Volunteers keep an eye on community

Their bright red jackets are easy to spot at Lakeside football, basketball and volleyball games. Volunteers of the Stevens County Community Action Team help supervise sporting events, operate the Neighborhood Observation Patrol and staff the Cop Shop in the Outpost Shopping Mall in Nine Mile Falls.

On Tuesday, the organization is celebrating 20 years of community service with an open house at Lakeside High School.

“We’ll have snacks and displays,” said Susan Thompson, SCCAT president. “Everyone is welcome.”

Two dozen volunteers do everything from taking incident reports at the Cop Shop, to patrolling neighborhoods in their marked NOP car, donated by the Stevens County Sheriff’s Office.

The Cop Shop is open 1-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Longtime volunteer Betty Anderson said typical incident reports can include everything from suspicious vehicles to barking dogs, to chickens on the loose.

“It’s a rural community,” she said.

But the office also has plenty of information about community assistance programs, including help for domestic violence victims and accident reports.

In addition, once a month, volunteers assist an officer from the Sheriff’s Office in processing concealed weapons permits.

“It saves people a trip to Colville,” Anderson said.

The Neighborhood Observation Patrol is especially important to many.

“Because we’re rural, our houses are spread out,” Thompson said. “We check on homes when people go on vacation.”

The bright red jackets are also visible on the first day of school. Volunteers help direct traffic at the elementary school to keep students and parents safe.

Cynthia Pasteur began volunteering for the organization when she retired from nursing.

“I wanted to get involved with the community,” she said. “It’s very rewarding.”

Anderson agreed.

“We’re extra eyes and ears for the community,” she said. “Deputies have told us crime has dwindled since we opened.”

Indeed, that added vigilance is greatly appreciated by the Sheriff’s Office. With only 26 commissioned personnel in Stevens County, covering more than 2,500 miles, Sheriff Kendle Allen said, “We can use their help. They’ve been a valuable organization for us.”

He said volunteers undergo a background check, a training program and are offered a defensive driving course.

Organizers hope the open house will result in more volunteers.

“Most of us are in our 70s,” said Thompson. “We need members.”