- April 19, 2024
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Nyla Mendoza, 10, Silviana Mendoza, 11, and Amelia Adkins, 9
Volunteers packed 250 backpacks with school supplies to hand out to Sarasota students.
Demetri Konstantopoulos plays a game of cornhole with Joan Steber and Isabella Wiseman, 9.
Chase, 5, and Cooper McCann, 2, test out one of the Sarasota patrol cars.
Arya Davidson, 2, and Hugo Garcia
Suzanne Atwell, Police Chief Bernadette DiPino, Diana Hamilton
Dearron Hargrove, 6, breaks out his dance moves during a game of cornhole.
Scott Mayforth, Lori Jaress, Bryant Singley and Hunter Craig
Kai, 7, and Anya Parks, 6
Trye Cook, 6, and Pat Robinson play a game of soccer together.
Gina Backhoff, of Childlike Productions, paints a unicorn on Leah Contreas', 5, face.
Mason Mccullough, 2, dances to the tunes played by the DJ.
Rachael Ward faces off against Dearron Hargrove in cornhole.
Bella, 7, and Destiny Coppola, 9
Sharon Coleman and Octavius Edwards join in a game of scoop ball.
Gabriel Aguilar, 18, spins Trader Joe's wheel of prizes.
Trye Cook gets ready to kick the soccer ball to one of his teammates.
Ziarre Smith, 8, shows off her new backpack.
Sunday afternoon was filled with hot dogs, face painting, free backpacks and school supplies at the Sarasota Police Department's first Blue + You BBQ.
Held at Gillespie Park, the event provided a chance for community members to come out and mingle with Sarasota police officers in an effort to build relationships with the people of Sarasota.
Police Chief Bernadette DiPino said the barbecue allowed Sarasota students to go back to school with pride with their new backpacks and supplies in tow.
School supplies and 250 backpacks were donated during the police department's annual Pack the Patrol Car fundraiser and were distributed during the barbecue. The backpacks were filled with supplies including writing utensils, folders and notebooks and distributed to students in need by grade level.
DiPino said the police department hopes to hold at least four Blue + You BBQ events each year.
