Starfish Assignment Licking County

When Starfish Assignment Licking County started in 2020, we knew that our organization would receive tremendous support. We set out on a mission to assist those in need and to create positive relationships between law enforcement and the community. With your support, we have been able to achieve our goals. To date, we have reached thousands of people and have given back to the community in incredible ways. Through the Books & Badges program alone, we have handed out nearly 10,000 books to children across the county. Our organization has grown exponentially since its inception, and it’s been amazing to see the community take on the Assignment to help us help others. We couldn't have done it without you!

Today, we are overjoyed to inform you that Starfish Assignment Licking County has officially merged with Starfish Assignment. This partnership is a significant step forward in furthering our mission, and we could not be more excited about what's ahead.

Starfish LC Founder and President, Jamie Wright, has joined the Starfish Assignment Board as an Executive Vice President. She will continue to oversee programs and events that are specific to Licking County departments, and she will keep working to make a difference in our community. We are incredibly excited for this transition and look forward to what the future holds!

To our valuable donors who have shown overwhelming support to the Starfish LC organization, we want to assure you that your contributions will still go a long way in making a positive change. Your donations will be put into specific initiatives aimed at benefiting the communities of Licking County. Thank you for your continued support and trust in our mission to make a difference.

We would also like to express our heartfelt gratitude to all former and current Starfish LC executive board members, advisory board members, the numerous law enforcement officers and deputies that we have worked with, and volunteers who have dedicated their time, effort, and resources to making Starfish LC a success. Without your unwavering support, we wouldn't have been able to make as much of a difference as we have. We are very proud of what we have accomplished together.

Moving forward, we encourage all of our followers to like and follow the Starfish Assignment Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages to stay up to date on all the incredible ways we are building positive relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve. You can find the Starfish social media handles on the page linked.

Thank you once again for your continued support. Together, we can make a difference! 💙

We had an amazing time at Licking Valley Primary today!

We were invited to Mrs. Schmitt's and Mrs. Dunn's Kindergarten class for their Hero Presentation Week. It's always a great pleasure for us to talk to the children about who Starfish Assignment is, and how we help law enforcement help others.

Along with the presentation, Licking County Sheriff's Office, Deputy May hosted a Books & Badges reading for the children, and they were thrilled! One of the books he brought was the 2nd & 7 book, The Hog Mollies and the Camp Carmen Campfire, which teaches us about patience, practice, and persistence - all great qualities needed to achieve big goals.

The class asked him a lot of great questions: How do you become a hero? Why do Deputies wear badges? What do you do when you get scared? Deputy May taught the children about combat breathing, which can help us when we're scared, and that it's perfectly okay to ask for help.

We were also lucky to have LCSO Deputy Brailer stop by, and the children had a blast hanging out with him! It's always heartwarming to see how enthusiastic and curious children are when they learn about what Deputies do, and how they help in the community.

Thank you for having us, Licking Valley Primary School! It was a very special morning for us all!

Please join us in wishing Heath Ohio Police Department, Sergeant Ream a very Happy Retirement!

As Sergeant Ream retires from his dedicated service to the City of Heath, we would like to take a moment to express our heartfelt gratitude for all that he has done for our organization over the years. From our very inception, Sergeant Ream has been a supportive and integral member of our team, always willing to lend his expertise and guidance to help us achieve our mission. His unwavering dedication and commitment to excellence have been a constant source of inspiration to us all.

Sergeant Ream's last Books & Badges reading was a poignant moment, as he reminded us all of the importance of education and community engagement. He wanted to make sure that all of the students and staff know how much he appreciated the opportunity to read to the children, and offer them friendship and value.

Sergeant Ream, you will be greatly missed, and your contributions to our organization will never be forgotten! We wish you all the best in your new endeavors and look forward to staying in touch.

Thank you, Sergeant Ream, for your service, your leadership, and your camaraderie. You have truly made a difference, and for that, we are forever grateful! 💙

ASSIGNMENT: Help a family with a 5-month old daughter who have been displaced.

REFERRING OFFICER: Officer Moone, Heath Ohio Police Department.

Officer Moone received a dispatched call to an establishment where a family, consisting of a father, mother and their 5-month old daughter named Riley, were asked to leave due to the establishment's policy of not allowing pets, which meant they couldn’t stay with their dog. Officer Moone empathized with the family's plight, as they were now experiencing homelessness and would have to resort to living in their vehicle for warmth. Upon inquiring about the family's needs, they mentioned that they needed assistance obtaining items for their daughter, including diapers, wipes, distilled water and formula.

