GREENFIELD — While most people run away from a burning building, a select few men and women choose to run toward it, Mayor Chuck Fewell told the crowd of two dozen local police officers and firefighters. When shots ring out, a select few run toward the threat so others won’t have to.
And many of them, because they are protecting the public, don’t get the chance to spend the holidays with their families, he said.
So, this is the time of year when citizens ought to do their part to honor the sacrifices these public safety officers have made for the rest of us, Fewell said.
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Click here to purchase photos from this galleryThis week, Greenfield’s Sam’s Club Distribution Center loaded up more than 15,000 wreaths for the annual Wreaths Across America Relay, a campaign that aims to place thousands of wreaths at more than 1,400 locations throughout the country and abroad. After a ceremony to send off the cargo on its memorial mission, officers from the Greenfield Police Department and Greenfield Fire Territory joined at the distribution center on Muskegon Road in Greenfield to share chili and sandwiches together.
Walmart, the largest corporate sponsor of Wreaths Across America, and Sam’s Club are committed to supporting the effort, said Steve Todd, distribution operations manager at the local terminal. This is a small gesture to offer thanks to America’s warriors at home and abroad, he said.
National Wreath Laying Day is today. The wreaths will be laid at 9/11 memorial sites and 30 national cemeteries, including Arlington. The Greenfield Sam’s Club wreaths will be laid at Fayetteville National Cemetery in Arkansas, Todd said.
“This is about recognizing those who are fallen heroes and the ultimate sacrifice they gave,” Todd said. “We really want to acknowledge their great efforts in keeping our community safe every day.”
The local public safety officers were grateful for the gesture.
“It’s a good thing for a community to be a part of,” said Sgt. Chuck McMichael of GPD. “But it’s also important to remember those families in our neighborhood who won’t get to be with their loved ones this Christmastime.”
The Wreaths Across America campaign is a reminder at Christmas to never forget the love that brave men and women show for their country and community, Fewell said. It’s important to remember it year-round, not just during the holidays.
“In the United States, we’re pretty lucky,” Fewell said. “This time of the year is a very special time where we can bring these guys together for lunch and remind them of how much we appreciate the contributions they’ve made to our home.”
