The 9-1-1 dispatcher is often the unsung professional of the emergency response team. These professionals, who gather essential information from callers and dispatch the appropriate First Responders to the scene, must be able to take control of situations that may chaotic, heart-wrenching, stressful, confusing, and frenzied.
They must be organized, adept at multi-tasking, level-headed, and trustworthy. Their work within emergency response services often places them in the middle of life or death situations, so requirements and training for these positions are often stringent, rigorous and unwavering.
They stay on the line until the job is done, and when the crisis is over, no one knows their name and rarely do they receive any thanks. Tonight, we change that...
click on a photo to be taken to a larger view
My team of volunteers that helps to set up the events with me, and I couldn't do it without them...Lilly, Marianne, and Lucy
Picking your colors is always a difficult decision.
First timers Bobbi and Heather came out to honor a friend who was a dispatcher.
First timers Lexi and Jeffrey
The ever camera shy Pam who everyone now recognizes from the "Introduce Yerself" campaign.
One of our regulars, Luz
Alese, our Hearts of Hope Artistic Coordinator. She is busy working on this year's specialty ornament. I am so looking forward to it's unveiling. Stratford residents will be very pleased with what site she has chosen to honor this year!
My friend Patty dropped in to paint. Her niece is a dispatcher in New York. She painted one heart for us and one for her niece.
Bay is one of our high school volunteers who has her mother's artistic gift. She is heading off to West Conn in the fall.
Sue is another one of our amazing volunteers. She has been planning a lot of off campus events for us in the near future.
Sasha is another one of our high school volunteers. It is hard to believe she was once sitting in my 5th grade classroom. My how time flies.
Last night was also our Volunteer Appreciation Night. It was very important to me to be able to thank all the people who have stood by me while I have tried to step into Connie's shoes and run this chapter of Hearts of Hope. They say it takes a village to raise a child, well it takes a strong group of caring and generous people to keep this chapter moving forward, many of whom where in attendance tonight, some who were not. I could not have done this on my own, nor would I have wanted to. Thank you to everyone who has had a part in helping me as the Hearts of Hope Stratford Chapters continues forward momentum. We may be small, but we our voice is mighty!
This will probably be the only time you see me in photos as I like to take them, not be in them. Judy stole my camera and insisted on using it.
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