With the help of our donors, we were able to assist Officer Moone in purchasing necessary items, including diapers, wipes, distilled water, formula and diaper rash ointment, from our emergency funds. We will also provide them with a list of resources to help meet their future needs.

Although the family has secured overnight accommodations, if you would like to contribute towards their immediate living arrangements, please visit our website at starfishassignmentlc.org to make a donation. Donations would be paid to the housing establishment directly, in order to extend their stay.

We extend our appreciation to Officer Moone for his compassionate service towards this family and the community.

Last week Reynoldsburg Division Of Police School Resource Officer (SRO) Fulton read to several classes at Reynoldsburg City Schools, French Run Elementary. We love sharing Books & Badges readings with you, just look at these smiles! 🤗

Ms. Mills 3rd grade class was very polite, and did a fantastic job taking turns asking Officer Fulton questions. The children were enthralled hearing Officer Fulton recall stories about her time as a police officer. The class asked her if she had other jobs before her career in law enforcement, so naturally they became curious about her age. Officer Fulton decided to challenge the kids with a math problem to see if they could determine how old she was: She was 29 when she entered law enforcement, and she’s currently serving her 25th year, so how old would that make her? The kids had a fantastic time with Officer Fulton, and are looking forward to her return!

We also got a peek of RPD Lieutenant Jackson reading to the 4th grade class at French Run as well. We love it!

We are so happy that everyone is enjoying Books & Badges, and we are grateful for the opportunity to give each child in attendance a copy of the book to take home.

You are welcome to follow the Books & Badges page to learn more about readings from multiple agencies.

Today was a Valentine’s Day for the books…Books & Badges that is! ❤️📚

We were invited to attend a Reynoldsburg Division Of Police Books & Badges reading with Ms. Jackson’s 1st grade class at Reynoldsburg City Schools, French Run Elementary.

RPD Deputy Chief Grizzell read the 2nd & 7 book, The Hog Mollies and Huddle’s Healthy Halo. This book teaches about the importance of healthy habits – eating healthy, brushing our teeth, washing our hands, and getting good sleep, all which help to keep our bodies healthy. In the book, one of the characters talks about how he will miss eating pickle pie so often, and all of the children were quite confused…”Did you say pickle pie”, they asked? Deputy Chief Grizzell told the kids that she prefers pickles on cheeseburgers, and all of the children (ASL) signed the word, ‘same’. It was a super cute moment. We are so fortunate to be able to give each child in attendance a copy of this book to take home. DC Grizzell also brought her trading cards to hand out to the children, and apparently those are very sought after at the school. Ms. Jackson was very excited to hang her trading card up for the other teachers to see – we love that!

Since we arrived during their class breakfast time, the children had a little extra time with Deputy Chief, and asked her a lot of awesome questions:

How long have you been a Police Officer?
Deputy Chief Grizzell will celebrate 29 years in law enforcement this year!

How did you get those badges?
A lot of hard work – a lot of training, and education.

What are Police Officers favorite foods?
Donuts…

Do Police Officers drink a lot of coffee?
YES!

What is your most favorite part of your job?
Helping people, reading to you, making people happy, and encouraging others.

Can I ask a Police Officer for help if I’m lost?
Yes! You can ask any Police Officer or help, Police Officers are safe people to ask for help.

I think that today our favorite question was, “Do you help people who get their cat stuck in a tree?” 🤗

As we were leaving, one of the children asked why Deputy Chief had to leave, because he didn’t want to say goodbye yet. It was such an adorable moment. No worries, however, Deputy Chief Grizzell will visit again…with her (therapy) dog. The children, and Ms. Jackson are super excited for that visit!

RPD has two more readings scheduled for today alone, and we are excited to hear all about them!

Thank you, RPD, for reading to the children, and for all that you do in the community! 💙

The Heath Ohio Police Department has been having so much fun at their various Books & Badges readings at Heath City Schools.

We love seeing the photos of Sgt. Ream, and Officer Roberts during their readings with the children.

Officer Roberts had the opportunity to see all of the kids Valentine’s boxes in Mrs. Gugliemi’s 3rd grade class. Some of the kids even offered him their candy, how sweet is that? After reading, A Team That Stays Together, Officer Roberts and the class discussed making a plan in case you were to get lost, and about the importance of listening to your parents and teachers. We are very happy to be able to give each child in attendance a copy of the book to take home.

