Hundreds Of Children Take To The Hardwoods During PAL Day At Palestra
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia's Police Athletic League, known as PAL, organized a day for kids from each center to play basketball and other games at the University of Pennsylvania's famous indoor sports arena, The Palestra.
More than 200 kids, 12 from each of the 18 PAL centers spent Monday running up and down the court.
Lieutenant Bill Eddis runs the city's Philly PAL program and says they plan this day every year.
"This is a good way to make sure they are safe, and they are not in the streets of Philadelphia, where crime is out there," Eddis said. "But we put them in a safe environment where it's cops helping kids, gives them something to do."
Lt. Eddis says it's a yearly tradition for the kids.
"To experience something new, and what a great day to do it at the Palestra, the mecca of college basketball," he said. "To play at the Palestra, it's just an unbelievable experience."
"We just love seeing them smile, that makes us smile, and we know we are doing our mission which is cops helping kids."
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