In honor of the long-term partnership between the Union County Sheriff’s Office and the Union County Public Library, the latter was officially thanked last week for its role in regularly hosting UCSO Sgt. Robert “Bob” Calamari’s scam awareness classes.
On behalf of the local library, Assistant Branch Manager Morgan Bilicki traveled to the Sheriff’s Office on Feb. 3 to shake Calamari’s hand and accept the Sheriff’s Office letter of recognition with a smile.
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Calamari and Sheriff Shawn Dyer have chosen the library to host the public education events for its smaller meeting room, which they feel allows for better visibility of the slideshow and a more personal experience compared to the former venue of the Union County Community Center.
“Our main target is the seniors,” Dyer said about the class, adding that the lack of stairs and elevators means the library is also easier to get around for folks with mobility issues.
Bilicki, for her part, said that hosting the scam classes fits into the library’s goal of providing free educational resources for the entire community.
“It’s a nice, universal spot for anyone to come in – any age, any reason, you can come to the library. And teaching people this is a safe place to learn about these types of things is really important to us,” Bilicki said, revealing that even when a scam class isn’t being held, informational handouts are available at the library for the public to take as they wish.
“That’s our main goal, is to make our community thrive,” Bilicki added, with Dyer and Calamari echoing the sentiment. In this way, the two organizations play off each other, as the Sheriff’s Office hopes to foster interest in the library’s other services by getting more people out and aware of everything it has to offer.
Certainly, the scam classes have made a difference, with Calamari educating – and empowering – new members of the community with every presentation.
“Our first year doing this, the community lost $902,000 in scams. This past year, we’re down to $540,000,” Calamari stated, with Dyer estimating that the difference is even greater given that the classes are preventative in nature.
About 30% of all calls to the Sheriff’s Office are scam-related, Dyer said, although more people are aware now that they can ask for Calamari or another officer’s help when they believe they’ve been targeted.
For example, those who have attended the scam class or have Calamari’s business card have contacted the Sheriff’s Office to vet unfamiliar mail or calls, likely saving them hundreds of dollars or more by deferring to the experts.
On the flip side, Bilicki has seen an uptick in the number of businesses who want to organize their own events in the library’s meeting room. And with more awareness of Calamari’s dedication to preventing thievery, other groups have asked him to hold his classes at their own locations.
Churches and even the Union County Republican Party have utilized Calamari’s knowledge in both public and private presentations. Just last month, Calamari made three such visits, and while the date of the next public scam class at the library hasn’t been decided, rest assured that more are still in the works.
In the meantime, the library is currently offering other fun opportunities in its meeting room. The children’s program will be celebrating the Olympics for the entire month of February, and a post-Valentine’s Day celebration will take place on Feb. 17.
To learn more or keep an eye out for future events, check out www.mountainlibrary.com.
And if you or a loved one suspect fraudulent activity, call the Union County Sheriff’s Office for a second opinion before acting. Calamari and others can be reached at 706-439-6066.
