The Kiwanis Club of Fort Atkinson has announced that it is pleased to partner with the Fort Atkinson Police Department to promote the “Cops ‘N Kids” reading program.
“Together, these two civic organizations will strive to increase children’s literacy while also building community trust in law enforcement,” a recent club press release stated.
According to the release: The Cops ‘N Kids reading program was founded in 1997 in Racine, when retired police officer, Julia Witherspoon, responded to a burglary scene where she found a warehouse filled with children’s books. She loaded several books into the back of her police vehicle and began distributing them to disadvantaged children to help improve their lives and love for reading. This simple act of kindness nurtured a connection between community and law enforcement, ultimately instilling trust between the two. This connection is just as important today as it was then, and hence the reason the Kiwanis Wisconsin-Upper Michigan District created its own program to reinforce it.
Enter Kiwanis ‘N Cops ‘N Kids, brought to you by the Kiwanis Club of Fort Atkinson. Over the summer months, the Kiwanis Club of Fort Atkinson will debut a short series of videos on their Facebook page featuring local police officers sharing their love for reading. Each segment will highlight a police-themed children’s book. Following the debut, paper copies of the highlighted book will be stocked in the free little library outside the Fort Atkinson Police Station for the taking. Parents and/or children can stop by and pick up their copy of a book free of charge.
“We’re excited to partner with the Kiwanis Club of Fort Atkinson on this community project. It’s important for kids to see police officers as helpers in their community. By engaging them in activities outside traditional law-enforcement, like reading, they can develop a positive perception of us as people. Let’s get our read on,” Brian Enger, Fort Atkinson Police Department DARE coordinator, said within the release.
Those interested in the program are encouraged to follow the Fort Atkinson Kiwanis Club Facebook page for the series debut.
The Kiwanis Club of Fort Atkinson is a part of Kiwanis International, a global organization committed to changing the world one child and one community at a time. The local club focuses on supporting programs that have a direct impact on children and families in the Fort Atkinson Community. The club is currently accepting new members. If you are interested in learning more about Kiwanis or attending a future meeting, please contact Ryan Huber at 608-449- 0440.
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