Garfield Ridge salutes first responders

Ald. Marty Quinn (13th), third from left, joins Mike Doherty (fourth from left), vice president of the Garfield Ridge Neighborhood Watch, and Ald. Silvana Tabares (23rd), who is next to Doherty, during the “Meet the Beat 811” community event Saturday at St. Faustina Hall and parking lot. They join members of the neighborhood watch and first responders. The inaugural event was a tribute to police and firefighters.

Neighborhood Watch holds first ‘Meet Your Beat’

By Joe Boyle

The Garfield Ridge Neighborhood Watch organization held its inaugural community event to salute police and firefighters Saturday at St. Faustina Hall.

And members and residents were in agreement on one thing — this won’t be the last.

The neighborhood event was provided for Garfield Ridge residents who live west of Central Avenue as part of the “Meet Your Beat 811″ event. Activities were offered in the parking lot and inside the hall. Aldermen Marty Quinn (13th) and Silvana Tabares (23rd) were on hand to interact with residents and support first responders.

“We want to spread this out throughout the neighborhood,” said Al Cacciottolo, president of the Garfield Ridge Neighborhood Watch. “We want to do this every year and I think we may do one in the fall.”

Mike Doherty, vice president of the watch group, was in total agreement.

“We have talked about this for awhile,” said Doherty, who is a Chicago firefighter. “And we thank both aldermen for coming out and supporting us. We support our police and always have and always will. And we also support our firefighters.”

Doherty credited his wife, Michele Doherty, who is also a member of the watch group, with coming up with idea for the community event.

“We have been holding smaller events in the past,” Michele Doherty said. “I just thought why not do this a little bigger under one roof? Why does everybody wait until something tragic happens before we do something? People can come out here and meet other people. They can talk to each other and get to know one another. We are kind of like a small community in a city.”

While the concept behind the gathering was to support the efforts of the police and firefighters, the event was also meant to be a celebration and a day of fun for families and kids.

Along with the local aldermen, representatives from the Chicago Public Library, Chicago Police Memorial Foundation, Cook County Crimestoppers, SWAT team, the police motorcycle unit, Illinois State Police, Cook County Sheriff’s office, and representatives of Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church were on hand.

One highlight of the day was the Chicago police performing a fly-over during the community event.

Twenty vendors were on hand inside the building. The event also included children’s fingerprinting and IDs, yoga and face painting, and Happy Jacks providing cotton candy games, popcorn, snow cones and fun for the kids.

The Midway Area Chamber of Commerce had a representative on hand as well, who was passing out pamphlets reminding residents of upcoming activities.

The Dohertys both grew up in Garfield Ridge and believe this event is a positive step for the community. Mike said it is great to have so many seniors take part, which allows them to get involved and remain socially active.

“We would love to see more volunteers,” Mike Doherty said. “If you see something, say something. We want everyone who lives in Garfield Ridge to help out.”

Both Dohertys also said that another community event saluting first responders will take place in the fall when the weather will be more mild. However, a large crowd of families, community leaders and business representatives attended the first Meet Your Beat event.

“We support our police and firefighters,” Mike Doherty said. “Even if people don’t want to join, they can still call us if they see something that is not right. Everyone, no matter who they are, can help out.”

Ariana Miguel, 7, of Garfield Ridge, has an image of the Chicago Police Department emblem painted on her face at the first Garfield Ridge Neighborhood Watch “Meet Your Beat 811” event Saturday at St. Faustina Hall and parking lot.