Sample of Notes Received

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Dear Louisiana First Responder,
 
Thank you for your hard work and dedication. I feel safer knowing that there are people like you to help in times of great need. Please continue your perseverance and know that the rest of us are behind you 100%.
 
Sincerely,
 
Anthony
Pittsburg, CA

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Dear Officer in Louisiana,   ...your continued efforts to serve your community is deeply appreciated. Without brave and diligent people like yourself, the world would be a much dimmer place. Thank you so much for all of your hard work and dedication. Even out here in California, your efforts have touched us. We have not forgotten what you have done and what you are still doing. Please keep up your wonderful work! Sincerely, Melvyn San Francisco, CA

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Dear Officer in Louisiana, I would like to thank you for your service after Katrina.  Watching the television, I saw so much fear and hurt in the people.  It is dedicated people like you who helped restore order.  Sincerely, Allison Raleigh, NC North Carolina State University

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To a Member of the NOPD,

Katrina hit New Orleans so hard that for anyone not there, it's hard to even fathom the level of destruction and the pungent hopelessness all must have felt.  I want to thank you for being someone to help all cling to hope.  It
would have been so easy to turn and flee with all the others, but you fulfilled your responsibility and went above and beyond what anyone could have asked for when you courageously went out to serve the citizens.  May
God bless you and your family.

Thank you,
Michelle
Raleigh, NC
Saint Louis University

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Dear New Orleans Police Officers:

 I wanted to send a sincere thank you from a fellow American, here in Tempe, Arizona, who recognizes the courage and heroism that you all exhibited, and continue to exhibit, in the aftermath of the Hurricane Katrina. The mission of law enforcement officials is to "protect and serve," and your officers have done so under circumstances that shook our nation at its core. The work that you do on a daily basis allows us to pursue the freedoms and the rights that we enjoy under our beloved Constitution. You are the protectors and the keepers of our domestic security, and we all owe you a debt of gratitude.

May God bless all of you and keep you safe as you venture into harm's way on our behalf every day that you wear that uniform and proudly bear that badge of courage on your chests. Your impact is felt by all of us who rely on your service and bravery and who salute you for the commitment that you honor daily of protecting and serving all of us.

Sincerely,

Andrew Ortiz

Project Manager for Capacity Building

Arizona State University
Center for Nonprofit Leadership & Management

www.nonprofit.asu.edu


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Brothers and Sisters in New Orleans:

...I know how difficult it must be to return to any vestige of normality, both at work and at home. Watching this event unfold, and the extremely difficult effort that followed, I cannot help but feel a sense of admiration and respect for the valuable work you all did within your community in the face of some of the worst conditions I have ever seen.  I am one of the Public Educators for Thunder Bay Fire Rescue here in Ontario, Canada. One of the important tasks that I do is visit schools to talk to kids about careers and community. If all of us, kids and adults, could all follow the example you have shown in the face of your challenges and for your community, I'm sure we could all benefit in some small, but wonderful way. Keep up the good work, and be safe!

Regards,
Brian Berringer
Director, Fire Prevention / Investigation
Thunder Bay Fire / Rescue

Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada

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Dear First Responder,

Words cannot express the vital work you have done and continue to do for those who have experienced the trauma of Katrina.  You have given time, energy and dedication to a thankless job.  Though many have forgotten, and moved on with their lives, you continue to work with the devastation of this hurricane, and for that we thank you.  Please know that your efforts are and continue to be appreciated by those you have helped and by the rest of the country.

Best Wishes,

Loretta
West Falls NY

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To The Dedicated Firefighters of New Orleans, LA:

    The recent passing of the one year anniversary of one of our nation's most devastating natural disasters, Hurricane Katrina, brought with it a number of feelings including pain and suffering both for a historic city still feeling the effects of Katrina, and for countless families who have lost loved ones during the storm. However, this anniversary, and perhaps this letter too, have given me a moment to think about your contributions and what it means to me that you put your life on the line out of sheer sense of duty. In particular, your efforts have made it possible for me to attend Tulane University, a school which to this day stands as strong as it did before the storm perhaps as a testament to all of the hard work the people of New Orleans, specifically the firefighters. Although the road to recovery has only just begun, it's comforting to know that people of your character are working on the front lines. Thank you for all you've done.

Joseph M.
New Orleans, LA

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Dear Good Citizen of Louisiana,

Please know that your efforts have not gone unnoticed!  I have not been to New Orleans in a very long time, but I watched in disbelief as your city was swept away by water.  The news images on my television set did not seem real.  Yet, in the middle of all the water and people digging out precious belongings -- were images of a quieter people.  They were pictures and photographs and stories of people like you doing good.  Police officers stayed to help, nurses took extra time with patients who wouldn't have survived without them, and firefighters took extra risks when they could have been helping themselves.  Please accept this note of appreciation for everything you have done for the people of New Orleans.  You have inspired me... as well as so many other people all across the country.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Best wishes,

Karen M

Virginia

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Thank you for all of those who think others matter more than themselves.  Looking into the eyes of someone who is in need is just as much nourishment as a full meal.

- Audrey F
Washington, DC

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For the New Orleans Firefighters,

I am writing to give you a simply 'thank you'and to express my gratitude for the service you have done the people of New Orleans. Hurricane Katrina was one of the most horrible disasters we have ever seen and it is reassuring to know that there are people like you that did not hide and wait out the storm. You helped in whatever way you could and for that I am very thankful. Your hard work and dedication saved lives and I can only hope you realize the impact you have had on not only the lives you have saved, but the impact you have had on the rest of the country. You are an example to be followed. Thank you again.

Nicole L.

