Maplewood’s 4th grade students teamed up with our School Resource Officers and Community Liaison Officers from Suffolk’s 2nd Precinct to create Valentine’s Day cards for the residents of the Carillon Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Huntington. The officers arrived with all the colorful and sparkly crafting supplies needed to make lots of beautiful cards.

 

Our students used their creative talents to make more than 150 cards with dazzling hearts and words of kindness, in both English and Spanish, wishing the Carillon residents a Happy Valentine’s Day!  

The inspiration for the event came from Community Liaison Officer Kat Licul, who drew from her personal experience when her grandmother was in a nursing home. “I saw a lot of people either not being visited or lonely,” said Officer Licul. “I said, how can the Second Precinct show our love? If we could bring them a little bit of joy for Valentine’s Day and somehow incorporate the kids to have them make cards with us, then we can accomplish it all.” 

Officer Licul chose Maplewood for the project because of the school’s vibrant, “crafty” atmosphere and the students' willingness to always help a good cause. “You can walk the hallways and just tell that these kids are into crafting. So I figured these were amazing students that were willing to participate and help out. I wanted to go somewhere where the kids would enjoy it, we would enjoy it, and there would truly be that heart in the craft.” 

Maplewood Principal Maria Colon emphasized the valuable life lesson the project provided to the students. “They're going to make some senior residents very happy, which is a great Valentine's Day lesson. I sometimes think that we do these projects and they all hang up around the school, which is great, but now it will also make those seniors so happy.  It's important to give back to the community and some of the seniors there probably don't have visitors so frequently and I find that when you give to others that makes you feel so much better. So it's really therapy for both of them,” said Principal Colon.
The finished cards will be hand-delivered to the nursing home on Friday, February 13th by the officers and several Maplewood teachers.  

Thanks to School Resource Officers Brittany Ciaramitaro and Joelvy Delacruz, and Community Liaison Officers Kat Licul and Mei Xu for including our students in giving back to the community in this event they called “Craft with a Cop.” Everyone had a great time crafting together!

 

 

(left to right) Community Liaison Officers Mei Xu and Kat Licul, and School Resource Officers Brittany Ciaramitaro and Joelvy Delacruz, glady took the opportunity to visit Maplewood so students could be involved in this heart felt activity that gives back to seniors in our community. 

 

 

The first step was for students to pick at least two cards to decorate and write Valentine’s Day messages in. 

 

 

Officer Mei Xu seen here speaking with our 4^th graders as they got busy creating cards for the residents at the Carrilon. 

 

 

Students truly enjoyed personalizing the messages included in each of their cards. 

 

 

This morning offered the perfect opportunity to spread love and joy, both in Maplewood and in our community!