PAX Centurion - Fall 2016

www.bppa.org PAX CENTURION • Fall 2016 • Page 59 Special thanks By Mark A. Bruno Eire Pub 795 Adams Street Dorchester, MA 02124 281 Neponset Ave. Dorchester 617-265-2665 Full Day Preschool – $45.00 Secure Play Area 4,000 sq. ft. 3 Classrooms 2 yrs. 9 mo. to 6 yrs. Massachusetts Early Education License #291031 • Daughter of a BPPA Retiree Neponset Preschool www.NeponsetPreschool.com W e have all had a long, hot summer, I’m sure! Some of us have been inundated with overtime and have hardly had time to spend with family and friends. We get our summer vacation and look forward to whatever weekends we get off. It is a grind, especially on patrol officers who are constantly working the front lines at all these special summer events. Your head barely makes an impression in your pillow before you have to get up again and work a sixteen-plus hour day. We are dog-tired by summer’s end! We have also been targets of individuals that want nothing but to see us hurt or dead. Enter a couple from Beacon Street, Peter and Kimberly Donovan. This couple – for the past several years on the 4 th of July – has turned the rear of their building, which faces the Esplanade, into a welcome area for all law-enforcement, emergency medical technicians, and fire personnel. Through donations from various businesses and private donors, this couple, along with a group of volunteers, has opened their doors and hearts to all of us that had to work the event. They had barbecued food, prepared food, and desserts along with coffee, water, and soft drinks. Tents with long tables and chairs were lined up for all who would drop in. The area was decorated with 4 th of July regalia. This was a little ray of sunshine in what was a long day for most of us. The Donovans begin this day around 6:00 a.m. and don’t stop until 9:00 p.m. This is a passion of respect towards our professions and what we do. I spoke to Kimberly Donovan and thanked her personally on behalf of all the BPPA members that sat and ate that day at this open-house event. What can you say to such kindness? This really goes above and beyond when it comes to thanking us for our service. When I asked why they did this her answer was, “we appreciate what all of you do for us!” She noted that they knew many of us were giving up days in which we could be with our own family and friends, having a backyard barbecue; instead we were there keeping the event safe. This couple and the volunteers were saying “thank you all for what you do!” With all the rioting and hate rhetoric police officers are being exposed to across the country, it is nice to know that there are still people out there that respect what we do. To the Donovans, their volunteers and all that donated, thank you on behalf of the BPPA and all other law enforcement, medical, and fire personnel that passed through your event.