Wareham Police Association to Reward Kids with Ice Cream Vouchers

Have you ever wished that someone would reward you for a good deed or just doing what you are supposed to be doing on a normal basis? There are consequences to doing the wrong thing, but very rarely do we get acknowledged for doing the right thing.

That’s why Wareham is bringing back their program for the Summer of 2021. According to the Facebook post, the Wareham Police Association is handing out ice cream cone vouchers to children “doing the right thing.” Each voucher can be redeemed at either Perry’s Last Stand, Kool Kone, or Nana’s Ice Cream during this season.

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Officer Calib LaRue commented on the program’s success back in 2020 and how the association is hoping this year will be even better.

“We started this last year and it was a huge success. We only had 100 vouchers and they went too fast,” said LaRue. “This year, we actually got 300 and hopefully those last a good portion of the summer.”

LaRue and other officers are looking forward to bringing the program back for 2021 since they get to make kids happy and build that relationship with the kids this season.

“We have kids ourselves and there’s nothing better than making kids happy and making that part of your job,” said LaRue. “It’s so rewarding, especially after the year we all had.”

Mariah Donnell is almost three years old and was the first recipient this year. Mariah was awarded an ice cream voucher to Nana’s Ice Cream by Officer Joseph Cardoza. Mariah’s mother, Jessica White, said that they were having mommy-daughter shopping day at the Dollar Store in East Wareham when Mariah waved at Officer Cardoza in his patrol car outside. Cardoza asked White for permission to give Mariah the coupon before making her day.

"She was so excited that she didn't know if she should smile or be serious," said White. "Mariah was excited to be next to a police car because she had just bought one in the dollar store. She talked about her police car and the photograph she had gotten with officer Cardoza and the ice cream that she is going to get. Every day she plays with her police car and says she's the police."