TWRA employees continually share great stories amongst themselves and they rarely complain. This is surprising; because their work environments aren’t warm cubicles, decorated for the holidays, where they sit from nine to five. They receive phone calls in the middle of the night and drive for hours to get to work sights. They’re typically cold and damp and eating a cold dinner from a lunch box while sitting on a boat or in a truck. Yet typically, only positive stories of accomplished tasks, partnerships for the betterment of wildlife and stories reflecting their passion for their work are expressed in the office. This holiday season, the truly giving nature of TWRA employees was evident through many acts of kindness.
Most employees are quick to decline attention for their good deeds. However, sometimes stories need to be shared.
Officers are most often embedded in their county. They come to know many people, some of which are in need. When Sequatchie County officer Shawn Edgmon took deer meat to a disadvantaged couple, he learned that their oven had stopped working. Edgmon immediately went to Snapchat asking for help. Within ten minutes, Shanda Hancock with the Sequatchie Valley Electric Coop (SVEC) was on the phone offering to purchase the stove. The SVEC also provided the couple with a $500.00 gift card to Walmart.
Edgmon drove the couple to the store twice on his own time and in his own vehicle. Edgmon called in fellow officers, including a new, young officer, to help deliver the stove. Edgmon passed on a wonderful lesson to this young officer. Edgmon shared, “This job just isn’t about slinging ink and writing tickets. It’s also about helping people in need.” Edgmon knows of many families that can utilize deer meat. So, anytime he comes across a road-killed deer, a deer illegally poached or even a few donated, he takes them to people in need and he’ll continue to do this outside of the Christmas season.
Edgmon’s story is just one of several that we’re so fortunate to hear about within the agency. Recently TWRA, District 32 officers raised $675.00 to help a single mother of three. With a sick child in need of treatment, the family had little to spare for Christmas. Wildlife officers purchased clothing for all three children, a few toys, a turkey for their Christmas dinner and a family bible. Another officer recently installed insulation on a plywood home where a single mom lives with her two small children. Of course there are several stories of flat tires changed, jump-starts and even holiday flowers for widows of wildlife officers. TWRA employees donated 800 pounds of treats to send to servicemen and women overseas this December. Shipping was paid for by the Tennessee Wildlife Officers Association.
These examples are just a handful of the good deeds that take place within the agency year-round. It is truly an organization of public servants that work hard for wildlife and step outside their job duties to serve their fellow humans. When asked about some of the good deeds accomplished this year Lieutenant Tim Singleton answered, “It’s hard to answer this question. It’s just what we do. Being helpful is our job.” TWRA employees look forward to another year serving the state of Tennessee and working for wildlife.