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Date: 4/4/2022
BELCHERTOWN – Belchertown Police Department dispatchers are no strangers to putting out calls for help, but this time their plea is for personal care items.
The dispatchers are marking National Public Safety Telecommunications Week from April 10-16 by collecting personal care items from the community and donating them to the Amherst Survival Center. The group thought about selling T-Shirts embroidered with a communications logo and donating cash collected to a local charity – but that effort may have missed the mark.
While money, food and clothing are always welcome, items like shampoo, body wash, toilet paper, and diapers (size six and 4T-5T pull ups) along with an array of other products are in greatest demand.
“We’re doing a personal care drive since that’s the biggest area of need in our area right now,” said Lauren Bock, police dispatcher and training officer.
Bock and her team reached out to local animal shelters, food banks and the Amherst Survival Center to see what the community needed most. They took all the information gathered and settled on collecting personal care items. While the focus is helping people in their hometown, dispatchers want the impact of their drive to be far and wide.
“We want to give back to our community in Belchertown, however we don’t have a survival center here. The Amherst Survival Center services a large number of people who live in Belchertown along with Hampshire and Franklin counties. This way we’re helping our community and others around us,” said Bock.
Dispatchers see firsthand who is struggling and who needs help. The police motto “To Protect and To Serve” is taking on new meaning this week as dispatchers serve a dose of kindness along with care and understanding.
“Lots of people are struggling and now more than ever, it’s important for us to give back,” said Bock.
National Public Safety Telecommunications Week also gives dispatchers a chance to introduce themselves to the community.
“A lot of times when we answer 911 calls, people hear our voices, but they don’t really see us behind the scenes. This is a great way for us to go out and get the community to know us while working together toward a goal of helping each other,” said Bock.
This is the first-time dispatchers from across the state are running a coordinated campaign of giving back to their communities. The personal care items can be dropped off at the Belchertown Police Station any time, day or night, from Apr. 10-16. The department is located at 70 State St.
“We need to come together as a community by making donations if you’re able,” says Bock. “That way our community can be stronger because of it.”