Many community residents stopped by National Night Out took on Tuesday, Aug. 2 to show their support for the Medford Township Police Department. Even after the event has passed, The Woman’s Club of Medford chose to continue showing support when three of its members made a special presentation to the department with a card of thanks at the town council meeting held on Tuesday, Sept. 6.
At National Night Out, The Woman’s Club had a table set up at Freedom Park that displayed a large blank card alongside markers and plastic wristbands. The organization requested each member of the community who walked by the stand sign the card signifying their gratitude to the town’s police force. They also asked residents to take a bracelet and in-turn donate an amount of their choosing that would go toward a gift for the officers.
“I just was reading so much online about people disrespecting police and all that, and I just called Cheri and said, ‘Cheri I have a great idea. Let’s buy some arm bands and a thank you card,’ and it just went from there,” Alberta Wolf, a member of The Woman’s Club, said.
During the beginning of the council meeting, Wolf, alongside Club President Cheri Lockett and fellow member Jolette Ewen, handed over the card with more than 100 signatures to Chief of Police Richard J. Meder. They also presented the department with a basket full of a variety of snacks.
Funds for these snacks were raised by donations collected from National Night Out and from donation jars placed at Girlfriends on Main, Lower Forge Brewery, Sole Obsession and Richardsons’ Flowers. Overall, the club raised $70 to purchase the snacks, and the blank card was delivered to Wolf’s house by an anonymous resident donor.
“Alberta came up with the idea after the police shootings in the summertime,” Lockett said. “It was a huge success. We probably should have gotten a bigger card. Everybody wanted to sign it. We had little kids signing it and seniors signing it.”
This initiative was especially significant to the three woman who presented the card because each had a personal tie to a police officer outside of Medford. Wolf’s cousin, Lockett’s nephew and Ewen’s son-in-law have all serviced in the police force. Ewen said she prays for her son-in-law every day and wanted to show her appreciation in Medford.
“With everything going on in our country over the past three to four months and the negative light that at times has shined on law enforcement, to do something like this out of the goodness of their heart means a great deal to us,” Meder said. “The outpouring that we have gotten from our community over the past few months has been nothing short of spectacular.”
The Woman’s Club hopes to continue to spread support throughout the town or to any organization that needs its help whenever the opportunity presents. As in the case of the scrutinization and harassment of police officers throughout the country, whenever the club sees a negative, it likes to turn it into a positive.
“The Medford police officers are awesome. They’re kind, they’re courteous and I’ve never had a problem with any of them,” Wolf said. “I feel very safe in Medford.”