Chicago, Illinois

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Dear Louisiana firefighter, It takes a lot to risk your life everyday. It takes a lot of heart and courage to save people not even knowing if you will be safe yourself. Not often do we get to show our appreciation to those that work hard to protect us, so I would like to today. I have close friends that lost a lot in the midst of Katrina, therefore I would like to say thank you on behalf of them as well. They never would have been able to make it without you!

Brittney, Kennesaw - Georgia

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Dear Louisiana Fireman,

I'm writing with the deepest gratitude for your efforts and continued dedication assisting the victims of hurricane Katrina.  You are a key factor in providing relief, assurance and comfort during a difficult time.  People like yourself make this nation, this world a better place.  Thank-you for all that you've done and continue to do.

  Very Truly Yours,

  Dana

  Teacher & Varsity Cheerleading Coach

  Erial, New Jersey

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To A New Orleans Firefighter,

You are a hero, as all hard-working, dedicated firefighters are.  I hope you know that and never lose sight of that.  I want to thank you, and you know what, I'm going to thank my own town's firefighters now, too.  You made me think of them, and you made me appreciate them even more!

Sincerely,

Toni, New York

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Dear Katrina Heroes,   We are so grateful to all of you in the front line in our devastated communities of our elegant southern states.  You have chosen careers that place you in uncontrolled environments that test your strength and character everyday.  You not only have to cope with the natural elements but also the unpredictable human element.  I just want to say thank you for your commitment to making sense out of the chaos and valuing lives of the people who were trapped by the hurricane and its aftermath.      Everyday I feel honored to work with people just like you!  Everyday someone in a uniform will place themselves at risk when they respond to a domestic violence dispute. These are some of the most dangerous and unpredictable calls for law enforcement. At the Marjaree Mason Center, in Fresno California we are able to serve more than 5,400 women and children a year because first responders kept them safe from harm.  Our clients have horrific stories to tell - ones that no one deserves to live.  Yet they are grateful that there was someone to save them from their storm even if they do not tell you at the time.      All of us have come to depend on our first responders to be there when we most need them (car accidents, domestic violence incidents, unlawfulness, or bad weather).  It should be no surprise that you were there for the Katrina victims in the worst storm of the century.    Thank you for choosing a career of community service, for making a difference in people's lives.  And thank you to your wonderful families for sharing you when they needed you most.      Pamela Kallsen Executive Director Marjaree Mason Center Fresno, California

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Dear Officer,

My name is Ashly.  I live in Fresno, CA.  I am 18 and a freshman in college...I am writing to tell you how much I appreciate your help with Hurricane Katrina. I believe your sense of duty must have been amazing and I appreciate the dedication you must have had to help those people.  I believe one kind act can have a huge effect on people. Your acts of bravery during this time must have caused a tremendous effect on the lives of people you helped.  I am glad to know that there are people in the world who still care.  So for your acts of bravery and kindness I want to say Thank You!

Sincerely,

Ashly E

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Being a police officer almost automatically qualifies you for 'hero' status.  However, facing the most incredible array of natural and human-caused disaster and standing tall for the sake of others is one good way to define a true hero.  Standing your ground and staying on the job in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina makes you a hero in my book!

I am an instructor at California State University, Fresno. I teach courses on leadership and community service.  My students were asked to consider writing letters to members of the New Orleans Police Department who stayed on the job in the face of what must have been unimaginable horrors.  The reason I asked them to consider writing these letters is because one thing leaders and public servants rarely get is thanks.  In your job, I am sure you don't always get a lot of thanks.  You probably get a lot more grief than you do respect.  Even if it is from 2,000 miles away, I hope you can feel my respect for you and the work you have done and are doing in New Orleans.  I'm happy to join my students and say 'Thank you' for staying on the job and serving the people of New Orleans.  My thoughts and prayers have been and will continue to be with you, your colleagues and all the residents of New Orleans.

Sincerely,

Chris Fiorentino

Director of Civic Engagement & Service Learning

California State University, Fresno

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Dear Officer,

This is just a personal thank you letter from someone who was nowhere near your disaster but recognizes the hard work you have done.  I am college student at Fresno State in Fresno, California.  I have been glued to my TV since Hurricane Katrina first struck and I can't even imagine what you have been through.  But I do know that because of your resilience, commitment and love, you have helped so many people and saved so many lives.  I just want you to know that you are considered a hero and I am praying for you.

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Thank you, Fire Fighters who stepped in to help, I am a school superintendent, a member of Kiwanis and a member of a local church and in all of those capacities I saw people here in California jumping in to respond to a situation across the country.  Our students and families, which included some local fire fighters, volunteered their time, their services, and their money to help purchase and organize supplies or to simply send money to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina. 

However, we did all of that from the safety and comfort of our schools, our homes, and our churches.  You did it under dangerous conditions in which your lives were in danger.  You had to be pulled away from your own families to help people you had never met.  You are true heroes and I want you to know how much we value what you did.

Bob Schultz
Superintendent
Eureka Union School District
Granite Bay, California

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This is from someone who is devoted to recognizing Wildland Firefighters and the work they do. I have heard from many resources that folks at the hurricane sites where asking for the people in the green pants, because they were so dependable, helpful, and kind. I am so very proud of you, not only saving our Private and Public Lands, from Forest Fires, but for the Space Shuttle Recovery and all the other disaster you are called to work on. I know you do not do your job for the money or the accolades, but I did want to take the opportunity to THANK YOU, for all that you are, and all the
sacrifices that you make.

Vicki Minor
Director, Wildland Firefighter Foundation

www.wffoundation.org

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Dear NOPD,

I have watched from a distance all the coverage of hurricane Katrina and the hard work you are all doing to help individuals, connect families and lift the spirit of a damaged city.  Not knowing how I could help, I wanted to start by saying thank you!     

Joe, New Hampshire

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