The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Community gives $6.3K toward K-9
CROMWELL >> The community has responded with generosity — and creativity — to raise more than $6,000 to buy the new police dog.
The efforts so far have included a local restaurant sharing a portion of its receipts and two programs in the school system, one at the high school, the other at Woodside Intermediate School.
The two school projects have raised more than $1,300, Cromwell Police Chief Denise Lamontagne said.
All together, the three efforts — and individual donations sent to police headquarters — have raised somewhere between a third to a half of the target amount, the chief said.
In early January, Lamontagne announced Chino, the department’s police canine since 2009, had retired.
The department was in discussions with two vendors about acquiring a new dog that will be partnered with Officer John Carlson. The cost is expect to be $10,000 to $15,000.
In making that announcement, Lamontagne also announced the department was seeking money to buy the dog and outfit it with special harnesses and other equipment.
In short order, the owners of Chicago Sam’s Sports Bar and Grill stepped forward to propose holding a fundraiser at the restaurant at 51 Shunpike Road.
The event, in which the restaurant donated 25 percent of the profits on Jan. 29 to the K-9 fund was a smashing success, Lamontagne said.
“It was very well-attended by the community to support the fundraiser, which I very much appreciate,” she said.
Lamontagne, who was present at the event, said, “I got to see a number of people who showed up and supported the effort by making donations in addition to the cost of their meal. I really have to thank the management team and the owners of Chicago Sam’s and their staff for approaching me about holding the K-9 fundraiser,” the chief said.
The event raised in excess of $5,000, Lamontagne said.
As pleased as she was by the Chicago Sam’s benefit, Lamontagne was equally pleased by the actions and creativity of the students at the high school and WIS.
“One of the best things that happened was the school raised more than $1,000,” she said.
She was most impressed by how they did it. The high school held a dressdown day in which teachers, staff and students could wear jeans or other less formal attire in exchange for making a donation to the K-9 fund.
At WIS, which houses students in grades three to five, the student council came up with the idea of “putting together a fundraiser where students could wear a hat if they donated $1,” Lamontagne said. “It was awesome.”
“The fact the student council took it upon themselves get involved and to come up with this idea by themselves is just awesome,” she said, taking her hat off to the students. “By themselves, they raised more than $300,” she said.
The chief said she intends to attend the March meeting of the student council to thank the students in person for their support. “As a department, we appreciate the support we have received from the community,” Lamontagne said.
There still is more money that needs to be raised, Lamontagne said, acknowledging that a number of checks have been coming in from various individual donors. As the fundraising effort continues, the chief said she is also reaching out to local businesses and to individuals.
Donations can be sent to the Cromwell Police Department K-9 Fund, care of the police department, at 5 West St.