Police Officer's Association & City Councilmember Sponsor Egg Hunt for 150 Preschoolers

Submitted by Susan Davis, Alameda Unified School District:

One hundred and fifty toddlers and preschoolers squealed, shouted, ran, and, sometimes, flipped upside down during last week's egg hunt sponsored by the Alameda Police Officers Association (APOA) and City Councilmember Lena Tam.

The event, which was held at the Woodstock Child Development Center, was created because “the members of the APOA thought it would just be a great way to give back,” says Officer Mike Sapinoso of the APOA. “We like to do things where we can build relationships with kids and forge deeper relationships in the community."

Off-duty police officers arrived at WCDC at 7 a.m. on Monday and “hid” eggs around the center’s play area. (The egg hunters and gatherers were very young, so the eggs were pretty much left in plain sight.) The police officers returned at 9 a.m., in full uniform, to help children and staff and generally enjoy the fun.

“Most of our students here are low-income,” explains Vickie Smith, who coordinates the district’s McKinney-Vento program for homeless students and helped organize the event. “This is the sort of event that reminds everyone that there is still good in the world.”

Adds Veronica Ufoegbune, director of the center, “Our students come from a place where these kinds of events create joyful memories that will last forever. I so appreciate Vicki Smith, Lena Tam, and the police officers for supporting this. It’s a very big deal for us.”

The WCDC program serves about 200 children ranging from 18 months to eleven years of age.