We love that everyone is enjoying the Books & Badges Program! 💙

We had so much fun last week with the Licking County Sheriff’s Office at Northridge Vikings School District, Northridge Elementary.

We were invited to a very special Books & Badges reading Wednesday. This reading hosted about 120 children from the Kindergarten and 1st grade classes at Northridge Elementary. Deputy Shook read his favorite book from the 2nd & 7, The Hog Mollies and the Dream Discovery Day. There is a page in the book where the character discovers that he wants to be a singer when he grows up. Because Deputy Shook loves this book so much, he actually sang the words that are written on the page…he sang! The children had a good laugh when he asked, “did I do a good job?” At the conclusion of the book, Deputy Shook reminded the children that anything is possible if you work hard, and continue to be kind.

Once the reading was over, Deputy Shook told the children that they had prepared a special guest visit for all of them. The kids were on pins and needles waiting for their surprise….Deputy Sam! Deputy Sam is an LCSO Police K9, and the children just loved having him there! The kids asked Deputy Wilson many questions about Sam, and the aspects of his job, but our favorite question asked, “Can Sam drive?” It was really such a wonderful visit.

The LCSO invited us back to Northridge Friday to participate in their Anti-bullying program with the 4th and 5th grade classes. The children were greeted by Sergeant Crider, who asked the kids, “How does it make you feel when you do something nice for someone?” The children all yelled, “AMAZING!” He spent time with the kids going over the difference between being mean, rude, and defining bullying. Deputy Shook, and Deputy May rekindled their high school drama class skills, and showed the children through an example what each (mean, rude, and bullying) meant through a series of skits. Definitely award winning stuff! 🤗🏆

Sgt. Crider reminded the children that often times we don’t know what is happening in someone else’s life, and that kindness is important. He explained and demonstrated powerful life skills to take home that day. He also gave them all the homework assignment to go out of their way to do something nice for someone else, and to pay attention to how those acts of kindness made them feel.

It was a wonderful time spent with the LCSO, and all of the children at Northridge. Thank you to Principal Beaver for inviting us back.

We are having so much fun watching the Heath Ohio Police Department complete so many Books & Badges readings this month!

Officer Roberts read from the Scholastic Book, 13 Days Underground to the 5th grade class at Heath City Schools, Stevenson Elementary last week, AND they were able to deliver the remainder of their winter coats from our coat drive last month. We sure did love hearing that!

A student asked Officer Roberts if he would tell them about the worst injury that he had experienced on duty. Officer Roberts recalled the time when he broke his left fibula bone while chasing a suspect. He said that he did catch the suspect however, he just had to hop back to the station with him. 😬

Thanks for your dedication, Officer Roberts!

We are excited to see what reading is next for Heath PD, and what fun stories we can write to tell. 📚

The Heath Ohio Police Department was very busy last week with Books & Badges readings at Heath City Schools, Stevenson Elementary!

Sergeant Ream, and Officer Roberts picked up 600 more books last week, and started reading to the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade classes (10 classes total) at Stevenson, and they had a blast! We are so fortunate to be able to gift each child in attendance the book that the Officer reads to take home. Having readings lined up for 600 books makes us so happy!

When we asked Sgt. Ream what questions that the children asked most, you guessed it…”Do you really like donuts that much?” Sgt. Ream said, “It’s true, but we don’t know anyone who doesn’t like donuts!” The children agreed! They also asked a lot of questions about the Heath PD K9 Officer, Havik, and whether he had to wear a vest. This lead to a discussion about Sgt. Ream’s Labradoodle, Rylee (who is definitely not a police dog…LOL). The children also asked Sgt. Ream about his time in the military, serving as a MP in the Army.

Officer Roberts class asked him about accidents that he sees in the line of duty, which lead to a story about Officer Roberts, when he hit himself with a claw hammer when he was 8-years old. Apparently, the plastic hammer that he was playing with wasn’t getting the job done, so he decided to get a real hammer on his own. He told the kiddos to always talk to your parents before picking up tools, or other dangerous objects. Also, if you’d like to know how many times Officer Roberts has been tased, it’s three…all as a (training) police officer. Ouch!

