HEARTENING GIFTS

Police ‘pay it forward’ with Fill-a-Cruiser

“Everyone’s been really generous.” — Mentor Police Department detective Steve Ondercin

This is the sixth year the Mentor Police Department has held the Fill-a-Cruiser, but this year the event took on a special emotional resonance.

After patrolman Mathew Mazany was struck and killed in a hit-and-run crash in June, the community really came together to support the department, Detective Steve Ondercin said.

That outpouring of support included donations to help the Mazany family, meals for weeks, artwork and cards from across the country.

The Fill-a-Cruiser food drive is an opportunity to pay it forward, Ondercin said.

“We’re appreciative of what we’ve received,” he said.

A group of off-duty officers gathered outside the Giant Eagle at 7960 Plaza Boulevard to collect food and money to give back to the community.

The food donations go to local food pantries in Mentor: St. Bede and St. Mary’s. The money collected goes to support the police department’s

Kops-N-Kids program. The program helps kids in need of extra cheer during the holiday season, Ondercin said. Kids in the program will get a Christmas party that includes a visit from Jungle Terry and presents from Santa. The kids are identified with the

help of the Mentor Schools, the city victim’s assistance program as well as the officers themselves.

The department began the Kops-N-Kids program in 1983.

Despite rain, the Fill-aCruiser event was bringing in a nice haul. About two

hours in, they were well on their way to filling a second police cruiser with donated food items. They were receiving a steady stream of cash donations as well.

“Everyone’s been really generous,” Ondercin said.

The officers were stationed just outside the entrance

of Giant Eagle, protected from the rain by the store overhang. K-9 Bo was also on hand to greet folks.

The date of the event is a strategic one. The Sunday before Thanksgiving is considered to be one of the busiest grocery shopping days of the year, Ondercin said.

Plus the donations can be used for the fast approaching holiday season.

Last year, donors filled three police cruisers and donated more than $2,686 in cash. In the first five years of the program, nearly $8,000 was raised for the Kops-N-Kids program.

ANDREW CASS — THE NEWS-HERALD Mentor police Nov. 18 filled police SUVs with donated food for area pantries and collected cash donations for a Kops-N-Kids program.