With the aim of attempting to bring something positive out of tragedy, the Smarr and Smith Foundation was founded to provide adequate training and equipment for local law enforcement officers. In response to the loss of two local law enforcement offices, Nick Smarr and Jody Smith, in December 2016, killed in the line of duty, it can be said that the Foundation’s aim has been met with great success.
The Foundation raised over $80,000 to sponsor the inaugural Let’s Paint the Town Blue gala held here last weekend. The event netted approximately $50,000 which will be used to benefit local law enforcement.
It is amazing how this community continues to unify in the wake of our tragedy of December. Six months has done nothing to soften the blow of heartache, but it has also not tarnished the resolve to better appreciate and support our local law enforcement community and other first responders.
As the world we live in continues to erupt in violence and terrorism, we all need to pause and say a prayer of thanksgiving for the people who put their own lives on the line to save ours, members of agencies that respond in the face of tragedy, whether manmade or of nature.
We commend the leadership of the Smarr and Smith Foundation for their work in putting such a meaningful event together in a period of mere months. We congratulate them and we hope that next year’s event will be even bigger.
God bless and protect our law enforcement community, and all our first responders.