BELMONT COUNTY, Ohio — The St. Clairsville Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol honors a young girl for her dedication to her local heroes.
With the help of her friends and family, 9-year-old Hazel Koveleskie founded Hazel’s Heroes, a group dedicated to supporting local police officers, veterans and others.
Just last week, the group handed out blessing bags filled with granola bars, thank you notes and prayer cards as officers began their patrol.
“I’m glad that the police officers, the highway patrol and everyone else are doing this for us, and I’m glad,” Hazel said.
She says her passion for helping others began with her grandfather when they frequently made blankets for veterans in nursing homes in the area.
“She said a lot of kids have heroes who are singers or actors that they see in movies, and she said there are a lot of heroes that are kind of forgotten in our own little communities,” said Carolin Fante, Hazel’s grandmother.
Ohio State Highway Patrol Lieutenant Brian McFarland is proud to honor Hazel, saying the service sets an example for youth and local leaders.
“For a young girl and her friends to come up with this idea is a great reward,” he said. “You don’t see that in today’s world, that people put so much effort into getting involved in law enforcement.”
