PLEA has once again partnered with the community to show that good partnerships can bring success and win/win situations for all parties involved. On Monday, November 29, 2010, PLEA Chairman Frank Marino (Patrol South, 51J Squad) participated in Touch Point, a student government project, at the Rancho Solano Private School’s Greenway Campus, located in northeast Phoenix.
Frank has worked in a uniformed, off duty capacity at this school since 2000 and is the current off duty coordinator. At request of 7th and 8th grade social studies teacher Karen Clare, he made a drug awareness presentation to her 8th graders that covered various aspects of drug/substance abuse. One major impact point of this presentation was being able to relate his, at the time, fifteen plus years of street experience in regards to different situations involving illegal drugs.
As a show of gratitude for this presentation, the eighth graders hosted a Krispy Kreme fundraiser sale on January 19th, 2011. The proceeds, combined with other donations, amounted to nearly five hundred dollars. Upon learning of their efforts, Mac Gamse, Chief Executive Officer of Meritas LLC, Rancho Solano’s parent company, made an offer to match and double the students’ total.
On April 4, 2011, Frank Marino, along with PLEA Secretary Ken Crane, who used to work off duty at Rancho Solano, accepted a check in the amount of one thousand, four hundred and eighty three dollars from Rancho Solano for PLEA Charities. Present at this event in addition to the members of the student government were Karen Clare, Jim Carruthers, Rancho Solano President, Dee Crowe, Rancho Solano Business Manager, and Tom Putz, Middle School Principal.
PLEA Charities certainly appreciates this contribution and is proud to welcome Rancho Solano Private Schools to our group of community partners. PLEA also extends its gratitude to Karen Clare, the students who put together and contributed to the fundraiser, and Mac Gamse for his contribution to this cause.