Full Notification

Nature of Incident: Invest in a Child’s Future, Donate a Sleeping Bag
Location: Thousand Oaks, CA
Date & Time: March 4 - 14, 2016, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
Unit Responsible: Thousand Oaks Police

Narrative:

The Thousand Oaks Police Department is in a long term partnership with the Conejo Recreation and Park District to provide mentorship and learning opportunities to underprivileged youth in our community.

During the upcoming Spring Break, The Conejo Recreation and Park District and the Thousand Oaks Police Department will be taking 120 children on a two-day educational camping trip in our local parks. The children will learn about the environment and our 15,000 acres of open space and trails.

They say “it takes a village to raise a child” and we need your help. The Thousand Oaks Police Department is asking the community to donate 120 new, mild - climate sleeping bags (30F’ to 50F degree rating) before March 15, 2016. The sleeping bags will not only assist the children to experience the outdoors, but will assist others in the future.

The youth program utilizes Conejo Recreation and Park District staff and Thousand Oaks Police Officers who work closely with 120 local 1st to 6th grade students to ensure they grow into healthy adults and not be influenced by drugs and gangs. The program includes after- school tutoring, nutrition, literacy and police mentorship activities. In addition, these children are taken on bi-monthly educational trips to allow them opportunity to learn in a safe environment.

Studies show reaching children at an early age through mentoring programs help youth to resist or mitigate the risk factors of violence and enhance skills that lead to healthy and positive lives. When youth are connected to caring individuals they are more likely to resist negative influences and increase self-confidence, self-efficacy and improve their attitudes about the future. Mentoring has been proven to help youth achieve academic success and significantly reduces the likelihood that they will ever commit crimes.

The sleeping bag can be dropped off Monday – Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, at the Thousand Oaks Police Department located at 2101 E. Olsen Road, Thousand Oaks.

For further information on making a donation or about the program, please contact Sergeant Brain Slominski at (805) 494-8256 or email: [email protected].

Prepared by: Detective Timothy Lohman
News Story Date: March 4, 2016
Follow-Up Contact: Sergeant Brian Slominski
[email protected]
Approved by: Commander Tim Hagel