EMERSON ELEMENTARY FOURTH GRADE STUDENTS delighted Owosso’s fire fighters and police officers Friday, Sept. 9 by hand-delivering thank you letters to the local first responders in recognition of the sacrifices each make every day as they work to keep Owosso residents safe. The 73 fourth graders walked from Owosso’s Emerson Elementary, at the corner of Dewey and Oliver streets, to the Owosso Public Safety (OPS) building on Water St. – which is about a half-hour walk – in 80 degree temperatures to deliver the letters, along with Lifesaver candies and Owosso Trojan coffee mugs for the fire fighters and police officers. As a special treat, the students received a tour of the facilities and vehicles.
The first responders were obviously touched by the gesture, and fire fighter/paramedic Matt Harvey said, “It is such an important day, and it is humbling that these students would take the time out of their day to write us letters and come visit us. We lost a lot of brothers and sisters on that day in 2001, so it means a lot that people still remember and want to pay their respects.”
The three fourth grade classes were escorted to the OPS building by their teachers, Ashley Thornton, Jeff Mofield, and Troy McVay, and the fire fighters and police officers present for the picture were officers Michael Olsey and Mike Ash, along with fire fighters Matt Harvey and Brian Matthies.
(Independent Photo/Graham Sturgeon)
