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Clara Cinta, right, an officer with the Community
Santos Romo, who played with his fellow officers from 010, hits a shot from the fairway.
Safety Unit, hits a tee shot while Officer Anthony Okun watches.
Bob Hansen was one of many retired members
One Fine Day
Lodge 7 Golf Outing provides members with a long-overdue summer break
who came out to support Lodge 7.
Will Lapitan of the 24th District prepares to launch a drive.
n BY MITCHELL KRUGEL
n PHOTOS BY JAMES PINTO
Brightness flowed from Katie Blocker and not just because of the fluorescent salmon shirt she rocked at the 2020 Chi- cago Lodge 7 Golf Outing. As she walked across a green at Cog Hill Golf & Country Club’s No. 1 course, the officer from the Department’s newly named Community Safety Unit radiated more brilliantly than the sun that seemed to show out on or- der from the FOP to properly accompany this end-of-August day.
What the heck? How can a Chicago Police Officer be in such a good mood, smiling, joking, chillin’ to an uplifting mix broadcasting from a nearby golf cart? Blocker shared the secret to her festive posture, an outlook that has been so few and far between the past three months.
“They haven’t cancelled my day off yet,” the fifth-year officer quipped with an attitude inspired by this year’s golf outing. “After this, we go right back into 12-hour days with no days off. So this is a nice recharge before that happens.”
With the way Chicago Police Officers have been feeling like indentured ser- vants, the golf outing could not have been more essential. Perhaps sensing
46 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ SEPTEMBER 2020
the urgency, Lodge 7 worked within pan- demic-induced limitations to ensure the event that Detective Thomas J. Skelly be- gan more than 40 years ago and is played in his memory would once again serve its calling to offer a one-of-a-kind respite.
Skelly’s sons, sons-in-law and grand- sons on the job filled up foursomes once again as testament to what Detective Tom Jr. honors as his father’s “love for the FOP.” But this year’s event seemed to serve an even higher calling: 18 holes of getting away from it all and recognizing the impact of Lodge 7’s commitment to representing its members.
“It’s amazing that people actually do care about you and think about us, and it’s nice that they put something on af- ter the summer that we’ve had,” noted Dave Hoffman, who has been on for seven years and is currently assigned to the Community Safety Unit. “How great to just come out, laugh with everyone, shoot a round of golf and just not have to worry about anything for once.”
A hole lot of fun
John Aretos observed how important this day was from his peripheral view. As CEO of the Chicago Patrolman’s Credit Union, which offices across West Wash-
ington Boulevard from Lodge 7 head- quarters, he has seen enough to know the golf outing provided what he called “A silver lining to what’s going on.”
Part of that, of course, is never forget- ting those who have sacrificed for Chica- go Police Officers and the City. Bethany O’Reilly once again brought her family to the outing this year to honor her hus- band Phil, who was lost in the line of duty on March 16, 2003.
Bethany recalled how Phil loved to come to the outing, was known for throwing a club when he hit a bad shot and always raised a cold beverage after- ward to toast to his sisters and brothers. That’s a presence that always watches over the outing and its participants.
“He’s up there watching, analyzing every putt,” Bethany related. “We tell ev- erybody we’re a huge police family, and that’s why we come every year.”