82-Year-Old Volunteer Receives Special Honor For Helping Zone 2 Police
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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A woman in the Hill District was honored Monday for her interest in helping police in Zone 2.
During an award ceremony Monday, several Pittsburgh Police officers were honored for going above and beyond their duties. But they weren't the only ones getting accolades.
Maime Lee Powell, 82, has taken a special interest in these officers.
"I'm a volunteer, so I just go around helping people," she said.
She says since 1980, she's been bustling around the Zone 2 police station on Centre Avenue, doing what she can to beautify the area.
"It's nice that a citizen takes the time to make the station area more beautiful and gives the officers a place to relax and the bonus of some food, some healthy food for a change," Pittsburgh Police Special Deployment Division Commander Ed Trapp said.
"Sometimes I sneak around, sometimes I'm there at night. They don't know it, but I sneak around," Powell said. "I plant vegetables around, and the police can go around and pick it if they want to."
She spends her days and her nights planting flowers and vegetables, and she says it's nice getting to know the officers.
"They always come – it's not all the time arrests," she said. "They will come and talk to you and try to solve the problem."
She was honored Monday with the Recognition of Excellence Award for giving back to the community.
Trapp presented her with the award, saying, "On behalf of the Bureau of Police, I present this award to you, along with my personal gratitude and thank you for everything you do."
Powell says officers helped her get to the ceremony, and she's grateful for the honor.
"It's just emotional for me for somebody to thank me, while I live. I'm getting old now," she said. "It's a great police force all around."
