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More "CARE COOKIES" Delivered December 20, 2006...
Read article in the daily paper below |
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From left, Athens-Clarke Lt. James Williams, senior police Officer Jim O'Leary, Lt. Mike Tyndell and Sgt. Randy Garrett accept boxes of cookies Wednesday at the westside substation, baked by residents of the Kingswood neighborhood. Neighborhood president Pete Barkelew, second from left, helped deliver the cookies. Briana Brough - Athens Banner Herald Staff Photo
Residents cook up way to offer thanks - through sweet treats - to Athens-Clarke Police, Firefighters So, he couldn't help but be overwhelmed by the choices presented when the Kingswood subdivision homeowner's association stopped by the Athens-Clarke County Police Department's westside precinct bearing boxes of cookies for the men and women in blue Wednesday - more than 80 dozen cookies, to be exact. Now the westside subdivision is challenging neighborhoods across the county to warm up their own cookie sheets next year to show appreciation for officers. "We've made a commitment to keep our tradition, which isn't much of one - just two years old - next year and keep delivering on the cookies," said Kingswood homeowners' association president Pete Barkelew. "We want to challenge some of the other neighborhoods to take care of the (other) police officers next year." Kingwood's flood of cookies started at the Westside Precinct, located in Georgia Square Mall, last Christmas after Kingswood was hit with a small crime wave last fall. The residents didn't like the petty crimes, such as stolen trailers and broken windows, and police took the incidents seriously, Barkelew said. O'Leary already patrolled the neighborhood, but the department stepped up those patrols and O'Leary started working more closely with residents to help keep a look out for suspicious activity in Kingswood. "They were just so caring and considerate," Barkelew said. "It just really made a difference." To say thanks, homeowners' association member Debbie Helwig put out a call for cookies. The neighborhood ended up with so many treats, residents fed each shift at the precinct and each shift at Fire Station No. 2 on Mitchell Bridge Road. "Everyone here has been real appreciative so far," said Sgt. Randy Garrett, the westside precinct's commanding officer. "It's always good to have your neighborhood groups involved."
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