The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
by Dessa Rodeffer, Quill Publisher/Owner
Lou Boyer of Biggsville, suggested that local residents take part in an effort to show support of our local police by taking part in the "Blue Porch Light" initiative.
Lou and her husband Don have a son Wesley who is a police officer in Aurora where residents are showing their support for law enforcement officers through a new Aurora stratagem called "Project Blue Light."
Police departments around the nation are on alert after officers in Dallas, Texas and Baton Rouge, Louisiana and other parts of the nation were targeted and killed.
Under this plan, residents and home owners are simply asked to replace their porch lightbulbs with blue colored lights and to turn them on at dusk in support of police.
Lou said, "I thought it would be reassuring to let our police know we are concerned and are standing behind them."
It allows people to show our concern and our support for our local police officers," she said.
Lou said their son Wesley and his wife have three daughters age 3, 6, and 9 in Aurora.
"It's always on your mind when they drive out each day, if all will go well and they return home safely to their families. The better relationships and support between the police and members of the community, the better."
National Night Out
The "Blue Porch Light" effort could line up to tie in with the upcoming "National Night Out," when residents come out of their houses and get to know their neighbors and police officers better in a community effort to help fight crime.
The National Night Out program culminates annually on the first Tuesday of August which this year would be Tuesday, August 2nd.
We are asking you to turn on a blue front door light each night up through Sunday, August 7 which runs through National Night Out and the local car shows.
Retailers at Lowes and Menards were sold out of blue light bulbs this week but Lowes have a supply of 36 $6.00 blue LEDs coming in today (Wednesday) and Menards have eighty-six 7-watt (40 watt) LEDs for $3.49 coming in by the end of the week. They will also be getting back in compact and 13 watt (60 watt) fluorescent blue bulbs they said.
Henderson County grocery and Dollar General stores do not carry blue light bulbs, they said.
National Night Out
It would be nice if in the future, Henderson County could organize an event to take part in National Night Out which would take the towns or community organizations coming together.
Illinois cities who are taking part are: Algonquin, Alsip, Alton, Antioch, Arlington Heights, Aurora, Bannockburn, Barrington, Bartlett, Beach Park, Belleville, Belvidere, Berkeley, Bloomingdale, Bolingbrook, Boone Co., Braidwood, Broadview, Brooklyn, Burnham,
Cahokia, Calumet City, Calumet Park, Campton Hills, Carol Stream, Carterville, Champaign, Channahon, Chicago, Cicero, Cobden, Countryside, Crestwood, Creve Coeuer, Crystal Lake,
Decatur, Dekalb, Des Plaines, Dolton, East St Louis, East St. Louis, Edwardsville, El Paso, Elgin, Elwood, Evanston, Evergreen Park,
Geneseo, Glen Carbon, Glendale Heights, Glenwood, Great Lakes, Hanover Park, Harvard, Harvey, Hazel Crest, Hickory Hills, Hoffman Estates, Homewood, Huntley, Island Lake,
Kane Co, Kankakee, Kewanee, LaGrange Park, Lansing, Lathrop, Lincolnshire, Lostant, Loves Park, Lyons,
Machesney Park, Maine Twp, Manhattan, Marseilles, Maywood, McHenry Co, Minooka, Montgomery, Morton Grove, Mt Prospect, Mt. Vernon, Mundelein,
Naperville, New Berlin, New York, Niles, North Aurora, North Chicago, O'Fallon, Oak Brook, Oak Brook (local), Oak Forest, Orland Park, Palos Heights, Palos Hills, Park Ridge, Peoria, Plainfield, Prospect Heights,
Richton Park, Riverdale, Riverton, Robbins, Rock Island, Rockford, Rockton, Rolling Meadow, Roscoe, Rosemont, Round Lake, Round Lake Beach, Sandwich, Sauk Village, Schaumburg, Schiller Park, Sherrard, Shiloh, Shorewood, Skokie, South Elgin, South Holland, Spring Valley, Springfield, Steger, Sterling, Sycamore, Tinley Park,
Vernon Hills, Wamac, Warren Co., Warrenville, Waukegan, West Chicago, West Peoria, Westchester, Wheaton, Wheeling, Wildwood, Winnebago, Wood Dale, Worth, Yorkville.