, the movie Madea’s Family Reunion was shown in- side the station as part of a domestic violence awareness event. Sampson said the “intense movie” contains different messages about child and domestic abuse. After the 90-minute film end- ed, officers held a discussion with the 20 people in attendance.
Officers also distributed winter coats and boots to kids and participated in Rock the Beat events across the district, which are designed as a response to areas and neighborhoods that see a drastic uptick in violence.
“Whatever beat that was having a challenge, that’s where they were having them,” Sampson explained.
In the coming weeks, the district is going to sponsor a turkey giveaway, donate collected toiletries to local shelters and host an end-of-the-year beat party, “almost like an appreciation par- ty,” Sampson said. d
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50 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ NOVEMBER 2017