Dyer Difference helps bring joy during time of profound loss
From the first day of the academy, law enforcement officers learn to never take for granted a kiss at the door as they leave for work or a hug from their children as they tuck them in before heading off for the night shift. That’s because, while tomorrow is never promised for any of us, even the most routine call for a law enforcement officer has the potential to become deadly, and every goodbye kiss at the door before a day’s shift could be a last kiss. But instead of dwelling on the danger and becoming hardened by those whose hearts are filled with hate and anger, most law enforcement officers instead choose to lean into their mission to serve and protect and embrace those ideals with even more passion.
So it is here on the Treasure Coast, where law enforcement officers from two Indian River County agencies and one in St. Lucie County recently participated in their annual Shop with a Cop Celebration. And while this year’s event may have been tinged with some sadness due to recent events in community, officers from both agencies fought back tears and honored the memory of loved ones lost by helping bring a happy Christmas to children in the community whose lives could use a little bit of a happiness booster shot. Along to help ensure that there was enough joy and holiday cheer to go around were the secret elves from Dyer, who selected not only the Indian River County and St. Lucie Sheriff’s Offices, but also the Sebastian Police Department to receive the December Dyer Difference Award, along with $3,000 for each agency, to ensure that 250 Indian River County children and their families will have a Christmas they’ll never forget.
Working with School Resource Officers, children throughout each county are identified and paired with a member of law enforcement who will serve as guide, mentor, and personal shopping buddy on a very special trip to Walmart. In Indian River and St. Lucie Counties, 100 students were paired with Sheriff’s Deputies to spend the morning shopping for holiday gifts for themselves and others. One hundred children in Sebastian experience the same joyful shopping trip and make a memory and a positive connection that will last for a very long time.
And it’s not just the children who benefit from the connection made with law enforcement officers during the Shop with a Cop festivities. Each year, even the crustiest deputies whose jobs cause them to often see the worst side of humanity, find that their hearts melt from joy when the child they’re shopping with rushes not to the toy or video game aisle to make their first purchase of the special day, but instead makes a beeline for a gift for a parent, sibling, or beloved caregiver. It’s a magical day for the children and the adults, and it’s a glimpse for both to see the best in one another and the season. It’s also an easy selection for the December Dyer Difference Award. And while this year’s award comes at a time when everyone is grieving an unimaginable loss to our community, representatives from both agencies were quick to note that there was not a second’s hesitation that carrying on with the Shop with a Cop program would have been precisely what their beloved colleague would have insisted upon because of the joy it brings to the children and their families.
The Dyer Difference Award is all about celebrating the beauty and kindness in our midst. For the Dyer family and the members of the Dyer staff, the award and the typical $6,000 in donations made monthly between the St. Lucie and Indian River Counties are all about helping to make a positive difference in the community. For the recipients, it’s an acknowledgement of their tireless efforts to do the same and a much-needed financial boost to help further their missions. If you’d like to nominate a non-profit organization for the Dyer Difference Award, please visit www.dyerdifference.org or find Dyer Difference on Facebook.
Treasure Coast Business is a news service and magazine published in print, via e-newsletter and online at tcbusiness.com by Indian River Media Group. For more information or to report news email news@indianrivermedia.com