Youth jump into program with police

A group of over 40 young and teenage boys were escorted in police cars with sirens whaling July 23 to Altitude Trampoline Park, 110 Market Drive in Elyria, for a day of fun.

Several members of Lorain County law enforcement agencies took the youngsters for the kick off the Operation Open Heart week-long camp out.

The boys ages 9-16, under the custody of Lorain County Children Services, enjoyed their first outing of a week full of planned activities.

State troopers, police officers, firefighters and those of EMS accompanied the children.

Richard Pozywak, a patrolman with Grafton Police Department, said the boys camp out at Mill Hollow Reserve in Vermilion

through the week and enjoy the activities together.

Pozywak said the group of campers and law enforcement will participate in activities like going out for haircuts, programs at the

park, bowling, going for food and ice cream.

Children Services organizes the camp out and selects the boys it feels need the guidance of spending time with someone they

may look up to, he said.

These events are provided to “show them of what’s out there other than what they currently have,” Pozywak said.

Operation Open Heart started 56 years ago as a one-day camp by a state trooper named David Harper, who was in foster care with Green Acres in Oberlin, Pozywak said.

“(Harper) wanted to do more for the kids and show them there’s a better life out there other than foster care,” he said.

Pozywak said law enforcement personnel will spend time with the boys at Cedar Point and on the holidays.

Chris Alten, an Amherst Police Department officer, said the camp and other Open Heart events are simply a good time for positive interaction with police and law enforcement.

Alten said he and other officers use their vacation days just to have fun and hang out with the boys.

Alten and Pozywak said they’ve seen many of the children in the program become members of law enforcement after their time in the Open Heart program.

One of the boys is a 17-year-old who’s been coming to Operation Open Heart events for eight years.

“All of (the events) are a blast,” he said.

He also said he loves riding in the police cars on the way to all events.

“You can tell these (members of law enforcement) have fun hanging out and spending time with (us),” the teen said. “They take time out of their vacation and spend time with us. All I can do is be grateful.”

Natalie Rodriguez, manager of Altitude, said children love events like spending time with people they may look up to.

“It’s police or someone they can look up to that can bring them together,” Rodriguez said. “If maybe, if they were afraid of (law enforcement), things like this bring them together. Then, when they get older, they know they can approach them if they need them.”

BRIANA CONTRERAS — THE MORNING JOURNAL Members of law enforcement in Lorain County kicked off a 56th Operation Open Heart event June 23 with young teens and boys of Lorain County Children Services at Altitude Trampoline Park in Elyria. This activity was the first of many they will participate in throughout the week as they also have a camp out at Mill Hollow Reservation in Vermilion.