The Board of Directors of The Crime Victims’ Center of Chester County, Inc. (CVC) has selected West Goshen Township Police Det. Dave Maurer (aka Mrs. Claus) and Tredyffrin Township Police Department Executive Secretary Sharon Rose to receive CVC’s 2015 John J. Crane Allied Professional Award for Excellence in Service to Victims, especially children. The award ceremony will take place at 6 p.m. during CVC’s Annual Holiday Open House Thursday, Dec. 4. Maurer and Rose were selected to receive this year’s award for their efforts on behalf of child victims.
Maurer initiated the online Mrs. Claus Project to raise funds for child victims who would not have a Christmas otherwise. His goal for this grassroots effort, as he describes it, was to raise $500. His Facebook followers and contacts in the community, however, far exceeded his expectations with their generosity. As a result, Mrs. Claus brought in $6,786, which CVC used to bring Christmas joy to child victims of crime and violence. Maurer gives the credit for Mrs. Claus’s success to everybody coming together and giving generously.
Det. Maurer, born and raised in Chester County, has been with West Goshen Police Department for 18 years. He has been in law enforcement for 23 years. He is married and has a son.
Sharon Rose, Executive Secretary to Tredyffrin Township Police Superintendent Anthony Giaimo, coordinated the first CVC Kids Holiday Party Children’s Christmas Party in 2014 in West Chester for all child victims and their families served by CVC during the previous year. Each child who attended got to choose a one of the gifts donated by many generous sources. Special guests included Santa and action hero Spider Man, who came for a surprise visit. Tredyffrin Police, with a major assist from other Chester County law enforcement, acted as hosts for the CVC Kids Holiday Party. The event was such a success that Rose is coordinating the second annual CVC Kids Holiday Party, which will take place Dec. 20 at the Knights of Columbus Hall.
The John J. Crane Award, presented each December during CVC’s annual Open House, honors individuals or groups who are not directly involved in victim services (allied professionals) and who exemplify the former Chief Deputy District Attorney’s outstanding commitment to victims, especially child victims.
During his 28 year career as an attorney, John J. Crane worked tirelessly on behalf of victims of violent crime. A Chief Deputy District Attorney for Chester County for many years, Crane was also a member of CVC’s Board of Directors when he retired. He was commended locally for his compassionate work with victims and achieved national recognition when the National Organization of Victim Assistance (NOVA) chose him to receive its Allied Professional Award in 1996. Although Crane died in 1998, his spirit continues to motivate those who have followed in his footsteps.
The Crime Victims’ Center of Chester County, Inc. is a private, community-based, non-profit agency that provides a broad range of supportive services to victims of crime and their families in Chester County. Services include hotline response; counseling and advocacy; and accompaniment to medical, police and legal procedures. The agency also provides prevention/education programs to schools, churches, community groups, businesses and organizations in the County. CVC has been operating in Chester County since 1973 and is recognized statewide for its victim advocacy work.
For more information about CVC and its work in Chester County, please call 610-692-1926 during regular business hours, or visit www.cvcofcc.org. CVC’s two 24-hour Crisis Hotlines are available to victims of all types of crime. They are 610-692-7273 (Sexual Assault) and 610-692-7420 (Other Crimes).
