Page 30 - August 2018

Some scratch to support police memorials
On July 30, scratching the surface became an act that will rub off on the police memorial organizations throughout Illinois.
Lodge 7 President Kevin Graham joined some of the state’s elected officials at Gold Star Memorial Park on that Monday morning to watch Governor Rauner sign an amendment to the Illinois Lottery Law known as the “Police Memorials Scratch- Off.” Scheduled to begin on Jan. 1, 2019, the Illinois Lottery will offer a special instant scratch-off game to benefit the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation (CPMF) Fund, the Police Memorial Committee Fund and the Illinois State Police Memorial Fund. The revenue will be dedicated to giving scholarships to children of officers killed or catastrophically injured in the line of duty,
the CPMF “Get Behind the Vest” program, supporting annual memorial commemorations and other programs.
The Illinois State Police initiated the idea, and Chicago Lodge 7 supported the amendment as it moved through the legisla- tive process beginning in January. The bill was sponsored in the House by Representatives Jim Durkin, Michael McAuliffe and Fran Hurley. John Mulroe sponsored it in the Senate.
CPMF Executive Director Phil Cline, Illinois State Police Di- rector Leo Schmitz and Jack Garcia, director of the Illinois State Police Memorial joined President Graham at the ceremony to sign the bill. First Deputy Superintendent Anthony Riccio repre- sented the Department at the event. d
30 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ AUGUST 2018