CANARYVILLE — You might have noticed the sea of blue covering the neighborhood: About 800 blue ribbons tied to street lamps, trees and stop signs.
Local residents recently tied them up to show support for local law enforcement and fallen suburban Fox Lake police Lt. Charles “G.I. Joe” Gliniewicz, who was gunned down on patrol last week.
The blue ribbon campaign began when Jean Mangan Bossard, a neighborhood native and Chicago Park District employee, posted on Facebook, asking for help.
“I am asking that we put blue ribbon on all the trees in Canaryville as a sign of solidarity,” she wrote in a Sept. 1 post. “If you are interested in purchasing a roll of ribbon or donate toward a roll it would be appreciated. I would like this to be done on Thursday before the holiday weekend.”
The support poured in, said Bossard, who raised more than $800 to buy ribbons. Over Labor Day weekend, more than two dozen Canaryville residents showed up to tie the ribbons along every block of the neighborhood.
“It was really a community effort,” said Bossard, whose father served as a police officer and whose son currently serves.
In total, the ribbons cost about $300. The remaining donations will go to the 100 Club of Chicago, which provides support to families of first responders killed in the line of duty.
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