The Batavia Rotary Club is teaming up with local police officers to assist members of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Clermont County experience this year’s County Fair in Owensville on July 26th. The Rotary Club is providing transportation, food, and admission for the young people and officers to attend the fair. Local officers will spend the day informally palling around with the youth, building relationships and mutual respect.
“When the Rotary Club approached our organization with this idea, we jumped at the chance,” said Nancy Ball, Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Clermont County. And local officers apparently felt the same way. Chief Deputy Rick Combs of the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office organized help from the Clermont County Chiefs of Police and Sheriff’s Association. Officers from the Sheriff’s Office and a dozen police departments from across the county signed up to participate in this first-time event. 75 youth will accompany the officers, at the Rotary Club’s expense, from noon to 5:00 p.m. The kids and cops will work together to complete a scavenger hunt and an “Encyclopedia Search” as they visit barns and booths, learning about our agricultural roots. Chief Rick Combs stated, “It’s a wonderful opportunity for our youth to see law enforcement officers in a much different light, as the mothers and fathers of our community”. Clermont County Sheriff, A.J. “Tim” Rodenberg said most local police chief’s supported the concept and jumped at the opportunity to work with our local kids- which speaks volumes about our leadership here in Clermont County”.
Said Archie Wilson, chair of the golf committee of the Rotary Club which will fund the outing, “Building relationships between our young people and our local police is one of most important things we can do to foster respect.”
Since 1996, the Boys & Girls Club of Clermont County has been in the forefront of youth development, working with young people from all backgrounds. Our programs are proven to help youth achieve success. We provide daily after-school and summer-time programs in career, education, leadership, character development, health, life skills, arts, and recreation, to over 900 Club members and 2,000 other children ages 6 to 18, each year. Our Clubs are located in New Richmond, Amelia and Felicity. For information about how you can support the Club, contact Nancy Ball, nball@thepositiveplace4kids.org; 513-553-1948.