- Denise Rockenstein
- Posted On
Businesses, officers partner to offer fun day for children
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Tatonka Land Mini Golf partnered with a few to help bring smiles to more than 40 children Saturday in Clearlake.
Miniature golf, a bouncy house, pizza, cupcakes, prizes and demonstrations by a couple of four-legged K9 police officers completed their special day.
“The kids are excited and we are excited to have them here. The parking lot is full and the kids are golfing, talking to the officers and the jump house has been going like crazy,” Tatonka Land owner Bunnie Carter said.
Carter said the community support and collaboration she received in hosting the free event for the children is appreciated.
Clearlake Walmart donated two bicycles that were awarded in a raffle to a boy and to a girl. Two additional raffle winners received a gift certificate for Happy Yogurt Bar.
Pizzas were donated by Paradise Pizza and bright, colorful specialty cupcakes were contributed by Cheryl Horner-Christensen.
Lake County and Clear Lake chambers of commerce teamed up to help sponsor the children's adventure and Clearlake Police Officers Association donated bicycle helmets.
“We are just happy that we could come together to do this for the kids,” Carter said.
Clearlake Police Department's K-9 Unit also assisted at the event as well as with its planning.
Officer Mike Carpenter, who was in attendance with his canine partner, “Dex,” said that principals at each elementary school site in the Konocti Unified School District were asked to select from eight to 10 children in third and fourth grades for participation.
“We are just trying to give back to the community and trying to give theses kids a day of fun and a chance to meet us and the (K-9 unit) dogs,” Officer Elvis Cook said.
Children gathered around the officers with inquiries about the dogs.
One little girl, who had a heap of questions, asked if Dex could come to her birthday party.
“Is he going to be nice to me? He's only mean to bad guys. He bites them,” she concluded.
Cook, who was joined by his canine partner “Max,” and Carpenter and Dex put on a demonstration that resulted in a flurry of questions from the children.
“The dogs definitely help us. Once a department actually gets a K-9 unit and a dog they realize how helpful they are,” Cook said. “I think that is why we've got three now.”
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