The strength of any thriving community lies in its people. A good example is the volunteers at the Lakeway Citizens’ Police Academy Alumni Association. They promote events such as October’s National Night Out, the 8th annual Public Safety Day and this fall, raising money to purchase and donate Thanksgiving pies to officers’ families. Find this group online here.

Recently, I spent an informative evening with members of Lakeway’s CPAAA, who come from all walks of life. But they share the common experience of having graduated from a free series of seminars many law-enforcement agencies host annually, offering an educational look into their operations. I was fortunate to have participated in Austin Police Department’s citizens academy in 2013 and took away a better understanding of the challenges officers face and how our laws work.

How are you giving back to your community? Are you volunteering your time, skills or pets? I would enjoy a visit to learn what your group is doing and why it is important to Lake Travis-Westlake. My email inbox awaits: [email protected]