Garner Police Department 2019 Annual Report Published August 2020 | Page 11
Middle and East Garner Magnet Middle Schools.
These coed programs provide academic support,
intramurals, field trips, and other activities such as
campus beautification. PAAL partnered with various
organizations to serve over 500 students at Garner
United Methodist Church’s annual Back to School Bash.
Garner PAAL partnered with Pride Boxing. Boxing is
a trademark sport of National PAL and offers youth
the opportunity to channel their anger and aggression
through the sport of boxing. Boxing provides a physical
outlet while building confidence and self-discipline.
Kenny Williams, owner of Pride Boxing and Tar Heel
of the Week in August 2018, mentors youth using the
boxing ring to teach life lessons. Students are also
bound by a contract to be productive students in their
schools by maintaining good grades and staying out
of trouble.
Garner PAAL was able to purchase a 15-passenger van
in 2019 through a grant from Garner Rotary. This van
allows for transportation of students that could not
otherwise attend after-school activities.
Garner PAAL, in collaboration with a local restaurant,
MoonRunners Saloon, hosted a PAAL golf tournament
in the fall of 2019. The tournament raised $10,000
and brought the community together to support
additional programming. More information on the
PAAL program can be found at www.garnerpaal.org.
SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZED
TO READ (SCOR)
SCOR is a locally developed reading buddy program
sponsored by the Garner Educational Foundation to
The Garner Police Department’s annual Shop with
a Cop is made possible in part by the participation
of many volunteers.
support Garner’s elementary schools. SCOR serves
primarily second graders who need additional assistance
to improve their reading. Numerous sworn and civilian
staff who served as “reading buddies” met with schoolidentified
students for 30 minutes each week to provide
mentoring and to read from a collection of books
provided by the media specialist of that school.
SHOP WITH A COP
Each year the Garner Police Department partners with
TT&E Iron and Metal, Inc. and other area businesses to
provide a Christmas party and shopping opportunity
to Garner area families who might not otherwise
have a Christmas. With the assistance of local school
counselors, families in need are identified; with TT&E’s
generosity, the families are provided with a shopping
budget and police officer escorts at a local retailer
that allows for a Christmas celebration that would not
otherwise be possible. Since its inception, the “Shop
with a Cop” program has provided support to close
to 500 children and their families, and more than
$500,000 has been donated to support families in
need in the Garner community.
SPECIAL OLYMPICS
The Garner Police Department has long participated
in the Schools and Community Organized to Read
(SCOR) program.
Raising money for Special Olympics has a long tradition
in law enforcement locally and nationally. Our agency
participates by raising funds and participating in Special
Olympics North Carolina. In 2019, we raised a total of
$6,837.80. Fundraising events included Cops-on-Top
sponsored by Chic-fil-a and T-shirt sales to the public.
We also participated in the torch relay across North
GARNER POLICE DEPARTMENT 2019 ANNUAL REPORT 11