MANSFIELD — Her mother teaches at Eastern Elementary School in Lexington. Her father is a law enforcement officer at the Clear Fork Reservoir.
So helping other children, and local police, made all the sense in the world to Valarie Duffey.
The 8-year-old, third-grade student at Lexington’s Central Elementary School spent the last couple of weeks collecting 330 children’s books, which she donated on Wednesday to the Mansfield Police Department.
She is the daughter of Steven and Jessica Duffey of Mansfield.
The books will be offered in the lobby outside the detective bureau, in a structure donated by the FBI Citizens Academy Foundation of Cleveland in the name of Mansfield Police Officer Brian Evans, killed in the line of duty on Dec. 26, 2007.
It includes books, stuffed animals and small toys.
“We are really excited about this program at the Mansfield Police Department,” Chief Ken Coontz said. “Kids come in here who are victims of crime, or here with their parents, who are either victims or suspects.
“Sometimes kids unfortunately get drug into these situations, so we felt compelled as a police department to try to provide an environment to try to reduce some of the stress the kids are feeling,” Coontz said.
Children can read a book or played with a stuffed animal or a toy.
“They can (then) keep them. It’s their’s,” Coontz said. “Just from watching the kids who come here, it really does bring a lot of joy and it does take their mind off what’s going on when they are here at the police department.
“It’s a really stressful environment for any child. We are very fortunate. We started running out of books and Valarie agreed to help the Mansfield Police Department to restock our supply,” Coontz said.
It’s not the first community project for Valarie, whose past efforts include donating stuffed animals to the fire department and slippers for military veterans at Dayspring.
“One time I was watching a video and I saw some kids needed help … so I wanted to help them,” said Valarie, who also competes in pageants like Little Miss Lexington, Miss Ohio Princess and the Little Miss USA competition.
Which does she enjoy more?
“Doing things like this,” she said of the donation projects.
What does she like to do in her limited spare time?
“I go to my friend’s house and I play Barbie dolls with her and baby dolls. I used to do dance and I do soccer,” she said.
Valarie said the donation includes some of her own books, books from her younger brother’s babysitter and her mother’s classroom.
MPD Assistant Chief Keith Porch also thanked the youngster.
“If only for a moment, as the chief highlighted, if a child is able to grab a book and escape to another world through the book, to remove themselves from the reality of dealing with crime, it’s very important. On behalf of the police department, thank you very much,” Porch said.
The youngster has already started a new project, raising funds to provide care and comfort assistance to Mansfield Police Department K-9 officers. She will be supplying treats, food, bedding, dental help items and more.
