Friday, Nov. 17, 2004

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Public safety banquet tomorrow

By LEE WILLIAMS
lwilliams@TheCitizenNews.com

Time is running out, but organizer Michael Cooley is hopeful he will find three more sponsors to cover the costs of this year’s 17th annual Fayette County Public Safety Department Thanksgiving Banquet, just in time for the Saturday night event.

Nine donors so far, including Southern Community Bank, Walker Concrete, Lafayette Animal Hospital, Tom Wells State Farm, Fayette Family Practice, Rotary Club of Fayette County, Group VI Properties, Fayetteville Dwarf House and Dan Cathy’s family, each have pledged their $100 donation to sponsor the event. A total of 12 donors are needed, Cooley said.

The banquet will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. at Grace Evangelical Church. The fire department, emergency medical technicians, marshals, 911 operators and animal control workers will be the guests of honor, said Cooley of Second Wind, Inc., a Fayetteville-based nonprofit organization that offers marriage and family counseling. Tim Gunter is the director.

Cooley is grateful for those who have volunteered their support. He hopes others will help show their appreciation for the people who put their lives on the line for them every day.

“These are the guys that are rushing in when everyone is rushing out, and we need to honor them,” said Cooley, a multi-media consultant for Aftershocks LLC in Fayetteville. “(The fire department) already had this event in place. It’s part of their tradition.”

A few years ago, Cooley learned the fire department spent an untold amount of hours each year searching for a church big enough to hold the event. In addition, the firefighters also would bring their own food. But Cooley believed someone else should carry that burden, so he decided to find sponsors to absorb the costs.

Through the help of sponsors, Cooley reimburses the church for its expenses and he helps provide meals for the public safety employees and their families.

At the banquet, the employees get to fellowship with their families on Thanksgiving and hear heartfelt thanks from people whose lives have been deeply affected by their efforts. And the public safety workers get to share a little thanks of their own, Cooley said.

“The real touching moments is when the public safety department’s express their gratitude to their spouses for their sacrifices, because they are the ones who are giving the baths and helping the children with their homework while they are working their shifts,” Cooley said.

More than 150 public safety workers are expected to attend, Fayette County Department of Fire and Emergency Services spokesman Capt. Pete Nelms said.

Nelms also organizes the banquet. He said the Thanksgiving banquet means a lot to public safety employees.

“It is a time when we get together and give thanks for the things that have happened to us during the year, and we are extremely appreciative to the people who are responsible for putting this banquet together, Second Wind and Grace Evangelical Church,” Nelms said. “We can’t thank them enough.”