DETROIT – Detroit City Council President Mary Sheffield held her ninth annual “Occupy The Corner” event as hundreds gathered Friday evening at Coleman Young Playfield on the city’s east side for a day of fun and special giveaways.
Hundreds of families are going home with a free bike Friday (June 24) night, but the event’s purpose goes beyond that.
“I can’t wait to ride it and have something to do this summer, said Chase.
Chase is an eight-year-old boy who just learned how to ride a bike.
He was so excited about his new bike, and he knew the first place he was riding it to.
“Maybe to the Dairy Point,” Chase said.
His big grin seen in the video player above is one of the 200 spotted on kids walking away from “Occupy The Corner” with a free bike.
Then there were the smiles of proud parents like Elizabeth Winchester, whose son Dylan Winchester also received a bike.
“It’s amazing,” said Elizabeth Winchester. “I’m so glad that he can be happy and enjoy a free event and enjoy himself.”
Sheffield says the event isn’t just an event.
“This is essentially the government in their backyard,” said Sheffield.
“There are some health resources out here,” Winchester said. “Resources for property taxes and expungements for your record.”
Occupy The Corner was an event in New York led by Reverend Al Sharpton.
The goal is to occupy high-crime areas to lower gun violence by getting to the root of the problem.
The event is the ninth annual event in Detroit.
“I’m a firm believer that you can’t police your way out of everything,” Sheffield said. “You have to address the underlining issue of violence, and I believe that is access to a job, access healthcare, access to education, and all of those resources are here on site today.”
Celebrity appearances like Mike Epps were in attendance.
The event was wrapped in a special way as they honored community heroes like the people who were there back in March during a shooting at the Team Wellness Center when a security guard was shot and killed.
Read: Father killed while working security at a wellness center in Detroit