26 / matters magazine / school 2018 M aplewood Deputy May- or Frank McGehee is all about creating an inclu- sive community. He says it’s always been a way of life for him, crediting his parents for model- ing how to be community-focused. Anxious to find ways to bring the youth together after the ouster of the police chief a year ago, McGehee started kicking around ideas with Sergeant Connie Fields. She sug- gested he contact retired Maplewood police sergeant Mike Morrison. A former resource officer in Columbia High School from 2001-2005 – the role has since been eliminated – Morrison is considered an expert when it comes to engaging with students, especially those on the fringes. At CHS, he founded a mentor pro- gram that met weekly from 2002-2012 with the goal of helping kids graduate, and many benefited from the guidance. Gathering for a meal at the Maplewood Diner, McGehee, Fields and Morrison decided a good place to start was to hold an Open Gym event at Colum- bia High School. Students of any age would be invit- ed to play basketball and participate in other games. Although Morrison is retired, he’s still involved with students as the youth minister at First Bap- tist Church in South Orange. He arranged for Open Gym to be sponsored by Eternal Light, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization at the church, as well as the Maplewood and South Orange Munici- pal Alliances, which provide education on alcohol and drug abuse, and the Maplewood Police Depart- ment. They chose Fields to lead the program. The first event started out small in April 2017 Open for All Recreation program provides outlet to build community BY ELLEN DONKER Retired Officer Mike Morrison (2nd from left), Frank McGehee (4th from left) and Sergeant Connie Fields (3rd from right) put on Open Gym monthly during the school year.