Use this search box to find articles that have run in our newspapers over the last several years.

Radio stations team up to raise funds for Ambrose Memorial Fund

Date: 6/12/2012

June 11, 2012

By Chris Maza

chrism@thereminder.com

SPRINGFIELD — In the wake of the fatal shooting of Springfield Police Officer Kevin Ambrose, two local radio stations did their part to honor his memory, raising funds for a foundation established in his honor.

Rock 102 and Lazer 99.3, both owned by Saga Communications Inc. and headquartered in East Longmeadow, stationed themselves in front of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Eastfield Mall on June 6 collecting donations for the Officer Kevin Ambrose Memorial Fund, which was established to support programs and initiatives Ambrose would have held dear.

Mike Baxendale of Rock 102's Bax & O'Brien morning show told Reminder Publications at the Hall of Fame he felt it was important to get out into the public and make something positive out of a tragic situation.

"Speaking for myself and for [co-host] John [O'Brien], we very much feel like we are a part of this community. We have lived here for many, many years and we all feel that we have experienced a sense of loss over this tragedy," he said. "Whether it's from a public safety perspective or if it's just someone in your community who you respect and know, we feel this [is] exactly what we should be doing and that's why we're here today."

In total, the stations report they raised more than $14,000.

"The response has been quite good," Baxendale said. "We've done these kinds of things before and the response has not been as vigorous as we've had today. We've had police officers from Canada come down here already, a couple of people who knew Kevin Ambrose personally, it's been pretty interesting to see."

O'Brien, who serves as a reserve police officer for the town of Hampden and donned his uniform at the event, said while he was impressed with the outpouring of support, he was saddened by the fact that it would take the death of an officer for the masses to show appreciation.

"Unfortunately, these are the kinds of things that make people realize the human side of the job. Everybody just sees the badge or the uniform and they create opinions based on that or upon their own experiences," he said. "But when an incident like this happens, you realize these are men and women who have wives and kids and families to go home to and while 99.9 percent of every day on the job, you are going home to that family and you are going to be safe, there is the one possibility that it won't be that good at the end of your shift.

"Hopefully people come to realize that and a respect is born. Unfortunately, I don't think it lasts and within weeks, people will go back to the way they were," he continued.

O'Brien also stressed the positive nature of the collection and addressed the fact that some people criticized the fund-raiser thinking the money would go to Ambrose's family, who will receive his pay and benefits for life.

"You get a certain portion of the population, obviously, who are too ignorant to know the difference between a foundation and a handout. There are a lot of people who think between insurance and death benefits that the family will be all set," he said. "That's not what we're looking to collect here. We're trying to help a foundation that has been formed that is going to help others."

That said, O'Brien credited the majority of the population with a tremendous response to the fund-raiser and to the tragedy in general.

"For the most part everybody has been very sympathetic and very nice about it, have come on out, made their donations and said, 'Thank you,'" he said.

O'Brien explained that while the danger involved with police work is always apparent, it now can weigh heavy on the minds of officers in the wake of Ambrose's death.

"That's the nature of the job. You have to go back to work the next day. The next shift has to come in and take over and they have to deal with this on the top of their minds and it's not an easy thing to do," he said. "You try to file it away far enough so it doesn't distract you so that you don't become the next one, but they also lean on each other. I think that's where they get their help, so in a way, going to work is one of the best things they can do because that way you are with people who really understand."

Baxendale also acknowledged that members of the police force and their families face particular emotional challenges in dealing with Ambrose's death in addition to the every day obstacles they face, adding that the community must rally around them.

"I think it's really hard. Every day these guys go out and they do a real thankless job. There have been 42 police officers around the country who have died this year alone. Forty-two," he said. "Whenever a cop loses his life in the line of duty, every family who has a cop as a father, a husband, a friend or brother has this fear. The fact of the matter is Kevin Ambrose is our guy and we all share in that loss."



Bookmark and Share