Citizen’s Police Academy Alumni to Hold Raffle In Lieu of Policeman’s Ball

By Jeremy Coumbes on April 22, 2020 at 10:24am

The Jacksonville Citizen’s Police Academy Alumni Association is working to turn an event cancellation into a positive for the community.

The CPAA has announced the Central Illinois Policeman’s Ball for this year has been canceled.

Tom Cisne, President of the Jacksonville Citizen’s Police Academy Alumni says due to the unknown surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, the group feels it would not be right to ask their sponsors for financial help to hold the ball this year.

This would have been the 9th year the CPAA has held the Policeman’s Ball, which included a silent auction among other activities serving as a fundraiser for the group.

Cisne says the CPAA will now be using a part of the planned silent auction and turn it into a raffle to raise funds to help benefit the community.

We were going to use the raffle as part of our silent auction for the ball. The raffle is going to be for a grill and a meat bundle from Jones Meat & Locker. We are going to use the money to help someone in the community. I’m not sure where the money will go right now, but it will be designated for the community.”

Cisne says the group is working out the details for the raffle and tickets will be available for purchase from any CPAA member soon. He says they have not picked a date the drawing will be held just yet, but will announce the details when they become available.

The 9th annual Central Illinois Policeman’s Ball is now scheduled to be held on November 6th of 2021.

Cisne says he has not heard any information about the annual National Night Out event scheduled for August 4th this year. He says it is likely too early to tell if the event will be able to be held this year.