Public safety workers received some tangible love from the community recently, thanks to donations made by 100 Who Care Del Webb, Lake Oconee, and Parkside Main 8 Theatre, all via the Greene County Safe & Secure Foundation.
K-9 officer receives bulletproof vest
Koki, a Greensboro Police Department K9 officer, received a bulletproof vest with funds donated by members of 100 Who Care Del Webb, Lake Oconee.
“We are in a 55+ community, so we do use these services a lot and it’s great to give back to them,” said Betty Aubin, one of the co-founders of the 100 Who Care Del Webb.
Noting the organization is made up of both men and women who live in Lake Oconee’s Del Webb, Aubin added, “We have a lot of generous members, and we are very fortunate to live here.”
Koki’s handler, Officer Justin Taylor, said he was grateful for the extra protection for Koki when they’re out working.
After the check presentation on Wednesday, June 29, several of the 100 Who Care members asked Taylor questions about Koki; so, the officer and K9 gave a brief demonstration of Koki’s duties in possible scenarios.
The Del Webb 100 Who Care Alliance chapter began in January 2020. To date, they’ve donated more than $50,000 back to the community, Aubin said.
Their most recent donation to the Greene County Safe & Secure Foundation totaled $4,485, which completely covered the price of the K9 vest. The remainder of the funds will be applied to getting another Lucas 3 automated chest compression system for the Greene County EMS department, said Charles Middleton, founder of GC Safe & Secure Foundation.
Public safety departments receive grants
The Safe & Secure Foundation provided another Lucas 3 earlier this year to the Greene County EMS, and the goal is to have one on each ambulance.
A proven aid for heart attack victims, the Lucas 3 delivers a continuous steady level of chest compressions over long durations during transportation, thus increasing the patient’s chances of survival. An entity of the
An entity of the Community Foundation of Central Georgia, Greene’s Safe & Secure Foundation honors Greene County’s public safety departments and donates funds to purchase equipment that is otherwise not available through the county.
“It isn’t that the county doesn’t have any money, but the items we purchase are just not in the budget,” Middleton explained in an earlier interview with the newspaper. “We are committed as much as possible to help first responders. The more we can give to the community to make it more safe and secure, the more it will be safe and secure,” he added.
First responders receive movie tickets
On Thursday, June 30, all 250 first responders in Greene County received free passes to a movie of their choice at Parkside Main 8, courtesy of the theatre’s general manager, Chris Nutting.
According to Middleton, Nutting has been an active supporter of the Safe & Secure Foundation for a long time.
“I just appreciate what all of them – in every department – do to protect and serve all of us,” Nutting said. “We wouldn’t be a first-world country without them.”
To receive more information
Community members and businesses can make donations to all of Greene County’s public safety departments via the Safe & Secure Foundation. A committee of members consisting of Middleton, county department heads and some businessmen approve the allocation of the grants. For more information, visit www. greenecosafe-secure.org.
100 Who Care Del Webb Lake Oconee is a separate interest group not affiliated with the Safe & Secure Foundation. Its membership of residents nominate local nonprofit organizations to benefit, and a 10-member steering committee oversees the process and selection. Any Del Webb Lake Oconee resident interested in joining may email Aubin at b.aubin@live.com.
For more information on Parkside Main 8, go online to parksidemain8.com or call 706-999-9990.