They children wrote many notes of thanks to Sgt. Ream, and Officer Roberts. They were all so excited to spend time reading together. 🤗📚

Thank you Sgt. Ream, and Officer Roberts for reading to the children, and for all that you do in the community. 💙

Today is Law Enforcement Appreciation Day.

Thank you to Law Enforcement near and far. We appreciate your sacrifice, and we honor your bravery.

Thank you for everything that you do in our communities. 💙

Congratulations, Reynoldsburg Division Of Police, Sergeant Marshall!

Sgt. Marshall has been a pivotal part in assisting us with our mission from the first day we partnered with RPD. He has been on many Assignments, co-lead every event, and participated in Books & Badges readings. Anytime we have needed assistance, he has made his resources and support available. He is one of the most positive people we have ever encountered – he is always encouraging others, pushes you to be your best, and in the dark he chooses to be a light.

We asked permission to use the photos of Sgt. Marshall from the start of his career 23 years ago, and we added a few of the photos we have taken along the way. He says that he is looking forward to his next chapter.

Join us as we congratulate Sgt. Marshall on his recent promotion – thank you for your service, your dedication, and for all that you do within the community, Sir!

Thank you to Michaela Sumner for this article on our coat drive.

Thank you to Macy's for partnering with us this year, and to the donor who made this possible! 💙

Police coat drive garners 450 coats for Licking County kids An anonymous donation to a Licking County nonprofit helped provide 450 coats to elementary age children ahead of Christmas.

We sure do love reading these posts! 💙

THANK YOU to Starfish Assignment Licking County, who partners with the Licking County Sheriff's Office, for donating three boxes of children’s winter coats to Lakewood Schools. These will go to good use as the cold weather approaches.

The Licking County Sheriff's Office invited us to their Books & Badges reading at More Life Church Preschool today, and it was SO much fun!

The kiddos were waiting for a surprise this morning, and they were all just so excited when they saw Deputy Shook, Deputy Meek, and Deputy Dunlap!

If you’ve been following the LCSO Books & Badges readings, you have come to learn that Deputy Shooks favorite book is, The Hog Mollies and the Dream Discovery Day, written and published by the 2nd & 7 Foundation. We are very fortunate to be able to gift each child in attendance a copy of the book to take home. This book helps us all to understand that hard work, kindness, and determination will lend to reaching your dreams. We follow the character Scout on the journey of figuring out his dream; Deputy Shook always asks the children what they dream of being one day. Today we heard some of the best dreams…one little one said, “I want to be a cop, because my Grandpa is a cop!” There were quite a few that wanted to be princesses however, and one brave little boy said that he wants to be a DINOSAUR when he grows up! Dream big, little ones!

After the reading, the children were invited to visit the LCSO vehicles. Deputy Meek brought the LCSO SWAT Hummer, and the kids LOVED exploring the inside – it was the “coolest,” they said! Deputy Dunlap is oftentimes in the schools or at various other events, so it was wonderful having her there today.

We sure do love Books & Badges, and we love sharing these wonderful moments with all of you.

Thank you to More Life Church Preschool for having us today, and thank you to the Licking County Sheriff’s Office for sharing this day with us! 💙

Since 2020, it has been our goal to provide winter coats for our partnered agencies to hand out to children in need. We learned that winter coats for children were the one thing that the officers and deputies wanted help with the most – to provide a warm coat for a child in need during the cold months was essential. With the help of donors and other area non-profits, we have been able to provide about 25 (125 total) coats to each partnered agency in the years past. This year, with the help an anonymous donation, and Macy's, we were able to purchase 450 winter coats for children across the area!

After the coats were sorted, each department came to pick up their coats for distribution. Many departments showed up with multiple cruisers to load (we gave them the heads-up it would take more than one), all working together to help load coats, and share a few smiles.

The coats will be distributed by each police department through the schools, and various events. If you should have any questions about distribution, please contact them directly.

Thank you to the Heath Ohio Police Department, Licking County Sheriff's Office, Pataskala PD, Reynoldsburg Division Of Police, Newark Division of Police, Macy’s, and to the Starfish LC supporters who volunteered their time to make this happen before Christmas. A special thank you to our donor who made this event possible! 💙

Thank you to the Midland Theatre for inviting us to participate in their Yellow Bus Series event, “Bubble Trouble."

Licking County Sheriff's Office, Deputy Shook had a great time hanging out with the children before the show. The kids are always so fond of these adorable law enforcement ducks. If you’ve seen these ducks around town, chances are it’s because our partnered departments have passed them out at various community events. They are so fun!

