TINA L. SCOTT
EDITOR
Early in November, local first responders at the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, the Merrill Police Department, and the Merrill Fire Department all received care packages from Operation Gratitude, at the request of the Lincoln County Crime Stoppers organization.
Especially this month, “With Thanksgiving coming up, this is a perfect time to show our gratitude, how thankful we are,” said Jeni Hinz, representative for Lincoln County Crime Stoppers, “for our local first responders and law enforcement and everyone who is working on the front lines, including here at home.”
Operation Gratitude, a nationwide non-profit, provides people across the U.S. with opportunities to say “thank you” to current military, veterans, and first responders.
Hinz first learned of the organization as a volunteer with the Never Forgotten Honor Flight when the veterans on the flights received care packages from Operation Gratitude. “All of our veterans get a box for Honor Flight,” Hinz said.
Then someone who was part of the Never Forgotten Honor Flight program told her that Operation Gratitude also offered care packages for local law enforcement and fire department first responders, and she set out to learn more about it.
When Operation Gratitude came into existence, it sent its very first four care packages out to deployed U.S. military in March 2003. Since then, thousands of Americans have participated in “hands-on volunteerism” packing the care packages. “In turn lifting the spirits of those who raise their hands to serve,” Operation Gratitude’s website said. “Volunteers of Operation Gratitude are a generous group of grateful Americans who want to say ‘Thank You’ to all who serve our great nation.”
And it turns out, Hinz’s own son had received such a care package from Operation Gratitude when he was in the service.
In early 2020, prior to the pandemic, Hinz ordered care packages for Merrill area first responders on behalf of the Crime Stoppers organization.
“But then the world shut down,” she said.
In 2022, Hinz was able to get back on track and the gift bags–small tokens of appreciation for our local heroes–arrived recently and were distributed to the local men and women who serve, protect, and care for our community.
Each Operation Gratitude bag packed by the organization contained coffee, 5-hour energy, lip balm, and snacks, and perhaps a few other items. The items themselves are symbolic–just a way to let recipients know they are valued, honored, and appreciated for their service and sacrifice. Because every true act of service requires some kind of sacrifice.
The bags are packed with the items by volunteers and then shipped. In this case, Hinz ordered the care kits for the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, the Merrill Police Department, and the Merrill Fire Department, and the kits were shipped directly to each organization, at no cost to Crime Stoppers or the recipients.
On behalf of Lincoln County Crime Stoppers, “This is a small token of gratitude for our law enforcement and fire department,” Hinz said.
We join Crime Stoppers in thanking everyone at the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Merrill Police Department, and Merrill Fire Department for all they do to keep our community safe and respond to our needs when emergencies arise.
Operation Gratitude runs on donations. If you would like to make a donation to the organization, go to https://www.operationgratitude.com/ to learn more.