LIMA — Following up on a recent summit aimed at addressing gun violence among Lima’s youth, Ceasefire Lima and the junior city council will hold a community event to not only foster unity in the Lima community, but also raise money for body cameras for the Lima Police Department.
From noon to 4 p.m. on Make A Difference Day, scheduled for Saturday, Ceasefire Lima will hold a fun day at the Faurot Park Pavilion, featuring food, inflatables, a costume parade, music and prizes, all with an admission price of $1. This event, along with donations from the public, will help purchase at least two or possibly three body cameras for the police department, with the group pointing to online retailers such as B&H Foto & Electronics Corp. selling cameras for $300.
“This is something the group felt was a priority,” 6th Ward Councilman Derry Glenn said. “We want them to be used in our community.”
For Ceasefire Lima adviser Vickie Shurelds, this event gives an opportunity for young people to make a positive impact on the community, demonstrating that there is more to Lima’s youth than gun violence.
“They decided that one of the things we needed to do to reach out to the community was to find things for people to do, since a lot of tragic situations often start out of boredom,” she said. “We are looking at ways of getting people involved.”
Shurelds recognized the Lima Police Department was capable of buying its own body cameras, but by helping with fundraising, the junior city council could help free up any obstacles the department faces in obtaining them.
“This is one of those times that we can partner with them,” she said. “This is something we feel strongly about that they should have, so I think that each member of the community should have a part in making sure that we have what we need to feel safe, both in law enforcement and in the community.”
Nakaya Perry, 16, a junior at Lima Central Catholic High School, is running to be the deputy mayor of the junior city council, and for her, this event will help put youth in a better light.
“This is something for the youth by the youth,” she said. “We can show others that our city is not all bad. We can have fun in our community.”
.neFileBlock {
margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
padding-bottom: 5px;
padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
font-size: 85%;
}
