Lake Viking Quilters donate to sheriff’s department

During the nearly eight years in which Ben Becerra has been sheriff, he has tried to make his law enforcement department a vehicle of outreach as well. Especially with the youth. Ben has seen firsthand how children can often be both the direct and indirect victims of crimes, or more specifically, the associated trauma. He also realizes the importance of law enforcement connecting with children so that they learn to view officers as friends. Maybe that’s why a corner of the Sheriff’s Office looks a little like a nursery. There are boxes of coloring books and small toys which officers hand out to children as the occasion arises . . . and there is even a wall adorned with “artwork” given to the sheriff by one of the younger grade-school classes.

The Sheriff’s Department has also become the recipient of donations from the Lake Viking Quilters. Over the years the quilters give away all of the 100s of quilts that they stitch together –  including the smaller sized quilts that the sheriff’s office will sometimes give to children, when they see a need. Recently, the quilters gave 14 of these quilts to Ben to use in his ongoing good will effort. Pictured above are Ben’s mother Joyce Becerra, Ben, Nadja McCubbin, and Shirley Leakey. Other quilters who helped stitch these quilts but who are not in the picture are Linda Allen, Janice Humphrey, Betty Cooksey, and Debbie Engel.