To the Editor,

After discussions over several months, on July 12, 1995 concerned citizens in Coplay met and formed what then was called the Coplay Crime Watch. It functioned over eight years as "the eyes and ears of the Coplay Police Department." Its focus was neighborhood safety. The effort began to stale around 2002 due to a drop in crime. Membership dwindled. Change, and a break from tradition was needed.

During 2003 the membership at a series of meetings worked to reinvent the Watch goals. The results were renaming the Coplay Crime Watch to the Coplay Town Watch (CTW). As an analogy, the change was successfully presented as the Town Watch being a glass of water, and the Crime Watch as an Alka-Seltzer tablet. When Alka-Seltzer is dropped in water it becomes part of the mix. The two were one.

Also, bylaws were established and the goals were widened. A committee format was developed that now in the CTW's 20th year includes eight committees. They are the National Night Out Committee, Fundraising, Children's Bike Derby, Neighborhood Watch, Dog Walker Watch, Feral Cat, Properties of Merit, and Sunday Watch Walk committees. The CTW has been nationally recognized six times for its National Night Out event, and is seeking a seventh award at this Summer's NNO.

More importantly than the structure and official success is the number of kids and young people who over the years volunteered for the CTW. Whether these kids went on to college, to work, or completed community service required under a juvenile probation arrangement, their CTW experience helped them. Over the years I have received a number of reference calls about young people who put their CTW volunteer activities on a college application or a job application. I was delighted to refer.

As the Coplay Town Watch celebrates its 20th birthday this July 12, it is important to ponder and reflect on its successes as a group, and success for individuals. Its motto is "... helping to make Coplay a safer, cleaner, better community since 1995." With the help of many volunteers over two decades the CTW has worked and successfully achieved their motto's goals.

When Alexis De Tocquville arrived in the United States in1831 to learn about American democracy he marveled at the fact that Americans possessed a high degree of community, volunteer spirit. If Alexis was alive today and attended a CTW meeting he might be impressed at the volunteer spirit present. And, he would have the opportunity to have his first slice of pizza and a Coke, both of which did not exist in 1831.

If you want keep our long standing American Colonial volunteer spirit alive. Join the CTW. For information call Kevin at 484-767-3094, Bill at 610 751-2745 or email keppel1976@gmail.com or billleiner@aol.com If you lack time to volunteer, consider sending a check to CTW, 19 N 5th Street, Coplay, PA 18037.

Bill Leiner Jr.

Coplay