Great Falls sends love to local public servants

Firefighters, police and veterans are receiving more than 100 valentines this week thanks to area schoolchildren and residents who spent time drawing, coloring, decorating and writing cards.

After first-grade students at Riverview Elementary helped kick off the project at the end of January, valentines kept pouring in at the Tribune office. Some didn’t come with notes of who they were from, but some came from Morningside Elementary, second-graders at Lincoln School, third-graders at Bethel Lutheran Church and Easter Seals-Goodwill.

Firefighters training Friday afternoon read through a stack of handmade cards and said they enjoyed the sentiments.

Jeremy Virts said he wanted to find the card his daughter had made.

“She came home from school to tell me about it,” he said.

His daughter, Rylee, 7, is in first grade at Riverview.

“You keep people safe,” she wrote. “That is amazing. I am proud of you.”

Many of the cards for firefighters thanked them for keeping the community safe, and first-grader Caris Holden wrote, “I’m glad you make sure our town does not burn to ashes.”

Firefighter Joe Tinsley read one of the Riverview cards: “I want to be like you, you’re the best. Love, Jessica.” He replied, “Thank you Jessica!”

Cards thanking veterans and military members for their service and sacrifice were delivered to the Great Falls Vet Center.

Officers at the Great Falls Police Department expressed their gratitude for the community support upon receiving a first batch of cards Wednesday.

“Well, isn’t that cool,” Chief Dave Bowen said as he flipped through the hand-drawn, heart-shaped cards made by the Riverview students.

Bowen and the other officers enjoyed reading the cards and admired the creative drawings depicting officers protecting the community from “bad guys” and “robbers.”

A second batch was delivered, to be placed in the briefing room for all officers to see. Especially moving are the messages from children who aspire to be police officers themselves when they grow up.

“You’re a superhero,” some of the other cards read.

One student’s Valentine’s Day wish for the officers was for “doughnuts to rain down from the sky.”