From left: Ben Orcutt, Patrick Hawley, Kris Franta and Keith Dale stand in front of cabinet doors adorned with thank-you cards from children.
A poker chip run to be held during the Crazy Cool Boulevard Cruise this Saturday will give cruising enthusiasts the opportunity to possibly win $500 in cash and prizes. Registration ($25) will be held at 6 p.m. in front of the Chamber of Commerce's visitor center and all street legal vehicles and motorcycles are invited to participate. Grilled hot dogs, chips and drinks will be served by Frosty Jo's, by donation, with all proceeds benefiting the Alva Police Department's Kids & Cops program.
The poker run is only one of many events presented by Kids & Cops – a concept that was born from the minds of many and came to fruition in December 2016. The initiative's purpose is centered around helping kids in Alva and local communities, said Police Chief Ben Orcutt. "I think it's important that law enforcement has a positive presence among younger children. A lot of times, the only time a kid deals with us is in a bad situation. This is the whole reason we do this."
Well-known programs like Shop with a Cop and Pack the Park have been established under the Kids & Cops umbrella, as well as drives for school supplies in the summer and coats in the winter.
Everything is donated or made possible by donations.
"There are a ton of people that do stuff and not just cops," Alva reserve police officer Keith Dale said, acknowledging the amount of involvement that goes into the events and activities. "I hope to see this [program] continue for many years to come," he said. "That's the plan."
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