Law enforcement groups hold summer event to improve relations with Orangeburg community, children
ORANGEBURG, S.C. (WIS) - A Columbia based nonprofit Serve and Connect partnered with law enforcement and community-based organizations to host a free community event in Orangeburg on Friday.
The event focused on promoting youth safety and community empowerment and was held at Arden Street Park in downtown Orangeburg.
Children from across the county came to enjoy food and fun activities ― while also taking the opportunity to develop relationships with local law enforcement.
“I believe we have a responsibility to provide activities and events for our young people, so they aren’t out trying to figure out for themselves things that they want to do. But, giving them the opportunity, as well to have a voice in the kinds of things that we do,” said Orangeburg Public Safety Chief Charles Austin.
The event is apart of the Orangeburg R.O.S.E project, which stands for Raising Orangeburg Seeds of Excellence. This will allow kids in the community to meet local law enforcement with the hopes crime can be reduced.
Kassy Alia Ray, CEO of Serve and Connect, said events like this one that hope to bring a positive environment.
”Change begins with the ability to come together and trust one another, and to see that we’re all a part of one community and one family.,” she said. “Today’s a celebration of that inaction where we want to come together by lifting each other up, and celebrating this shared vision of hope that we have and it’s going to kickstart our peace tour this summer.”
With the partnering of local stakeholders in Orangeburg, the goal of this project is to create positive events throughout the year, such as field trips, in hopes of steering kids in a positive direction.
”It just goes back to the fact that these type of events is the missing piece of that we needed. It really just brings the whole puzzle together. One thing I’ve come to realize in Orangeburg, is we have trouble with communicating with one anothe,r because it’s such a big county in general. But when you have all the pieces being able to come together to make it a great thing for all of us, this is exactly what we needed,” said Deandria Bennett, who works at the Orangeburg County Library,
Ray said Serve and Connect will host two more events in July and August, followed by a peace walk and rally in Orangeburg in September to honor International Peace Day.
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