The yearly Dodge-A-Cop charity event at Staples is approaching. The Teen Awareness Group and the Westport Youth Commission organize the event. Dodge-A-Cop brings together police and students in a beneficial and enjoyable way while also raising money for nearby charities. The dodgeball game will take place on Nov. 20 at 6 p.m.
Dodgeball is a fantastic way to foster a relationship between the police and the youth while also bringing people together for a fun and entertaining game. The director of the Westport Youth Commission, Kevin Godburn, believes Dodge-A-Cop is a very meaningful event.
“Recognizing the importance of strong community connections through building relationships and trust between police and youth [is important],” Godburn said. “The Youth Commission started a couple initiatives. Dodge-A-Cop [is] a fun way to bring the two groups together in a non-enforcement capacity.”
It’s cool to see our Westport police and kids on the same team, high fiving, supporting one another, and just having fun as teammates.
— Kevin Godburn
The Youth Commission is a strong advocate for the well-being of Westport’s youth. In order to meet the needs of the young people in the Westport community, they are taking part in this event.
“The commission’s goal is to assess youth needs in Westport,” Godburn said. “[We] work to address those needs to make sure Westport remains a great community for all our young residents.”
In previous years, Dodge-A-Cop has provided support to numerous charitable organizations. This year, the funds raised will go to the Gillespie Center and the Westport Women’s Club.
“They were chosen because there’s a need and the students wanted to be able to support those local organizations,” Godburn said. “Additionally, we received some generous sponsorships from Mitchell’s and Gault to help support the event.”
Overall, the Dodge-A-Cop fundraiser is seen by the Westport Commission as the ideal means of establishing a positive relationship between the youth and the police.
“It’s always a really fun event and a great way to kick off the short Thanksgiving week,” Godburn said. “It’s cool to see our Westport police and kids on the same team, high fiving, supporting one another, and just having fun as teammates.”
