Officers are guests of honor as East Linden celebrates National Night Out
By Kathleen Brady Shea, Managing Editor, The Times
A group of presenters from the Historic East Linden Project’s Study Buddies program describe what they learned about the Kennett Square police officers they interviewed.
After being mobbed by young autograph-seekers, Kennett Square Police Chief Edward A. Zunino couldn’t be blamed if he felt like a rock star on Tuesday night. “I wish I had a guitar,” he quipped.
He wasn’t alone. A few feet away on East Linden Street, fans also hounded Officer Johnathan Ortiz. “This is great; I like this,” he said. “I’ve never felt so popular in my life.”
The occasion was the National Night Out observance organized by the Historic East Linden Project, a neighborhood that has put an upbeat spin on a national initiative to promote safe communities. The motivation, according to organizers, stems from the numerous positive changes the tight-knit, five-square-block community has seen in the past decade, many of which occurred through a strong partnership with law enforcement.
Kennett Square Police Officer Johnathan Ortiz (from left), Cpl. William Holdsworth, and Cpl. Christopher Wills enjoy the adulation of their fans.
And so, for the third year in a row, the Kennett Square Police were honored guests at a celebration to thank them for their service. The highlight of this year’s program was a presentation by a group from “Study Buddies,” the Historic East Linden Project’s popular after-school program, which serves about 25 children in kindergarten through fifth grade.
One by one, seven of the program’s third-, fourth- and fifth-graders described a project that consisted of interviewing police officers and then creating collectible “Officer Cards” with the information. “Once we started learning about what they like to do in their free time, we saw they are people just like us,” explained one of the boys.
“Many of our officers work really hard and love Kennett, but also enjoy a vacation; who doesn’t?” one of the girls asked, adding that the kids learned about the officers’ favorite relaxation spots, most of which featured shorelines ranging from Bar Harbor to Bermuda. “Most of us like going to the beach, too,” she said.
The adults who followed the young presenters applauded their efforts. “You can see why we’re proud of our kids,” said Ethan Cramer, a board member of the Historic East Linden Project.
Kennett Square Police Chief Edward A. Zunino (from left) chats with Historic East Linden Project’s board president, Theresa Bass, and Barry “Hap” London, a board member, during National Night Out.
Theresa Bass, one of the founders, was effusive in her thanks. “I just feel so good about the support we’ve received,” she said, surveying an audience of more than 150 that included neighbors, politicians, police officers, and board members.
State Rep. Chris Ross said it was a pleasure to attend “another happy event” on East Linden Street. He said he was particularly impressed with the children’s successful outreach to the police. “You can’t trust someone unless you get to know them,” Ross said, suggesting that the effort was likely to have a “ripple effect,” eventually impacting a wider area of southern Chester County.
Borough Council Member Leon Spencer said police are expected to protect and serve the community. Most officers handle the protection part of their job effectively, he said, noting that they carry weapons. “It takes special people to serve us,” he said. “These are special people. These individuals understand what service means.”
After Tuesday night, they also learned a bit about stardom as they were each given 30 cards to distribute. The requests for cards – and signatures – exceeded demand, to the dismay of organizers.
Kennett Square Police Officer Jennifer Albertson, a West Chester native whose favorite food is watermelon, signs one of her cards.
LaToya M. Myers, executive director of the Historic East Linden Project, said she and Katie Perigo, the “Study Buddies” teacher, had calculated the number of cards needed so the children could each collect a full set. “We didn’t realize that some of the adults were going to want them, too,” she said.
Perigo said she was very proud of the work the children did on the project. “They were so excited about doing this,” she said. “They did really well.”
As the children enjoyed pizza – the top favorite food of the police officers – Rosie Phillips, the mother of three children, reflected on her five years in the neighborhood. “Everyone looks out for everyone else,” she said. Proving the point, the baby Phillips was holding was not her own. “They call me the neighborhood mom,” she said with a smile.
