Page 44 - December 2020

Community connection endures amid pandemic
A number of activities and donations took place at the beginning of the summer to bolster connections during the pandemic, including drives participated in by the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation and AT&T. Both organizations teamed up to deliver 6,000 meals to on-duty officers in every district in the city in May.
The charitable group, Sewing Masks for a Safe Chicago, also donated approximately 13,000 masks in early May, handmade by local seamstresses and tailors. The masks went to first responders across the city.
Connecting the past and the present in the 25th District
The rousing call of bagpipes playing “Amazing Grace” rang out in the 25th District on May 13, when officers and community mem- bers gathered in honor of a memorial roll for two fallen heroes.
A 20-year bond between veteran officers who came on the job at the same time, Raymond Kilroy and Gregory Hauser, tragically ended on the evening of May 13, 1990. Both officers were killed in the line of duty while responding to a domestic call on Mother’s Day, placed because of a fight between a grandmother and her grandson. The grandson unexpectedly grabbed one of the officer’s weapons and fired several shots that struck Kilroy and Hauser and ended their lives. Kil-
roy was 47 years old,
and Hauser was 43.
As the bagpipes rang through the streets of the 25th District, the sound served as a so- bering reminder to current officers of the breadth of service that came before them.
Officers, community members unite to move forward after unrest
Chicago Police Officers and faith leaders from Englewood stood by at 68th and Halstead in a show of spiritual force. The pastors spoke of a community stepping up to protect itself amid uneasy times. They lauded the efforts of officers from the 7th District work- ing toward a common cause.
Signs of unity between police and community members emerged in districts after days of violence had left neighborhoods in pieces.
In the 7th District, “Englewood Strong” became a rallying cry on social media as groups assembled to help neighbors in need. Offi- cer Roderique McClain and others teamed up with students from Robert Lindblom Math & Science Academy on June 2 to clean up areas in Englewood impacted by unrest.
West Side districts fill boxes of supplies for their community
Officers in the 10th, 11th, 15th and 25th districts worked with the Harvest Christian Academy to build relief packages for 300 fami- lies to support those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Each box contained about $50
worth of materials, in- cluding toiletries, canned food and fidget spinners.
Members of the Area 4 Community Area Re- sponse Team (CART ) helped deliver the relief packages around the West Side on June 17, 20 and 24.
A Hub of Relief
As Sharon Mulhearn watched Chicago Police Officers pour in from the streets to enjoy donations of food and water on June 2, she realized that the tears she had shed over the past few days had been a call to action.
After the beginning of civil unrest on May 29, Mulhearn’s friend, Gina Arredia, who works for the Chicago Park District, posted a request on Facebook soliciting donations for CPD officers in Armour Square Park. Mulhearn saw the post and immediately texted Arredia.
“We called some restaurants and asked if they would donate food, and they were more than happy to,” Mulhearn relayed.
With a sudden influx of support from volunteers and local restau- rants, the women were able to set up a relief hub full of food and drinks for officers in Armour Square Park during the thick of protests. The hub remained open for seven days,
run entirely by volunteers through donations.
And members needed the sup- port. After responding to more than a week of around-the-clock protests across the city in the wake of the George Floyd incident in Minneapolis — including pro- tests in Millennium Park, Hyde Park, McKinley Park, the South Loop and Wilson Yard — the relief was a welcome gift.
7th District turns tragic accident into positive experience for 4-year-old girl
Sergeant Renee Whittingham discovered a 4-year-old girl lying on the ground next to an apartment building after fall- ing from her third-story window in the 7th District on May 17.
After being assured the young girl would be okay, Whit- tingham wanted to rewrite the story for both the girl and her family.
“We don’t want them to just have the memory of us asking how she fell,” Whittingham explained. “When it’s a scene like that, they almost feel bombarded by police, so I wanted them to remember, hey, we’re not just here to ask questions.”
Whittingham took a school supply list to Walmart to stock up for the family, asking for donations from officers as well. On July 16, she and other officers delivered toys, snacks,
books and school sup- plies to the 4-year-old, her 3-year-old sister and her parents at the same spot the accident had oc- curred two months prior. The 4-year-old girl was even deputized with a lit- tle badge pinned onto her pink shirt.
44 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ DECEMBER 2020