Page 52 - August 2017

s for Co s hits the gni cent i e
n BY DAN CAMPANA
Six months after the Chicago Police Memorial Founda- tion and PAWS Chicago announced the City’s latest public art campaign, more than 100 uniquely designed K-9 stat- ues have taken their place along Michigan Avenue.
K-9s for Cops involves 54-inch German Shepherd stat- ues which have been sponsored by local businesses, fam- ilies and individuals. They started as blank canvasses but now are unique creations with a temporary home on the Magnificent Mile.
“Each one was designed and painted by local artists, including three artists who are Chicago Police Officers,” said CPMF Executive Director Phil Cline at the launch event in July. “Each one of these K-9s lining the street over the next several weeks represents the 575 Chicago police officers who were killed in the line of duty.”
CPMF raises money to support the families of officers killed or catastrophically injured on the job and provided $600,000 to those families last year. Sharing in the pro- ceeds of K-9s for Cops is PAWS, which is working to pro- vide residents in underserved communities with services and medical care for their pets, according to Paula Fas- seas, chair of PAWS Chicago.
She said the statues, as well as the partnership with CPMF, represent the “fabric of Chicago.” Cline agreed, calling the association with PAWS a “natural fit” because of the association between police and dogs.
CPD has 65 canine units working around the City at the
airports, on drug and bomb details and in various types of searches. Cline pointed out that officers frequently rescue dogs from the street and often get medical care for them or take them in as pets if they are otherwise unwanted.
Cline said that some statues are still available for spon- sorship. The weatherproof fiberglass German Shepherd dogs can be sponsored for $2,000. The sponsor will then be paired with a local artist to create a special design be- fore the statue is displayed publicly.
The decorated dogs are expected to reside on Michigan Avenue through Labor Day. Sponsors also have the option to purchase their dog for $500; otherwise, it will eventual- ly be available to the public as part of an auction, accord- ing to the memorial foundation.
“We believe this art project will again showcase Chica- go as the world-class city it is,” Cline said. d
52 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ AUGUST 2017
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