The Pike Liberal Arts School Excel Club hosted a First Responders Breakfast for those in the Troy area who are first on the scene when emergencies occur, whether natural or man-made.

Alissa Jordan, PLAS Excel Club sponsor, said this is the third year the Excel Club has hosted a breakfast for the Troy area first responders and the club members look forward to the breakfast each year. 

“Our first breakfast was for our firefighters but since then we have invited all our first responders because we depend on all of them to keep us safe and to help us in times of emergencies,” Jordan said. “The First Responders Breakfast is an opportunity to say thank you for all you do to serve and protect the Troy community. Thank you for being there for us.”

Troy Police Chief Randall Barr said he and his officers greatly appreciate the support of young people and their acknowledgement of the jobs they do.

“Young people are our future and to know they recognize and appreciate what first responders do means a lot to all of us,” Barr said. “What first responders do is not easy. It’s hard work but it’s work that must be done to keep our communities safe.”

Barr said the world has changed and continues to change at a rapid pace.

“We have to be prepared for change and that’s not easy to do because things now move so fast,” he said. “The problems we have and the dangers we face today are not the same as those we faced just a few years ago and won’t be the same problems we’ll have to face in the future. We have to be prepared and ready to respond to whatever situations we face.”

Barr said first responders are dedicated men and women who put others and their welfare before themselves.

“To know that we are appreciated by young people really means a lot,” he said.

Sheriff Russell Thomas agreed and said events such as the PLAS First Responders Breakfast are opportunities for young people and first responders to interact.

“These students realize that first responders are their neighbors — their friend’s dad or a member of their church — and the word, first responder, becomes more personal and that changes the way young people look at the people behind the badges,” he said.

Danny Barron, Troy Police Department, said the First Responders Breakfast shows that the Excel Club members stand with the community’s first responders.

“Knowing they stand with us means a lot to the officers of the Troy Police Department and I’m sure to all of the first responders here today,” Barron said. “We thank the Pike Liberal Arts School Excel Club for its support and for this wonderful breakfast.”

Jordan said the Excel Club was honored to have the first responders as their guests.

The breakfast is one of many ways the Excel Club reaches out to the community, she said. “The club donated to the McGruff Crime Dog costume, sponsored canned food drives, sponsored a dance and donated the admission money to the Salem-Troy Baptist Association Food Bank, hosted a Flag Day event and had a clean-up day for Sav-A-Life,” Jordan said. “We focus on Exchange’s four programs of service: Americanism, youth activities, community service and prevention of child abuse.”