Public service employees not lacking work ethic
Dear Editor:
We have all heard quite a bit about the lack of work ethic in our current work force.
Now, perhaps that’s true for some, but I just wanted to highlight a group of workers in Blount County that are prime examples of how there are many people out there giving 100 (if not 150) percent.
The public service employees of Blount County — specifically Alcoa Fire and Police, Maryville Fire and Police, Blount County Fire, Blount County Sheriff’s Department, Blount County Landfill, Blount County Rescue Squad, Rural/Metro, Blount County Circuit Court Clerk’s Office and City of Alcoa Administration — are an amazing group of people who do not clock off of shift and then tune out their community.
The ninth annual Public Service Luncheon, held a couple of weeks ago, has so far raised over $14,000 with almost no expenses. Why so few expenses? It’s completely volunteer and sponsor driven. Tom Hatcher and his team put in the time and effort to recruit donations, grill chicken, and beg for potato salad!
I know several of these folk take the day off during the event — using their own vacation time — to make sure everything runs just right! I know I can’t thank them enough.
Why do they do this? Because these are the people who are on the front lines and see the need. People in distress aren’t a story in the paper to the county clerk who is trying to explain how to fill out paperwork to an adult who can’t read. It’s not just a statistic to the police officer who is responding to a call of a beaten woman.
Thank you to all the public servants. You stand up for Blount County.
Sincerely,
Michelle Hankes
President/CEO
United Way of Blount County
1615 E. Broadway Ave.
Maryville, TN 37804
