Grateful Giving
In a few weeks, Thanksgiving Day will be upon us. It’s the time of year where it’s difficult not to be reminded of what we have to be thankful for. It’s literally a day we pause and be grateful. It pulls at our heart strings and gives us perspective on how fortunate we are to live in a country of freedom and a country of plenty. It’s also a time we host events for those who may not have a place to go to for Thanksgiving.
The mission of the Edmonds Police Department, “Service before Self,” reflects this belief of gratitude. The message from Chief of Police Al Compaan on the department’s website is especially relevant during the Thanksgiving holiday. “We place service before self, with an unwavering and unbiased commitment to public safety, improving the quality of life for our community. This Mission Statement, and our core values of Service, Integrity, Respect, and Stewardship, truly represents who we are as an organization and who we are as the professional men and women on our team – serving the city of Edmonds and our 40,000+ residents.”
The Edmonds Police Association hosts such an event that is a mirror image of their motto – service before self. The Association hosts a Thanksgiving dinner for members of the Edmonds Senior Center that do not have a place to go for Thanksgiving. Corporal Ken Crystals leads the endeavor and also coordinates volunteer police officers who help plan and come and eat dinner and visit with the seniors.
Jennifer English, the office and volunteer coordinator at the Edmonds Senior Center, mentions the event is popular with the seniors and is one of the many annual events the Senior Center coordinates. The dinner is limited to 30 people. The senior center helps facilitate preparing for the event and getting the word out to those that may not have a place to go for Thanksgiving. It gives the seniors something to look forward to. The event is hosted at Arnie’s Restaurant, which is located near the senior center on Admiral Way.
Arnie’s is a local favorite for many of the seniors from the community center. There is a great waterfront view and a pleasant ambiance. Para Kelley, one of the managers at Arnie’s said the seniors really enjoy the dinner and Arnie’s is very happy to be a part of a process of making such a great event happen.
The Thanksgiving menu includes a relish tray, appetizer dish and soup and salad. The seniors then have the option of a main dish of prime rib, salmon and of course, turkey. Kelley mentions she has seen officers accompany and escort seniors in who physically cannot make it into the restaurant themselves. The seniors are able to swap stories and give general life advice to those who are younger than them. The life lessons learned and joy passed on are priceless. The restaurant staff considers it a great honor to be a part of the event, and it helps to tie the community together with different generations.
Detective Steve Morrison of the Edmonds Police Officer Association has attended this event in the past and said the police officers’ association is “happy to provide the service.” Detective Morrison and other officers have gone in and sat with the seniors and kept them company during the dinner, shared stories and general companionship. The appreciation felt from the seniors is a true blessing. Corporal Crystals solicits and encourages other officers to help and to join in the event. It has a true community feel and involvement. Detective Morrison himself has immensely enjoyed taking part of this event in the past and looks forward to this year’s event.
The Thanksgiving turkey dinner is truly a linked chain of events with a domino effect. It starts with a simple motto – Service Before Self. It continues with police officers coordinating with a community center to facilitate identifying and signing up seniors who are in need of a place to go for Thanksgiving. Then the police association and the senior center coordinate with the management and staff at Arnie’s that make it all possible. It’s a lot of little arrangements with no weak links that form a strong chain of giving and service.
As we near Thanksgiving, many of us have a lot to be thankful for. Some people are thankful just to be physically and financially able to serve. What can we do this Thanksgiving to help others who may not be as fortunate as we are? It can be as simple as having a conversation, sponsoring a family for a turkey dinner, or donating to those organizations that sponsor such projects.
There are opportunities both small and great everywhere in our community. Be on the lookout for them. Thanksgiving is not just a feeling, but an action. The staff at Edmonds Living Local wishes you all the most meaningful and blessed Thanksgiving 2015.