The children had a blast watching and participating in the show last night; who knew that bubbles could be so fun?! It was a great time for everyone.

“We are grateful the officers are safe. Looking at this photo is terrifying. As a charity, we would not exist without our law enforcement partners, and we never lose sight of how dangerous and demanding their jobs are.”

Last night, Columbus Division of Police officers on the West Side of Columbus responded to a shots fired call. As they arrived on scene, the suspect fired a shotgun at them, damaging the vehicle and breaking the passenger side window. An officer returned fire, and the suspect is in stable condition.

We are grateful the officers are safe. Looking at this photo is terrifying. As a charity, we would not exist without our law enforcement partners, and we never lose sight of how dangerous and demanding their jobs are. Every event and meeting we plan with them has an unspoken asterisk next to it because they might need to be somewhere else. They are professionals who serve and protect, and that has to come first.

Events like last night are why we try to show our gratitude to them constantly. We tell them we love them and let them know they are appreciated. We have seen them run toward gunfire and go into situations most people would be terrified to go into, and they are willing to do it every day. No amount of thanks will ever be enough for the kinds of sacrifices they're willing to make. That's one of the many reasons we're grateful to do what we do. We're in a position to help them help others, make them smile, and bring them joy, and that's the best way we know to show them we love them.

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📷: FOP Capital City Lodge #9 Executive Vice-President Brian Steel, via Twitter. Please see his tweet for more information, including a video from FOP President Jeff Simpson. https://twitter.com/EVPFOP9/status/1591439331297820672

Congratulations to Indy, and Reynoldsburg Division Of Police, Deputy Chief Grizzell!!

💙💙💙

Congratulations to K-9 Indy on his graduation from the Franklin County Sheriffs' Office Therapy Dog Certification Program. Last week, DC Grizzell and Indy completed the program which allows Indy to be utilized in our community. Great job!

There were several reports of ‘swatting’ incidents that occurred across the state today, and the Licking Valley School District was one of those areas affected. Multiple law enforcement agencies came together to keep everyone safe. We want to thank those brave men and women who ran towards that reported danger.

This photo is from December, when five local police departments offered a child support and encouragement. Their presence was just as important today to all the affected children and parents.

Thank you.

We sure did have fun at today’s Books & Badges reading at the Licking County Library -West Newark Branch!

Monday-Friday one of the Licking County Library branches host a Story Time (you can check the calendar here: https://www.lickingcountylibrary.org/programs/story-time/). Today, Heath Ohio Police Department, Sergeant Ream was invited to the West Newark Library to read to the children during Story Time. He read the Scholastic Book, Ducks In A Row, and Starfish LC gifted each child in attendance a copy of the book to take home, signed by Sgt. Ream.

Not only did Sgt. Ream read, but he also danced!! You see, there is a chicken named Vera at the West Newark Library, and she sure does love to dance! Miss Vera (and Bobbi, the Branch Supervisor) invited Sgt. Ream to share his dancing skills with the kiddos while they all danced and sang – it was pure joy!

We were a little tired after our dance party, but the children still enjoyed asking Sgt. Ream questions about his job – mostly about the Police car, and helping people, and dogs…and donuts. 😉🍩 We think that the parents enjoyed this reading just as much as the kiddos - we may have even seen them squeeze in a few dance moves of their own! 🤗

Thank you again to the Licking County Library for your invitation, we had a blast!

Thank you, Sgt. Ream for all that you do in the community!! 💙

We had so much fun at our Donuts with the Deputies event yesterday at the Licking County Library – West Newark, Emerson R Miller Branch!

It just so happens that the Library is right next to Cherry Valley Elementary School, so we decided to surprise the children (and their parents) as they were getting out of school for the day. The kids were all smiles when they saw Licking County Sheriff's Office, Deputy Shook, and Deputy Love!

Both Deputies had a great time handing out donuts, stickers, pencils, and police ducks to the children. The Library had an individual donate juice boxes and milk for the event too. How wonderful is that?

