Hamilton police volunteer group shifts fundraising from YWCA after speech from activist

Sgt. Alexis Petrovic says a number of members of Project First to Respond attended the Women of Distinction Gala event and the tenor of the night left them feeling unwelcome.

A group of current and former police officers say they want to approach other charities after being left feeling out in the cold following the YWCA’s Women of Distinction Gala.

The group, called Project First to Respond, started raising funds for the YWCA in 2021 with an annual golf tournament.

“That was with the goal to specifically raise money towards the construction of the YWCA’s Putman Family Building,” Hamilton police Sgt. Alexis Petrovic said.

Petrovic says the volunteer committee has raised upwards of $131,000 for the Y since the inaugural event.

She says a number of them attended the Women of Distinction Gala event on March 7, and says the tenor of the night left them feeling disheartened and unwelcome.

“The essence of an inclusive event wasn’t felt by all, so much so that there were other organizations there and businesspeople who approached some of the officers because they noticed the feeling of inclusion wasn’t there either.”

Petrovic says that prompted the Project First to Respond Committee to have a discussion after the event about where to put their efforts.

“We shouldn’t necessarily silo our charitable efforts, and that Project First to Respond and this golf tournament have opportunities to raise funds for many different community organizations that support women and children and we look forward to working with a new organization every year.”