“ The Compassionate Cities movement is highly necessary, very important in today’ s world. I think, globally, we really need a more compassionate attitude.”
“ The Compassionate Cities movement is highly necessary, very important in today’ s world. I think, globally, we really need a more compassionate attitude.”
– Dalai Lama, Louisville, KY 2013
Calling others to act compassionately in Westland is the mantra of Mayor Wild’ s Compassionate City Program and was best demonstrated by an event involving a Westland police officer that caught the attention of the national media for his act of kindness during a routine traffic stop. At the time, driver Lavante Dell thought he was being pulled over for his tinted windows.
Westland Police Officer Joshua Scaglione walked up to the car and noticed Dell’ s 3-year-old daughter wasn’ t in a car seat. When Dell told the officer he couldn’ t afford a car seat, the officer asked Dell to follow him to a local WalMart.
Dell explained to media that in his wildest dreams he never imagined what would happen next. Both the man and the officer walked into WalMart like they were old friends and then Scaglione used his own money to buy this struggling father a car seat for his daughter.
But before Dell had a chance to thank him, he said, the officer drove off.
“ He was really shocked; he was taken back and you know it’ s not generally what I was looking for,” said Scaglione.“ I was just looking to help somebody out and pay it forward.”
Wanting to show his extreme gratitude, Dell wrote a heartfelt Facebook post telling people never to judge a book by its cover. The post went viral and ultimately attained national media coverage.
Officer Scaglione demonstrated what being a Compassionate City is all about.“ It is the best example we have had thus far,” said Mayor Wild.“ In Westland, neighbors know their neighbors. We bump into acquaintances in the grocery store, at the Westland Mall, and at the gas station. Westland exudes Midwestern hospitality and a warm welcome to anyone who passes by.“
These attributes are but one reason why Westland has embraced the Compassionate Cities movement. When Mayor Wild met with the Dalai Lama, he noted that his passion and compassion for humanity was evident and he believes that Westland is a city that demonstrates that compassion every day.
Throughout the year, Westland is living out the mission of being a compassionate city. As Mayor Wild has noted,“ Westland residents annually support Relay for Life to fight cancer. We support Westland: Mission Green and recycle to be good stewards of Mother Earth. We volunteer our time planting and maintaining the city’ s community gardens so the less
fortunate can have access to fresh fruits and vegetables.“ More than 300 of us came together to join Buddy Shuh’ s Biggest Loser weight loss regimen because we realized that together we could achieve success better than we could alone,” he said.“ We share a desire to be part of something larger than us and to do it together.»
So what is the Compassionate Cities movement? It is connecting with others, joining together to lend a helping hand, to create a kinder, better place to live. It is volunteering your talents and skills to preempt problems, to reduce crime, to protect the environment, and to help those who cannot help themselves whether due to age or physical ability. It is taking positive action to help people and those people are members of our family, our friends and our neighbors.
“ I encourage you to join the Compassionate Cities movement and get involved,” said Wild.“ Whether through a group to which you already belong such as the VFW, PTO or Goodfellows, or as an individual, please join us as we work with a shared purpose— to make Westland an even more Compassionate City.”
ABOVE: Mayor Wild at the Universal Learning Academy on Joy Road where he read to the students as part of National Reading Month in March. RIGHT: Mayor Wild with a young aspiring“ Fire fighter” at a free city wide Community Gathering at Corrado Park.
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