Public Employee Stories: June 9, 2022

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Public employees across the nation give back to their communities in extraordinary ways every single day. From donating to food banks to helping neighbors and protecting their communities, public employees have always been there when their community needs them the most. 

Here are two stories of public employees in service to their community.

Bristol police chief says this torch run for Special Olympics of Connecticut was particularly special by Justin Muszynski. Every year police departments all over Connecticut help carry the torch for the annual Special Olympics torch run. Traditionally, athletes would run alongside officers, but for several reasons, they have been unable to carry out this tradition for the past few years. This year, Bristol police are excited to return to the tradition. they were able to get back to what the run is all about. Chief Brian Gould said, “What was really special about this year is that we had the athletes with us.” Bristol police hold several fundraisers that benefit the Special Olympics of Connecticut throughout the year and last year, the Bristol Police Department finished second in the state among departments that raised funds for this cause. “It’s extremely inspiring,” Gould said. “It’s just a privilege to run with them.”

The Denton Spider-Man Collects toys, other donations for Uvalde Children by Micheal Lozano. Since 2020, third-grade teacher Katelyn Sons, and her husband, Jeremy Sons, have made it their mission to bring smiles to the faces of children and adults of Texas. In the wake of Covid-19, Jeremy Sons became the hero of Denton after he dressed up as Spider-Man and made appearances throughout the town. His goal? To bring a little joy at a time when morale was low. After much success, it quickly became a full-time job. With the help of donations from the community, Jeremy  and Katelyn were able to extend the venture and upgrade their truck, “turning it into the ‘Spider-Truck’.” So far, the couple has attended over 2,000 parties, all free of charge. Currently, the couple is on a mission to bring comfort to the children of the Uvalde community after the mass shooting that occurred at a local elementary school. “We just want to make these kids smile, that’s all we want to do. Provide a short distraction and hopefully, give them something that when they look at it, they’ll smile again,” said Katelyn. 

Be sure to check back the week after next for more stories of public employees giving back to their communities!