Donation to borough police organization important, appreciated
SAXONBURG — The latest beneficiary of the Peoples Gas Eat, Drink, Help program will put their donation toward making the borough safer.
The program partners with small, local businesses throughout the Peoples Gas service area who choose a charity for the program.
Peoples then donates money for every item sold at that business and presents the accumulated total to the charity chosen by the business.
Saxonburg Coffee & Tea chose Friends of the Saxonburg Police as its beneficiary in the program, and a check for $1,000 was presented to the organization on Thursday at the coffee shop.
The organization pays for training and supplemental equipment that enhance the capabilities of the police department without burdening taxpayers.
Saxonburg Mayor Bill Gillespie, who is on the Friends of the Police board and oversees the police department as mayor, said the money will go toward the specialized training the department's nine full-time and part-time police officers undergo at Makowski's Martial Arts & Fitness in Clinton Township.
Gillespie said officers go every three months for sessions with Makowski's certified police trainers.
“We're so grateful for this opportunity to receive these funds,” Gillespie said.
Joe Beachem, Saxonburg police chief, said the donation is also much appreciated by the officers and important to the borough's safety.
“For a small department like ours, the funds for training and equipment are limited, so this is a great help,” he said.
Beachem said a Saxonburg officer used the training funded by the organization to handle a potentially dangerous situation at a call.
“He used de-escalation and hands-on apprehension of the individual in the incident,” Beachem said.
Melinda Berzonski, owner of Saxonburg Coffee & Tea, said choosing Friends of the Saxonburg Police for the Eat, Drink, Help program was a no-brainer.
“The police do an excellent job in our community,” she said. “We wanted to be here to support them because they're here to support us.”
Beachem said Berzonski has been a faithful supporter of the police in the years she has owned the coffee shop.
Beverly Wogan, a Peoples Gas communications specialist and the creator and operator of the Eat, Drink, Help program, said $157,000 has been raised through partnerships with 87 charities, many of them in Butler County.
The Butler County Humane Society, The Lighthouse Foundation, Robin's Home and Riding for the Cure are some of the county nonprofits that will benefit from the 13 businesses currently involved in the Eat, Drink, Help program.
Wogan was thrilled to help present $1,000 to Friends of the Saxonburg Police on Thursday.
“I think it's a wonderful charity,” Wogan said. “Our police are essential to our community to protect us, so that's a great thing.”
