Aldan Townwatch was formed in the early summer of 1974 by Fred Tattersall and a few concerned residents. A handful of people, using their own C.B. equipment conducted Townwatch patrols. In September of 1974, new members were recruited and C.B. equipment was purchased for base and mobile operation. Our first fund drive was held only within the business and professional communities of the Borough. Townwatch still did not have a base of its own. Operations were conducted out of various members' homes.
In the spring of 1975 a search was underway for a permanent base site. An office was donated by Walter Jones of Jones Oil Company. The base was set up with operations beginning on the Fourth of July weekend. At this time, we had about forty members. The fall of 1975 saw our first formal membership meeting with the adoption of by-laws and a formal election of officers.
1976 saw our first major door-to-door fund drive that not only brought in the needed funds but also roughly doubled our membership to about eighty people.
In 1977, funds were raised with a raffle. In March that year there was a very serious accident. Townwatch was activated at the request of the police department and was out on patrol until after four in the morning for the first time.
1978 saw the first of our every other year fund drives. The funds raised were used to purchase VHF-FM radios to replace the troublesome C.B. radios.
Through these early years, Townwatch gained the support of the Borough officials and the Police Department. Aldan Townwatch is recognized as a model of what a Townwatch organization should be by many communities across the country. Aldan Townwatch has helped many other Townwatch groups get organized. We traveled as far away as Virginia to conduct meetings for new townwatches, and we have been contacted for information by municipalities as far away as California.
The fall of 2001 began a new chapter of our history. The base was relocated to the Aldan Swim Club. The Swim Club’s board generously donated space in their facility for Townwatch. Operations were conducted from the board room while renovations were completed for our new base. The move to the Aldan Swim Club has been a blessing both to Townwatch and to the Swim Club. |
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History |