Page 16 - FOP Magazine March 2019

Chicago community gets behind the vest
Chicago Police Department officers know that when they at- tend the Get Behind the Vest Pancake Breakfast each year, they are guaranteed two things: A full stomach, and an opportunity to join efforts with the community in raising money to purchase lifesaving bulletproof vests for law enforcement.
But on Feb. 24, officers arrived at the Fifth Annual Get Behind the Vest Pancake Breakfast, held at the St. John Fisher School, to something unexpected and even sweeter than the breakfast they were about to enjoy. Each officer who passed through the door was handed hand-written thank you notes from students in the community. Officers were also stunned by a video made by St. John Fisher School students that had begun to circulate on social media the day before the breakfast. In the video, stu- dents shared their gratitude for what officers, many of whom are their mothers and fathers, do to keep them safe.
“It’s very emotional for police officers to see that young kids truly appreciate all that they do,” noted 19th Ward Alderman Matthew O’Shea, who hosts the event each year to raise money for the Get Behind the Vest program. “We’re absolutely raising money to purchase lifesaving vests, but we also do this event to give people the opportunity to come in and share a meal and thank a police officer.”
Thanks to the efforts of the community and local businesses, this year’s Get Behind the Vest Pancake Breakfast was the most successful event yet, raising more than $40,000 and letting Chi- cago officers know how much their city truly does care.
16 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ MARCH 2019