City workers, community play in Friendship Games

Police officers and city workers traded their workday attire for sports gear this past weekend for the 10th annual Glendale Friendship Games hosted by Homenetmen Glendale Ararat Chapter.

Basketball teams made up of employees from the city’s community development department and officers from the Glendale Police Department went head-to-head on the hardwood against Ararat athletes at the organization’s local headquarters this past weekend.

As usual, the match-ups were friendly and a way of getting important branches of the city under one roof, said Sevada Hemelians, who handles Ararat’s marketing.

“The whole idea is that we’re celebrating Glendale, we’re taking the time to reflect … and open up dialogue between different groups,” he said.

The police department team won a match against Ararat, as did the city employees by a single point.

Doctors from Glendale Adventist Medical Center also had a team.

On the city’s team was City Manager Scott Ochoa, who’s played in the Friendship Games since he took the city’s top job a few years ago.

He said playing at Homenetmen provides the benefit of building and strengthening relationships with the community outside of City Hall.

“Most of the time the community sees me in a suit and tie and behind a desk or dais, and to see me get knocked down on the court is something that’s good for them as it is for me,” Ochoa said.

For the final event in this year’s Friendship Games, the police department played a soccer match against Ararat at the Glendale Sports Complex on Wednesday.