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It's not marked as such on any calendar someone could buy at a store, but in Fort Dodge, Friday will be a special day.
It is Pay It Forward Friday, a day dedicated to random acts of kindness to honor the memory of a beloved local pastor.
The Rev. Al Henderson, pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Fort Dodge, was murdered Oct. 2, 2019, at the church. A year later, Serving Our Servants, a group Henderson formed to support law enforcement officers, firefighters and emergency medical personnel, started Pay It Forward Friday.
"It's about getting out into the community, doing good things and paying it forward for Pastor Al," said TJ Pingel, the president of Serving Our Servants.
In past years, Pay It Forward Friday featured some organized efforts, including gatherings on the City Square. That won't happen this year, according to Pingel.
But that doesn't mean there will not be some things done in the spirit of Pay It Forward Friday.
"We've got some surprises," Pingel said.
Naturally, he declined to talk about the surprises. But he did reveal that the Fort Dodge Police Department will be involved in some of them.
Henderson had a special connection with the police officers. He was the chaplain for the Fort Dodge Police Department, Webster County Sheriff's Office, District 7 of the Iowa State Patrol and the Fort Dodge Fire Department.