June 2006
New Leadership on COPS National Board
On May 16, 2006, Jean Hill of Houston, Texas,
became the 12th National President of Concerns of Police Survivors.
President Hill is the second surviving parent to hold the top position of this
national non-profit organization. Prior to assuming the national presidency,
Jean served on the COPS National Board for two years as the Mountain Region
Trustee and was president of the Greater Houston COPS Chapter.
The
balance of the 2006-07 COPS National Board is composed of: Shirley Gibson,
Immediate Past President; Debra Noyes, Northeast Trustee; Stacy Smith, Northern
Seaboard Trustee; Jennifer Thacker, Southern Seaboard Trustee; Harold Weinke,
Great Lakes Trustee; Carol Botts, Plains Trustee; Charles Shinholser, Gulf
Trustee; Jan Blaser-Upchurch, Mountain Trustee; Nicole Garrett, Pacific
Trustee; Debbie Chapter Coordinator; Suzie Sawyer, Executive Director.
More
information on all the members of the 2006-2007 COPS National Board can be
found here.
COPS
Highest Awards Presented
The
highest awards given by Concerns of Police Survivors were presented at the 2006
National Police Survivors’ Conference on May 14 and 16. Click the hot
links to learn more about:
The 2006 Distinguished Service Award
was presented to the Southeast Police Motorcycle Rodeo Committee;
The 2006 Todd Ricks Memorial Award for
Volunteerism was presented to Sgt. Pete Geary of the Broward (FL)
Sheriff’s Office Motorcycle Unit;
The 2006 Chapter of the Year Award
was presented to MI-COPS – Michigan Concerns of Police Survivors.
National Police Survivors Conference
2006
The 2006 National Police Survivors’ Conference, hosted
by COPS, found the luncheons nearly filled to capacity on both May 13 and 14.
The “C.O.P.S. Kids/Teens” program provided counseling and fun
activities for nearly 200 surviving children, the largest group in a number of
years. Survivors who attended breakout sessions found understanding and were
provided with the tools needed to assist in their healing.
50,000 Signatures Needed For
Affordable Health Care for Survivors!
Over 18,000 signatures have been added to COPS’ on-line
petition to Congress to support H.R. 4424. Have you signed? Have you encouraged
everyone you know to sign?
The bill would allow surviving spouses and children of fallen public
safety officers to purchase affordable, comprehensive health care through
the Federal health care system. Public safety officers include law
enforcement, firefighters, and other emergency responders. This legislation would
grandfather families as far back as 1976, the beginning of the Public Safety
Officers Benefit program.
With families paying over $900 per month, passage of this bill
would allow these families to have better coverage at a more affordable cost.
Please visit www.petitiononline.com/hr4424
to sign NOW!
May Donations Exceed Goal –
THANK YOU!!!!!!
The Force®, a maker of premium law enforcement and public safety
uniforms and a division of VF Imagewear, Inc. offered to match contributions,
up to $20,000 total, made to Concerns of Police Survivors during the month of
May in honor of Summit for Heroes 2006. COPS supporters responded in a BIG way
with $126,622 in donations received for the month. COPS is extremely grateful
for the response. THANK YOU!
Long a dream of Cops on Top, a mountain climbing group that
honors fallen officers with their expeditions, Summit for Heroes for 2006
sought to have teams climb the highest peaks in all 50 states on May 20.
Reports on the expeditions and rosters of Summit for Heroes 2006 state teams
may be found at www.copsontop.com.
Many thanks to the members of Cops on Top for encouraging The
Force® to financially support COPS.
Dates
for COPS' 2006 Retreats
Mark
your calendars! Note that the Adult Children's Retreat has been moved to July
to better accommodate college students’ schedules. Registration forms can
be downloaded at www.nationalcops.org/forms.htm.
And please realize that the financial support
COPS received during May is less than ONE-THIRD the anticipated costs for COPS
to provide the following programs in 2006:
Adult Children's
Retreat,
July 7 through
10 – Registration deadline: TODAY
“C.O.P.S.
Kids” Summer Camp in Troy, WI
July 31 through
August 6 – Registration deadline: July 1
Outward Bound®
in
July 31 through
August 6 – Registration deadline: July 1
Siblings
Retreat,
September 8
through 11 – Registration deadline: August 8
Spouses Weekend,
September 22
through 25 – Registration deadline: August 22
Parents Retreat,
October 6
through 9 – Registration deadline: September 6
In-Laws Retreat,
October 20
through 23 – Registration deadline: September 20
These programs
are provided by National COPS at NO COST to survivors except their travel to
attend. Last year, 471 survivors benefited from these programs at a cost to
COPS of $269,084. Your law enforcement organization or a business you know may
want to consider sponsoring the cost of a survivor at one of these programs
through a donation to COPS. Costs per attendee are:
Adult Children
Retreat - $950
“C.O.P.S.
Kids” Summer Camp - $540
Outward Bound® - $1,600
Siblings Retreat - $590
Spouses Retreat - $575
Parents Retreat - $370
In-Laws Retreat - $590
COPS Board/Chapter Training
July 13-16, 2006, will find COPS Board Members meeting
at the YMCA, Potosi, MO, with representatives of COPS’ 50 chapters
discussing and learning about the paperwork that COPS and regulatory agencies
require of chapters. COPS expects approximately 65 people to attend the
training. Attendance is restricted to chapter representatives and
pre-registration is mandatory. Check the COPS website for additional
information.
Philadelphia Golf Outing
to Benefit COPS
A benefit Golf Outing is being
planned for June in the
California Peace
Officer’s Association Golf Tournament Will Benefit COPS
Each year the California Peace
Officer's Association holds an annual training conference. Each year there is a
charity golf tournament. The 2006 Charity Golf Tournament was held June 5 and benefits
COPS. Our thanks to CPOA.
Walkers Should Plan Now
for COPS WALK 2006
COPS WALK 2006 is scheduled for
October 14-15. Please plan to join us in the
COPSstore
News
Roll Call merchandise
from National Police Week 2006 is now available for ordering at www.COPSstore.com. Offerings have been expanded
after receiving feedback at National Police Week and now all Roll Call garments
are offered in size SMALL.
The 2-sided Roll Call
t-shirt is now offered in BLACK after several of you asked for that so that you
could wear it on-duty under your uniform.
New items will be added
to the website this week including the Blue Ribbon Italian Charm, our Classic
Teddy Bear, and the new COPS SuperTuff poly license plate.
Each sale during National
Police Week and through COPSstore.com benefits the National Office of COPS.
Thank you for your support of COPS and its programs. Please be sure to sign up
for the COPSstore email list when visiting www.copsstore.com
so that you receive information on all specials, sales and closeouts.
Concerns of Police Survivors has been
awarded the "Best in
Charity Navigator has named Concerns of Police Survivors a Four Star
Charity - "Exceeds industry standards and
outperforms most charities in its Cause." Visit www.charitynavigator.org.