Serving Our Servants, the organization created by the late Rev. Al Henderson to support local law enforcement and first responders, is working to bring some comfort and distraction to children in those stressful situations.

“We were all in an SOS meeting and we were trying to find something we could do that was a little different that we hadn’t done before, and something that we could really incorporate law enforcement and giving back to kids in the community,” said Effie Hill, vice president of SOS.

The organization has been working with local groups and businesses to create “blessing bags” for law enforcement and first responders to have on hand for the children they encounter on their calls.

The blessing bags will include a book donated by the JOY of Reading, a nonprofit community initiative of the Emily Joy Averill Foundation; a flashlight donated by the Fort Dodge Firefighters Association; a coloring book donated by the Fort Dodge Police Department; crayons donated by the Fort Dodge Study Club; a bottle of water donated by Blue Ribbon Pelhams Water; a tie blanket hand-tied by members of the community and the Wellness Project; snacks donated by Hy-Vee; and a stuffed animal donated by SOS. The drawstring bags are also donated by SOS.

-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert
Serving Our Servants is putting together 100 blessing bags to give to the Fort Dodge Police Department for officers to give to kids they encounter at calls they respond to. The bags will have a variety of items aimed to comfort a child going through a stressful or traumatic experience.

“Everything in there is just to make them feel warm and cozy and secure,” Hill said.

The idea started with a book, Hill said. Then came the flashlights for the kids to be able to read in the dark. Then SOS. decided there should be a blanket included.

“We thought how great would it be to have a nice, cozy, warm blanket to wrap yourself up in while reading a book with a flashlight,” Hill said.

From there, the project just snowballed with more items to add to the bags.

“It was just a big community collaboration to put it all together,” Hill said.

The blessing bag initiative honors the legacy and memory of Henderson, SOS member TJ Pingel said.

“Pastor Al cared about everyone,” he said. “He just wanted to help. And I think these situations really tugged at his heartstrings. It was just something that meant a lot to him.”

Henderson’s wife has even helped make some of the tie blankets for the blessing bags.

While this first phase of the project is assembling 100 blessing bags to give to the FDPD, the goal is to expand to other agencies.

“Hopefully this grows and we can get to 500 bags and we can start giving them to the fire department and sheriff’s department and highway patrol,” said Pingel.

SOS will distribute those first 100 blessing bags to the FDPD and track how long it takes to disburse them and how well they help.

The items in the bags will give kids tools to help redirect their focus and sort of escape the stressful situation surrounding them.

“If they’re scared or nervous, they can read a book and kind of get themselves out of that place,” Hill said. “Or they can focus on coloring.”

Both Hill and Pingel were blown away by the support they’ve received from the Fort Dodge community to help make the idea of the blessing bags a reality.

“It’s a place that there are caring people and individuals everywhere you go and, given the need, someone will step up and help,” Hill said. “I’m very proud to be part of SOS. and I’m very proud they took on the blessing bags.”

“I love Fort Dodge,” Pingel added. “Just through everything that’s been going on, you can’t ask for a better community, the way we come together. Whether it’s someone that’s died or someone needs help, or a group like us asks for just a little bit of help and just the overwhelming response we got by talking to just a couple people and how it spread, it’s breathtaking. We have the best community ever. I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else.”

While the blessing bags aren’t quite ready yet, SOS hopes to have the first 100 fully-assembled and taken to the police station soon.

“Talking to some of the officers, they’re really excited about it,” Hill said. “I think that it’s going to be something that hopefully stays around for a long time and is sustainable.”

Donations to SOS can be sent to the Fort Dodge Community Foundation, 24 N. Ninth St. Make checks payable to SOS.

Individuals interested in donating items for the blessing bags can email servingourservants@gmail.com.