Guardian Angel founder visits Bath
BY JEFFERY SMITH THE LEADER ROB PRICE THE COURIER-ADVOCATE

JASON COX/THE LEADER Curtis Sliwa, founder of The Guardian Angels, addresses an audience in Bath during a public meeting last week. A local chapter of Guardian Angels is a possibility for the village's future.

BATH - A Guardian Angels chapter may someday call Bath home.

Curtis Sliwa, founder of the Guardian Angels, held an informational meeting Monday at the Bath Days Inn to gauge interest.

Village Mayor David Wallace, Police Chief David Rouse and about 35 others attended the workshop.

"Today is the first step towards possibly forming a local (chapter) in Bath," Sliwa said. "In the past five years, most of the growth of the organization has been from areas with a small population. So Bath, New York, could fit into that equation."

Bath resident Patricia Gilbert asked Sliwa to visit and said she thinks forming a Guardian Angels chapter could help fight the drug trade and crime incidents that have plagued the area.

The village resident told The courier she collected the signatures of 13 individuals who are interested in serving as Guardians. She also plans to invite Sliwa to return to the village in the new year for a review of the situation.

"A lot of people were excited, but I wanted to make sure people are serious," Gilbert said, adding she hopes to have a local chapter of The Guardian Angels formed by the spring.

Sliwa said the group, formed in 1978, is geared to promote safety and empowerment in schools, neighborhoods and communities.

"We partner with local police and politicians to improve the quality of life," Sliwa said. "We do it not for pay, but to set a tone that criminal activities are not going to be tolerated."

Sliwa said the next step is to determine if there is enough interest to start a local branch. "If there is, (local volunteers) will be taught how to patrol areas and receive training in self defense and first aid," Sliwa said. "Two programs for local schools, the Junior Angels and CyberAngels, will also be offered."

Jim Murray, a Bath resident, said he is hopeful the group will take root here. "For the last 10 years the town has been going downhill," Murray said. "We need to do something to make it like it was, or even better."

Sliwa said a big problem facing rural communities like Bath is the increasing use and accessibility to methamphetamine. The rise in drug use was the primary complaint of those who attended the meeting.

"Meth is cheap and it's easy to get," Sliwa said. "But I believe that if there is a problem in a community it has to be dealt with locally."

Sliwa said he had a "good" discussion with Wallace and Rouse earlier in the day. "(Rouse) told me that if it is the will of the people to have this group, the department will work with it," Sliwa said. "The next step is to see how much interest there is."