The police picked up two students last week and escorted them to school.
No, this was not in any way punitive. For Kallie Fay, 10, and her eight-year-old brother Jaron, it was a thrill.
“They were very excited. They wanted to see the car,” said their dad Shaun.
The father, a member of the Innisfail Kinsmen, bid on and won the RCMP-donated Ride to School prize on May 14 at the service club's 40th Annual Community Auction, which was held at the Innisfail Library/Learning Centre.
With the prize secured, he told his young children about what they could expect in the weeks to come but did not tell them the exact date.
And then at 8 a.m. on June 9 two RCMP officers -- Const. Sean Medwid and Const. Abdul Sebbi -- came knocking on the door of the family home.
The children were thrilled, and Kallie, a Grade 5 student at Innisfail Middle School, and Jaron, a Grade 3 student at École John Wilson Elementary School, each got into their own police cruiser. They were off to school in grand style.
“I think it is important, especially for young kids, to get to know their local RCMP,” said Shaun. “Instead of my kids just seeing them (RCMP) as an enforcement agency, I wanted them to see them on a more personal level. This is a positive experience to have with the RCMP.”
Innisfail RCMP Sgt. Lori Eiler said the idea for the Ride to School prize for the May 14 auction came from the Kinsmen themselves.
“They phoned and asked if it was a possibility and we said absolutely,” said Eiler, adding it was a good fit for the RCMP's ongoing priority on community policing and youth. “It's about being involved in the community and with the youth and it's another opportunity for us to make connections with our youth and give back to the community.
“After speaking with our members they really enjoyed it. It was a lot of fun,” she said, adding there is a good chance the local detachment will offer more Ride to School prizes to the community in the future. “It is not something we can do all the time, but it is a nice kind of novelty prize for somebody to win. It supports a good cause and we are always willing to support that.”
Shaun Fay, father of Kallie and Jaron
"I think it is important, especially for young kids, to get to know their local RCMP. Instead of my kids just seeing them (RCMP) as an enforcement agency, I wanted them to see them on a more personal level."
