Community

Maricopa Optimist Club hosts Respect for Law awards ceremony

Jun 6, 2006

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The Optimist Club of Maricopa held an awards ceremony for law enforcement officers and firemen Saturday. Honorees, nominated by their superiors, included personnel from the Ak-Chin Police Department, Gila River Fire Department, Maricopa Fire Department and Pinal County Sheriff’s Office.

Ak-Chin Police Department Officers (left to right) White, Leach, Machado and Sergeant Garcia posted the colors for the group (below).

Following the Posting of the Colors, the Star-Spangled Banner and the Pledge of Allegiance, several speakers commented on the event and its importance. Those speakers included Maricopa Mayor Kelly Anderson, Pinal County Sheriff Chris Vasquez and Deputy Chief Tom Knapp from the Gila River Fire Department.

Sheriff Vasquez spoke of the personal sacrifice each officer may face. “They go into each call, knowing that it may be their last,” stated Vasquez. “They are a highly trained, highly motivated, highly caring group.”

Maricopa Mayor Kelly Anderson speaking during the Respect for Law ceremony.

Gila River Fire Department’s Deputy Chief Tom Knapp focused on teamwork and trust during his speech.

Deputy Chief Knapp discussed the amount of trust each fireman has for other firefighters and about the teamwork that goes into the job. “This job has a certain amount of trust that you cannot emulate anywhere else,” Knapp explained. “As an individual you may lose, but as a team we succeed, and it’s one of the most rewarding experiences anyone could have, doing everything in teams.”

Officer Brandee Ralston received her certificate from Master of Ceremonies Tom Bauhn and Maricopa Optimist Club Board Chairman Grace Gomez.

Gila River Fire Department Honorees Scott Christensen and Cole Clarke listen as their captain reads the nomination letter he submitted about the two.

Honorees were announced after the speeches concluded. Each honoree proved to be a hard-working, caring individual who is always ready to help. Scott Christensen and Cole Clarke from the Gila River Fire Department were nominated for their level-headedness when they responded to an automobile accident; the two were able to revive a one-year-old child after she stopped breathing. Officer Brandee Ralston and Officer Matthew McKenzie from the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office helped successfully rescue a victim of a carjacking/kidnapping that took place in a grocery store parking lot in March.

Each honoree received a certificate as well as a bag of goodies with items donated by close to two-dozen local businesses.

Speakers and presenters at the ceremony included (left to right) Chief Deputy Jerald Monahan, Optimist Governor-Elect Bill Mouw, Sheriff Chris Vasquez, Mayor Kelly Anderson, Pastor Jim Johnson, Deputy Chief Tom Knapp and Master of Ceremonies Tom Bauhn.

The Maricopa Optimist Club holds the Respect for Law event annually as a way to honor firemen and law enforcement officers for all their hard work, as well as to teach the public that these honorees, as well as their comrades, have earned and deserve respect.

“We wanted to honor police and firemen for a job well done during the whole year and to let them know how much we appreciate the time they put in,” said Optimist Club Board Chairman Grace Gomez. “Their job is very important to us,” continued Gomez, “and we want to teach children to respect the police and fire departments and adults to respect emergency vehicles.”

Ceremonies ended with the recitation of the Optimist Creed.