Published August 02. 2022 11:46AM
As temperatures soared into heat wave territory, the Bethlehem Police Department – together with the Bethlehem Health Bureau and Cops ‘n’ Kids – turned up the fun factor at Park Day July 23 at Friendship Park at East North and Linden streets.
“It’s police reaching out to individual communities within Bethlehem to let them know they care,” said Cops ‘n’ Kids President Beverly Bradley.
The afternoon of fun included many activities, free books from Cops ‘n’ Kids and ice cream. The sprinkler was a star attraction as children – and some police officers – took a spin through it on the bike course.
“It’s a good thing. We have kids who don’t get out of their hometown, so we bring the community to them. It’s connecting kids to the community through literacy,” Bradley said, noting Cops ‘n’ Kids just received 8,750 brand new books from PPL Electric Utilities.
For more information on Cops ‘n’ Kids programs visit www.copsnkidslv.org.
Photo coverage continues on page A2.
Eva flashes the peace sign as Officer Justin Madera of the Bethlehem Mounted Police introduces her to Grey, a mounted police horse that is a Percheron/Thoroughbred cross.
PRESS PHOTOS BY TAMi QUIGLY Beverly Bradley, president of Cops ‘n' Kids Children's Literacy Program in the Lehigh Valley, helps Royce, age 5, select stickers to put on his police deputy badge. All the children were deputized, and a police officer signed their badges. Children also made bookmarks and were given two free books signed by police officers.
Jaxon watches Officer Manny Rivera sign his badge. Officer Rivera is in charge of the community services program and helps with Cops ‘n' Kids and the mounted police unit. “You still see the wonder in them,” Officer Rivera said of the children as they happily participated in activities, adding he sees it in his own daughter as well.
Officer John Limpar tries to beat the searing heat by cycling through the sprinkler on the bike course.
Elaine, foreground, and Eva find riding through the sprinkler is the way to go as temperatures soared into the mid-90s. Children were invited to bring their bike and safety equipment for the bike course.
Elaine is fresh from cruising through the sprinkler.
Aidan cools down with a direct stream of water.
Heat wave? What heat wave? Having fun cooling off are, from left, twins Aidan and Ethan, Cyprian, Karmellow, and Jeremiah, Cyprian's twin brother.
Larisa Kuehne, a community health nurse with the Bethlehem Health Bureau, demonstrates how to weigh a baby on a scale. The bureau offers Healthy-Living Maternal and Child Health Programming free to city residents.
