City police receive fitness upgrades

OFFICERS GIVE THANKS — Members of the Steubenville City Police Department met with trustees of the Charles M. and Thelma M. Pugliese Charitable Foundation this week, thanking them for a recent grant which assisted in obtaining new fitness equipment for the department. Those attending Tuesday’s appreciation meeting were, from left, front, Patrolman Pete Gaffney and Patrolman Kyley Rogers; second row, Patrolman Joel-Michael Recznik, Trustee Tom Timmons and Patrolman Jacob Reasoner; and back, Capt. Joseph Buchmelter, Chief Ken Anderson, City Manager Jim Mavromatis and Trustee H. Lee Kinney.
— Julie Stenger

STEUBENVILLE — The City of Steubenville Police Department. Members of its force are usually the ones giving back to others.

Doing their best to protect.

Assisting in times of crisis.

Responding when people find themselves in their worst possible situation.

And yet, they ask nothing in return … only that we obey the written laws and treat one another with compassion.

City Police Patrolman Jacob Reasoner was practicing using 350-pound weights.
— Julie Stenger

However, one local group of trustees decided it was time to change all that.

And they gave back.

Trustees of the Charles M. and Thelma M. Pugliese Charitable Foundation decided it was their turn to give back to the city’s police force.

The department was awarded a donation through the foundation, affording them the opportunity to make upgrades to their exercise and fitness area.

Tom Timmons is one of the trustees for the Pugliese Charitable Foundation. He explained how every year, trustees make a request to the community for applications.

Patrolman Pete Gaffney used one of the department’s new treadmills.
— Julie Stenger

And every year, several people respond, he noted.

Timmons stated last year, the police department approached the foundation for an application, and submitted it along with a narrative about the project they hoped to receive.

It is in the foundation’s second quarter the trustees review the applicants’ submissions and decide on which ones they are going to fund for the year.

“Usually, we have way more applicants than we have money for,” Timmons said. “In this particular case, we chose the Steubenville Police Department and their need for gymnasium equipment.”

The workout rooms are situated in the upstairs portion of the city building, located on South Third Street.

The upper level used to house inmates, as at one time it served as the city’s jail. The floor was made of concrete. Bars still remain within one room, used as the cells built around the 1930s or 1940s, officials commented.

Members of the police department stated they were in need of new fitness equipment and a few upgrades to the rooms themselves. With the awarding of the grant from the foundation, those needs would soon become reality.

Patrolman Jacob Reasoner explained the previous gym had older equipment. Through the funding of the grant, there are now several more options to choose from when officers want to work out.

Reasoner was in the middle of working out Tuesday, just prior to a visit from Pugliese Trustees Timmons and H. Lee Kinney, one of the original three foundation trustees. Trustee G. Daniel Spahn was unable to attend the tour of the facility.

Reasoner took time to discuss the various pieces of equipment that has been installed, including a new preacher curling machine.

The device is used to make gains in building strength, power and definition in one’s biceps.

There are a hammer strength machine used to build physical strength on both sides of the body, and weight benches for doing presses.

The room where Reasoner was working out also contained a squat rack and several dumbbells, weighing anywhere from 20 and 120 pounds apiece. He stated there is a cable fly machine which targets the pectorals, with the deltoids, triceps and core engaged to help stability.

“There is a lot of new equipment and a lot of upgrades, including a new floor,” Reasoner said. “It is 100 percent better.”

The cushioned, interlocking flooring was purchased with funds from the trust, making a big difference for those using the gym.

Others utilizing the facility included Patrolmen Pete Gaffney, Joel-Michael Recznik and Kyley Rogers.

All are appreciative for the new pieces of equipment, as the space allows current officers and their families, along with those who are retired from the force, to use the gym equipment at their convenience.

Having a built-in fitness space allows the police force to work out after or before their shift and not to have to pay for a club membership to receive a workout.

They also have the opportunity to spot one another on the weight benches or simply exercise with their coworkers, who they consider friends. Other rooms on the upper floor house cardio equipment, including new Assault Fitness eliptical machines.

There are rowing machines and Sole treadmills aligned side-by-side in front of a plasma television.

“These areas were in a state of disrepair,” Police Chief Ken Anderson stated.

Capt. Joseph Buchmelter agreed that the foundation’s grant has helped make serious improvements for the better.

“I can’t thank the foundation enough,” Buchmelter said. “The men and women of the police department really appreciate it. It is a huge improvement and we are grateful.”

Kinney has been with the Pugliese foundation for a long time, noting he knew Charles and Thelma.

“Mr. and Mrs. Pugliese respected and admired the work of the police,” Kinney exclaimed. He noted the couple primarily operated hotels in Steubenville, Wheeling, Warren and Portsmouth, and the old Imperial Hotel was always protected by the police department.

“Mr. and Mrs. Pugliese always admired the police and I know that they would be glad we were able to do this for them today,” Kinney said. “I knew her and I am sure they both would be happy we did this for the police department they both appreciated.”

City Manager Jim Mavromatis toured the facility alongside the trustees and police officials.

He commented the fitness equipment was a well-needed addition for the police force.

He said fitness is a very important factor when one is a policeman or woman.

“I think it’s great that we have organizations such as this in our city,” Mavromatis said of the Pugliese Charitable Foundation. “This equipment is a great addition to the police department. “

“Our officers do a great deal for our city and I am happy the foundation was able to provide some assistance to them in their doing their jobs,” Mavromatis added.

Timmons said he thinks the room looks great and he is glad the Pugliese foundation was able to help the department out.

“We have been able to do so much good for our area, daily,” he concluded, noting those who receive the funding use the money in some capacity toward helping others.

The police chief also expressed his appreciation, thanking the foundation for approving their application request.

“I want to thank the Pugliese Foundation for their generous grant and for their support, as we continue to make officer wellness a priority at the Steubenville Police Department,” Anderson said.