The Estevan Police Service’s (EPS) recently-hired community programming officer Monica Rae has managed to attend a variety of community activities and meet with many Estevan organizations’ representatives. All that happened in just a little over two months.
“I’ve spent a lot of time out in the community in the first month and a half, just meeting with various individuals,” said Rae. “Everyone was very welcoming, really helpful providing information, inviting me to stop by, to participate in events and activities. So getting to know people in our community and being welcome to the schools has been very helpful.”
As always, Estevan was loaded with different events around Christmas time and Rae used every opportunity to get to know the city and its people better.
“I had a chance to help at the Hillcrest Christmas Store, which was very exciting and a lot of fun,” said Rae. “The Pack the Cruiser in partnership with the Angel Tree was really exciting event. It was great to see all the students and the staff getting behind that.”
Besides, in partnership with the Estevan RCMP, Southeast Regional Victim Services and Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Rae as a part of the EPS worked on their common Festival of Lights display down at Woodlawn Regional Park. She also took a part in the Salvation Army Christmas Kettle Campaign and helped with the Breakfast Club at Hillcrest School.
The loaded schedule continued into 2019.
“Also at Westview School I was a guest reader along with some of our officersfrom Estevan Police Service for One School, One Book,” Rae recalled. “I was at St. Giles Anglican Church one Tuesday evening to serve dinner, free meals that they provide (during the Warm Welcome Kitchen).”
Yet, the main project on Rae’s agenda is the Drug Awareness and Education presentation that’s being developed in partnership with several southeast agencies and is going to be delivered to school children.
“Right now there is a large group of us that are working on a drug-awareness education presentation. That will be delivered to the Southeast Cornerstone Public School Division, as well as the Holy Family Roman Catholic (Separate) School Division,” said Rae.
The presentation will be delivered to students in Grades 4-11.
“We spent a lot of time putting this together, and we are just getting ready to put final touches on that and we’ll start delivering presentations with partners in our communities and our schools in March.”
The presentation is a common project of the EPS, Weyburn Police Services, RCMP, school counsellors, Probation Services and Addiction Services. Representatives of all organizing bodies will also facilitate the presentations when they are delivered to schools.
The legalization of cannabis made it critical to provide more information and bring awareness about the topic to children of school age. Yet, it wasn’t the only reason to focus on the topic.
“We certainly are aware that drugs are a concern for the children in our communities, and awareness around the impacts of using drugs and importance of making good choices (is critical),” Rae added.
Going forward, Rae is looking into the possibility to to develop and deliver some presentations to spread awareness about scams.
“I already had conversations with administration … and with some of our senior facilities in the city as well, I spent some time with them and we are looking at a few presentations to bring awareness regarding scama that affects seniors,” Rae said.
Rae also plans on continuing working with schools and community organizations.
“I’ve been really welcome in schools and I really appreciate that. There is a lot of opportunity there for presentations, awareness and information,” she added.
