Gospel Community Church, Oakwood Baptist Church, and Pierce & Huisman Law Firm are teaming together for the Seventh Annual “Project Thank You” to solicit donations to show support from the people of the greater Chattanooga area for the officers of the Chattanooga Police Department.
Officials said the hard-working Chattanooga police officers are often so busy serving and protecting us that they don’t get a chance to stop for meals during their shifts. Many times they have to make do with the items they can grab at a convenience store or at a fast-food drive-through. The goal is to provide a show of appreciation through providing practical supplies and items that are useful to each officer.
In addition to showing appreciation to the police force, the sponsors also want to equip them with items that they can have at the ready going forward, as the need arises. Organizers said, we are thankful for the efforts of our city’s police officers and want to show our gratitude and respect for their commitment.
Through Project Thank You, organizers will distribute to each police officer in the Chattanooga Police Department a gift bag containing items which the officers have said would be helpful to them on a daily basis, but which are not provided to them by the CPD. These include prepackaged single-serve snacks, bottled water and sports drinks, hand sanitizer, sanitizing or baby wipes, chapstick, black ink pens, sunscreen, evaporative cooling towels, insect repellent, black or navy hand towels, and drive-thru restaurant gift cards (in $5 or $10 denominations). Items may also be ordered and shipped directly to organizers through their Amazon registry at bit.ly/PH-PTY.
In addition, organizers will prepare a personalized bag for each officer and are soliciting those who would like to write cards and letters to place in the bags (with organizers providing the names of officers to those who wish to participate). Organizers will also accept cash donations to purchase needed items for the officers.
Checks may be made payable to Gospel Community Church, and donations are tax-deductible. Please make checks payable to Gospel Community Church, and add “Project Thank You” in the “for” line; checks may be mailed to Gospel Community Church, 1640 Joiner Road, Chattanooga, TN 37421. Donations may also be made online at www.gospelchattanooga.org/Project-Thank-You.
There will be a donation drop-off day on Wednesday, June 30, at Oakwood Baptist, 4501 Bonny Oaks Dr., from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Donations may also be dropped off at Pierce & Huisman, 4513 Hixson Pike, Suite 109, on Mondays through Fridays, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. (please call beforehand at 648-4303), no later than July 5. After using the cash to purchase items for the gift bags, organizers will assemble the bags filled with the donated items and will deliver them directly to the police officers of the Chattanooga Police Department during July. There are almost 500 sworn officers involved.
For more information about Project Thank You, please call Christine Sarah Hester or Aleisha Belcher at 648-4303 or e-mail Debbie Pierce at dpierce@piercehuismanlaw.com.
It should be noted that neither the Chattanooga Police Department nor any of its officers are involved in this solicitation, and it comes solely and directly from the community sponsors. CPD officers are not allowed to accept direct cash donations.