SILER CITY — Mackenzie Crossman admitted she was nervous talking to a reporter about something she was involved in, and in many ways responsible for.
But apart from the spotlight of a tape recorder, she had no reason to be embarrassed.
For the last eight months, Crossman, 14, has led an effort at both her school, Chatham Charter School in Siler City, and church, Pittsboro United Methodist Church, to put together care packages for every member of law enforcement in Chatham County.
That’s 214 bags filled with various practical items, including tissues, hand sanitzer, baby powder, gum, hard candy and a notebook, along with a handwritten note of encouragement.
“I knew that when they got these packages, it would make them really happy,” Crossman said, “and it’s basic stuff they would use in work.”
The project began in April as part of Chatham Charter’s 7th-graders participating in the G.R.E.A.T. program. The acronym stands for Gang Resistance Education and Training and, according to a sheriff’s office press release from 2017, is designed as “immunization against delinquency, youth violence and gang membership before they become at-risk.” A sheriff’s deputy teaches the class, which is currently given at schools across Chatham County.
Participating students, according to Chatham Charter administrator Beth McCullough, have the opportunity to do a service project at the end, and Crossman chose supporting first responders, starting with police officers.
Crossman said she has family and family friends in law enforcement, so it was a natural fit. She added that the project has only deepened her appreciation for the profession and brought her joy to help them.
“I’ve always been close to the police officers, so I think it helped me get a little bit closer,” Crossman said. “I knew from experience how it would touch people, and just knowing that I’ve touched people, it made me really happy.”
McCullough said Chatham Charter has put a special emphasis in the last couple of years on service and volunteerism, and Crossman’s work is a good example.
“I remember as a 7th grader talking to her about it then and how passionate she was even then,” McCullough said. “To watch that continue this year into a club, and at her church where she still wants to do that, I think that’s really exciting. And as educators, that’s something you always want to see, is students take something and own it and it become real to them.”
The school has established a campus-wide club, Knights in Service, that focused on service. Knights in Service assisted Crossman with putting together some of the care packages in October and held a reception for military veterans in November.
And neither Crossman nor the Knights in Service are done. This month, the club will make holiday crafts and cards for local nursing home residents. And Crossman is looking to expand her care packages to more recipients.
“I plan to try to get all of Chatham County’s first responders with the bags,” she said. “Firefighters and then EMS and we’ll see how far it goes.”
Reporter Zachary Horner can be reached at zhorner@chathamnr.com or on Twitter at @ZachHornerCNR.