Page 43 - December 2015

Auction items for the True Blue Event included a basketball autographed by Bulls star Derrick Rose and a hockey stick signed by members of the Blackhawks 2015 Stanley Cup champs.
Rose and Robak recruited Thaddeus Wong, co-founder of @prop- erties, to be vice-chairman; Justine Fedak, senior vice-president, BMO Harris Bank, to be secretary; and Thomas Anderson, head of Profes- sional Group Trading Services, Wedbush Securities, to be treasurer. They also attracted people who expressed connections to law enforce- ment and wanted to make more than a financial commitment, such as longtime Lodge 7 support Bob Loquercio, president and chief exec- utive officer, Bob Loquercio Auto Group; Robert Arthur, president, Magellan Corporation; James Reynolds, founder, chairman and chief executive officer, Loop Capital; and Mike Meagher, senior vice-presi- dent, James McHugh Construction Company.
But the piece de resistance came from all the CPD officers who attended. Firearms instructors, members of the SWAT team, bomb squad, K9 and Marine units and medical teams gave tours and answered questions. Many patrons donated spots at their tables, and officers were able to sit with citizens and further engage about their jobs and themselves.
What this all will yield is certainly much-needed and much- deserved.
“They were able to see police officers as real people, their human side,” Rose reveals. “They didn’t look at them as the one who is going to give them a ticket, but the one who is their neighbor, the one who is going to help them. It was important to see that side.”
“I am so humbled by the Board; it’s so new for police officers to have citizens like these supporting us,” Diaz confirms. “We are going to start seeing more training and more equipment to protect us. The girls and guys in blue are going to be very excited.”
Robak notes how important seeing that side was on inspiring the generosity of guests to support the foundation.
In addition to direct support to the Department, the Foundation may also explore alternative funding options such as grants. There is also opportunity to support other organizations in the city working on behalf of law enforcement such as the Chicago Police Memorial Foun- dation and the like.
“Guests were able to learn and understand some of the challenges and difficulties Chicago Police Officers face in the heroic work they do,” he explains. “That brought an energy to the event that made peo- ple want to commend and support those individuals who put their lives on the line every day.”
“There’s nothing but opportunity in terms of what we can do,” Robak concludes. “We want to hear from the individuals out there every day about what they need to make their jobs easier and safer. And at the end of the day, we really want to make a difference in pro- tecting and providing for those officers on behalf of the residents and businesses in the city of Chicago.”
And that impact was not lost on the officers who attended.
“The officers were amazed by the amount of support,” says Lodge
A patron bids on an auction item at the True Blue event.
7 member and SWAT Team Officer Danny Diaz, who initiated the effort to form the Foundation one day in 2013 when talking with his fellow team members. “Seeing all these people coming up and asking questions, being intrigued with everything we do and wanting to be part of it was a surreal experience.”
Diaz downplays his role in the creation of the Foundation. He was the one who researched police foundations in other cities, collected the data to write the bylaws, formed the 501(c)(3) and helped build the website at chicagopolicefoundation.org. He notes that his motivation was to, “protect everyone and make it a better city.”
The big move, he notes, was connecting with Robak, with whom Diaz shares an engineering background he gained serving in the Army and deploys as one of the SWAT Team’s tactical planners.
“Police officers, we provide help. We never want to ask for help,” Diaz explains. “Finally, I asked John if he wanted to be part of it. He jumped right on board and skyrocketed this thing to the moon. He took us to extreme levels that I didn’t think were going to happen as fast as they did.”
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