Children and police are connected via fun on “You’ve Got a Friend Day,” at City Stadium

Lynchburg, Virginia – In our community, the ‘You’ve Got a Friend Foundation’ seeks to foster goodwill toward police enforcement and the next generation.

They held their ‘You’ve Got a Friend Day’ on Saturday at City Stadium.

We’re bringing law enforcement and the community together, focusing primarily on young children, like K-5th grade, while they’re at an impressionable age,” Barry McClain, founder of the organization, said. “We’re trying to instill the role model image of the law enforcement officer back into the hearts and minds of the children.

The youngsters may interact with police from 22 different agencies and enjoy entertaining activities like face painting and inflatables. Dozens of police officers positioned themselves throughout the stadium, chatting with children and parents, from Louisa County to Lexington to Portsmouth.

“You get them engaged and they see the officer more like friends,” McClain said. “Law enforcement can not do it by themselves. It takes the community. It takes the community working together with law enforcement. Building relationships and trust will create that opportunity.”

According to McClain, gatherings like the one at City Stadium have the power to build deep connections inside the neighborhood.

I truly believe that the opportunity for law enforcement on a personal level – toe to toe, foot to foot, face to face – is going to make a big difference. Everybody’s gonna go home and go back to their daily grind, but the kids who come to this event, it’s gonna be a lasting impression in their minds.

According to McClain, their activities give local police enforcement a chance to interact more personally with the community they serve and help them overcome unfavorable impressions.