Optimist Club of St. Clair Shores hosts breakfast for police, fire departments

ST. CLAIR SHORES — The Optimist Club of St. Clair Shores hosted men and women from the St. Clair Shores police and fire departments at their 11th Appreciation & Recognition Breakfast on June 13, at the Assumption Cultural Center.

Other guests included council members, members of the club, sponsors, family and friends, all celebrating the accomplishments of the members of each department. Macomb County Sheriff Anthony Wickersham was the keynote speaker.

Wickersham gave a speech about why police officers, firefighters, paramedics and others do their jobs.  He said common reasons include a desire to help people, family tradition and a “calling.” In his speech, Wickersham said he was going to focus on the public safety aspect of the professions using the Optimist Creed.

“In our profession, we see the good, the bad, the ugly in humankind. We make every interaction start out on a positive basis,” Wickersham said. “You know, that first interaction, we have to be professional. We have to be polite.”

He added they are called to solve the most complex problems and the simplest problems the community can’t solve.

“We must be there. We must be able to help them,” Wickersham said. “That’s what our job is all about.”

Police Chief Jason Allen and Deputy Police Chief Paul Plaza presented the awards for the Police Department and Fire Chief James Piper presented the awards for the Fire Department.

Allen thanked all the Optimists who helped to put together the breakfast as well as sponsors and the community members for their support. He also thanked the family members of the officers and firefighters, city staff and officials.

He explained that for the awards, supervisors are encouraged to write reports about extraordinary actions that take place on duty.

“And then these are reviewed by a committee to see which officers will be given awards,” Allen said.

Piper also thanked the Optimists and those who came to support those recognized.

“The fact that we get to have this recognition, it’s very nice. It’s very humbling,” Piper said.

Debbie DePape, president of the Optimist Club of St. Clair Shores, said this is the biggest group they’ve ever had at about 180 guests.

“It’s just our way of giving back to our first responders,” DePape said.

Planning for the breakfast starts in the spring with a meeting of the Optimists and both chiefs. DePape said the rest of it is easy since they’ve done it for so many years.

“Both departments, both chiefs, really appreciate it,” DePape said. “They do.”

DePape said the idea came about because she is the mother of a police officer and the mother-in-law of a former police officer. She also said the idea was planted through the Lakeshore Optimist Club in Grosse Pointe Farms, which has done something similar honoring police officers.

“I always wanted to do something to recognize officers,” DePape said. “Originally, it started out with police, then we incorporated the Fire Department the next year.”

Councilman Ronald Frederick said he thinks the breakfast was awesome.

“When you think about the firefighters and our police, they’re the heartbeat of what’s happening in town, right?” Frederick said. “Anytime we get to honor them for what they do on a regular basis, which is generally extraordinary, we always appreciate the fact that we can do that.”

He also said the Optimists are appreciated as well for setting up the breakfast.

Wickersham said he believes those who protect and serve the community do so because they believe in helping their community.

“We all know there’s going to be good days and bad days,” Wickersham said. “In 39 years at the sheriff’s office, I have had many more good days than I’ve had bad days.”

He added that he has to go home and think about the bad days when they occur.

“You have to process it and you have to move on because tomorrow’s another day and it’s going to be a good day,” Wickersham said.