Van donation to make it easier for Police Explorer Program

John Howell
Posted 5/14/15

City Council President Donna Travis said she had to ask her husband, Bill, twice when he recently announced he wanted to give the van he inherited from his late parents to the Warwick Police Explorer …

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Van donation to make it easier for Police Explorer Program

Posted

City Council President Donna Travis said she had to ask her husband, Bill, twice when he recently announced he wanted to give the van he inherited from his late parents to the Warwick Police Explorer Program. But then, as they talked, it made a lot of sense.

Bill pointed out that Donna loves the program that involves about 30 young people, which she does, and that police frequently have difficulty transporting participants, which is also true.

Yesterday, Mayor Scott Avedisian, Col. Stephen McCartney and other top brass from the department gathered outside the police garage where the gold Plymouth Voyager was parked for an official “giving of the keys.” Bill was not among those present.

“He’s got a big heart. He didn’t want publicity,” said his wife. “In fact, he wanted them to have it with no ceremony.” The mayor thought the gift should not go unnoticed and prevailed.

Officer Alfred Melucci, who has run the Explorer Program for the last two years, is elated with the van. He said multiple cruisers have to be used to get Explorer Cadets to events and this will make participation in community events that much easier. Among events the Explorers assist with are the annual Oakland Beach Easter egg hunt, National Night Out and the Memorial Day Parade. The Explorers will be marching in this year’s parade on May 25.

The van has about 60,000 miles on the odometer and the interior looks like new.

“Really, no one ever sits in the back seat,” said Travis.

“He did it. He wanted to give back to the cadets,” she said of her husband.

Comments

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  • PaulHuff

    Bill and Donna are good people. Nice job guys!!!!

    Friday, May 15, 2015 Report this

  • richardcorrente

    When our politicians do wrong everyone (myself included) holds them accountable ...and they should.

    When our politicians do right (and this gesture is the essence of "right"), they should be commended.

    Donna and Bill did something that defined the essence of "right". Their gesture was beautiful and we should all follow their lead.

    In August of 2014 a Starbucks drive-thru customer in St. Petersburg Florida decided to "pay it forward" and paid for the caramel macchiato of the total stranger in the car behind her. That customer followed her kind example and paid for the next person and as the employees kept count, a whopping 378 people participated in this "chain letter" of doing "right".

    Wouldn't it be great if that happened here in Warwick?

    Donna and Bill did "right" and they should be applauded.

    If we, the Warwick Taxpayers, all followed their example Warwick would be a better place to live in ...and we should!

    Tuesday, May 19, 2015 Report this