The children had the opportunity to speak with Deputy Love and Deputy Shook, and ask them questions. After seeing the inside of the police cruiser, one little boy told Deputy Shook, “My mom has a car just like that!” It took us just a second, but we discovered that his mom has the same model vehicle. It was super cute. You’ll see Curious George all buckled in, and taking a ride in the back…we’re sure it was just for an es**rt. 😁

If you’ve seen Deputy Shook around, you’ll notice that his hair is a bit longer than usual. He is growing it out because he wants to donate his hair to Locks of Love, with the hopes of helping a child in need. Deputy Shook has a personal story that we will be happy to share with you along his hair growing journey. Stay tuned for more on that…we feel a competition coming on!!

If you like this Cruiser, be sure to jump over to www.lightohioblue.org to vote for the Licking County Sheriff’s Office cruiser picture. You’ll find them under the “2022 First Responder Photo Challenge” tab, within the Law Enforcement, Category 1 section. Good luck LCSO!

Thank you to the Licking County Library for hosting our Donuts with the Deputies event. A BIG thank you goes out to LCSO Deputy Love and Deputy Shook for all that you do in the community!

We are honored to receive your support, Congressman, Troy Balderson! Thank you for recognizing our hard work and dedication to the community, Sir!

Thank you to everyone who supports our mission, near and far. 💙

Yesterday was AWESOME…

You may remember last month when we were invited to Hope Valley- Helping Others Through Personal Experiences to attend the Hope Behind the Badge summer camp program. If you missed that post, you can read the story here: https://www.facebook.com/starfishassignLC/posts/570153748107336

We learned of a special bond that formed at Hope Behind the Badge between Newark Division of Police Detective Harris, and a little girl named Sage. Sage knew Detective Harris as her friend, Mac.

Sage’s Mother was recently diagnosed with breast cancer, and Sage had opened up to Mac about her feelings. Detective Harris took to the girl, and made sure to look over her during their time together. Sage always asked Mac if she would sit with her during lunch, and Mac always obliged.

Starfish LC called Hope Valley to ask if we could once again partner, with the permission of her parents, to get Mac and Sage back together for a reunion at her school, Legend Elementary School. We all had a common goal to cheer on Sage as she started her new school year. Because Sage was always keen on Detective Harris eating lunch with her, Mac thought that perhaps a surprise visit with her favorite fries and vanilla milkshake might just make her day….and did it ever!

The two were together once again, sharing a meal. During their conversation, Sage recalled the time when she and her Grandma took her Mom to the hospital for treatment, and the procedure took longer than expected. They decided to look on the Humane Society website, and fell in love with a cat named Bruce. Sage had told us that her Grandpa, Bruce, had recently passed away, and they thought that it was meant to be. They brought Bruce home, and have loved him ever since. They call him, Brucie Boy. We like to think that this moment was meant to be, too. 💙

We asked Sage if she would like Detective Harris to read aloud to her class – Sage lit up and asked Mac, “Are you the special guest, can I sit next to you while you read!?” She was surprised to learn that Detective Harris was going to offer her class a Books & Badges reading, and that we were going to gift each child in her class a book to take home, signed by her hero, Mac.

Detective Harris read a chapter from the book, 18 Days Underground - A scholastic book that offers a series of heroic rescue stories. Harris chose to read, A Furry Friend. The story is about a brave guide dog that ends up needing rescued, and ends up becoming a Police dog in the end. Cute, isn’t it?

During the question and answer time, a child asked what it was like to be a Police officer. We learned that Detective Harris had the opportunity to spend time in a program called, Exchange City. The program fostered career building skills for local youth, and Harris was able to start learning and practicing her law enforcement skills at a very young age.

Our favorite question asked about Detective Harris’ funniest moment as a PO…”So, once I had a call, and I needed to rush to help someone! I had to climb a flight of stairs to get to the person I was helping. Well, on the stairs sat a bucket of paint, and before I know it, WOOOOSH, I was covered from head to toe in blue paint!” All of the children laughed out loud as Detective Harris reenacted this scene. It was a pretty funny story!

Once it was time to go, Mac had to say goodbye to Sage once again. This time, she decided to leave her with a gift to remember their friendship for years to come. Mac surprised Sage with a framed photo of the two of them during a sweet moment they shared at Hope Valley. The frame was signed by the Newark Division of Police Officers and Detectives that took part in the Hope Behind the Badge program, and her friend, Miss Violet, the Executive Director of Hope Valley.

To witness their reunion was one of those moments that we won’t soon forget. Sage ran to Mac, arms wide open, with happy tears in her eyes, and full of wonder. It was such a magical moment, and we are so happy to share this with you!

Thank you to NPD Detective Harris for all that you do! 💙