Friday, April 1, 2016

Comments for a Cause - Iowa C.O.P.S.

Comments for a Cause - Iowa C.O.P.S.
Before April 1st comes to a close and hopefully my 5 year old son will stop telling me I have a worm on my head... I have to share about this month's Comments for a Cause program and give a recap on last month's program!  In the month of March I had 55 comments, creating a $27.50 donation to First Book.  Thank you to everyone for your support of this great organization that is trying to get books in the hands of all children in the United States.  In the month of April, I am honored to be donating $0.50 for every comment made on my blog to Iowa C.O.P.S.

Comments for a Cause - Iowa C.O.P.S.

Last Saturday morning, two Des Moines Police Officers were killed in a car accident while transporting a prisoner.  I was first made aware of this tragic, sad new early on Saturday morning when one of my sisters sent me a text saying "In case you've seen the news, I wanted to let you know that (her husband, my brother-in-law) is OK."  My brother-in-law is a Des Moines Police Officer and there have been a few times during his 3+ years of service that our family has gotten similar texts.  So, I figured there had been some type of police stand-off or big take-down where shots had been fired.  I wasn't prepared to search on the Des Moines news websites to see that two officers had been killed in the line of duty.

Being a family member of someone in public service can be difficult.  You know they are working hard everyday to protect everyone, but by doing so, they can often find themselves in danger.  I often have to remind myself that I know they have chose this as their career because they love it and wouldn't want to be doing anything else.  I know they genuinely care about making their home and community a better and safer place.  I know they strive to make changes of good in those that they help.  But I also know, there are risks in what they do everyday.

My heart and prayers goes out to the families of Officers Susan Farrell and Carlos Puente-Morales this week.  Even though they know why their loved ones worked hard every day in the field of public service, it can still be difficult to swallow the risks that happened on Saturday morning.  That is where Iowa Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) comes in to offer both emotional and financial support.

Iowa C.O.P.S. provides resources to surviving family members and affected co-workers of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty.  These resources include counseling from both professionals and others who are police survivors, help with planning and organization of funerals, and support for memorial efforts.

I know these resources have been a huge benefit for all those mourning right now, and that is why I want to support these families and co-workers by donating $0.50 for every comment made on my blog throughout the month of April to Iowa C.O.P.S.  Please remember to Comment for a Cause all month long!

14 comments:

  1. What a great cause and such a sad story. I can't imagine the worry of having a loved one who is a police officer, fireman or soldier... but I am thankful for all of those who do it!

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    1. Thanks Carlee! The events that happened at the end of March make the reality of our loved ones jobs more real and a reminder to be thankful for every day and all that they do.

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  2. That is a wonderful cause, Val, and one that I am sure is used far too often . Our public servants are often in danger and take risks to protect us and that is something that can not be compensated. Having an organization that helps like this is a wonderful gift. Thanks for making us all aware of it.

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    1. It's a group that you hope you never have to work with, but you are thankful that they are available.

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  3. My niece is married to an officer in Oklahoma. As a family, my sister and her son and daughter have always been very close,and all of the little kids are very invested in each others lives. Everyone knows everyone can step in and be there for them.

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    1. Having a great support network helps all those families with members in the public service. I'm glad you all are there for your niece and her family.

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  4. Great cause, and one I'm more than happy to comment for! I'll share this post around in a couple of emergency services fora if I may - definitely worth supporting.

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  5. Great cause to support! We have a friend who is an Iowa State trooper and another friend is married to a cop in Johnston!

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    1. Thanks Brooke. I'm sure the news at the end of March hit your friends hard in the heart, as we all were tragically reminded about the dangers of the job.

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  6. What a terrific cause.... Very sad. These cops put their lives in danger day in and day out for our safety. Unfortunately, a tragedy like this reminds me of how much they do for all of us.

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    1. Thanks Sara and yes, it reminds us of what they do everyday to serve and protect.

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  7. Thanks for choosing this great organization!

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    1. No problem - I'm happy to help and bring awareness!

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